As a bride, you are likely already dreaming of the perfect wedding gown. Whether you are interested in a traditional, classic or contemporary style, it’s always best to begin your search early on, months before your actual wedding day.
To begin, scour the Internet for wholesale discount bridal shops and wedding magazines to determine the style you are interested in and to get an idea for the price range of each style. As you probably know, every website, every magazine and every offline store will have different prices, sometimes for the very same gown, so it’s very important to shop around ahead of time, so you aren’t rushed into making a purchase, days before your wedding.
Since its likely that your gown may need alterations, it’s yet another reason why you should purchase your gown well in advance. Remember to take into account your body type, size as well as the time of year you are getting married. If your wedding is in the fall or winter, long sleeves makes sense, or if you are having a summer wedding, a short sleeve or sleeveless would be more in fashion.
Once you have determined the style and type of wedding dress that you are interested in, start price shopping. Begin with searching local bridal shops in your area, as well as online. Most online bridal shops offer a money back guarantee so that if you are not happy with the gown once received, you will be able to return it (unaltered) for a quick refund, but be sure to check through the terms of service and return policy prior to ordering.
You will also want to make sure that if you do order a gown online that the distributor provides Fed Ex or overnight delivery, so that you can easily track where your package is as well as confirm receipt. The last thing you want is your gown to be lost in transit so always request that a tracking number be provided upon purchase.
If purchasing your dress from a local bridal shop, inquire as to the cost of hiring an in-house seamstress, as it’s often far more affordable to hire an outside seamstress for your alterations.
If purchasing a gown isn’t important to you, you could opt to rent your dress as well as the tuxedo’s and bridesmaid dresses for your wedding party. Check your department stores for tuxedo rentals and inquire as to whether there are any special offers, such as the groom receiving his tux rental for free if the groomsmen rent their tuxedo’s there. Tux rentals often include cufflinks, vest, tie and sometimes even shoes so be sure to ask.
Otherwise, search through local thrift shops or outlets for second hand tuxedo’s or suits that will save you a fortune while ensuring your groom and his men look fantastic!Keep budget in mind when selecting dresses for your bridesmaids as well. While a bridesmaid traditionally will purchase her own dress, keep in mind that weddings can be expensive for bridesmaids and try to find inexpensive options for them. Many internet stores sell inexpensive bridesmaid dresses at discounted rates, and these are a good option as long as they have an acceptable return policy.
If you are purchasing your bridesmaid dresses , be sure to choose something that they can use later on, enabling them to get far more use out of it.
Money Saving Tip:If you have your heart set on a designer gown, consider hiring a local seamstress to create it for you. This can be an easy way to have the wedding gown of your dreams without the hefty price tag attached. Simply bring in a couple of photos of the gown you like, and discuss optionswith a local (skilled) seamstress.
When it comes to your veil, you can spice up a low priced veil with an affordable jeweled or tulle tiara to give it a special look, all your own without paying top dollar for a long beaded veil.