It’s getting close to wedding season! I know we have a lot of readers that could benefit from this info. So hopefully it can give you some ideas on how to save money on your wedding dress!
Purchasing a wedding gown does not have a break the bank. There are lots of ways you can cut costs but still get the dress of your dreams.
Idea #1: Wedding gown stores have a sale and discount rack just like other stores. So if you have your eye set on a particular dress, make sure to check to see if it has been marked down before you try some of the other suggestions below.
Idea #2: Buy a used bridal gown from eBay.com, Tradesy.com or Stillwhite.com. Women will sell their used wedding dresses on sites like these for a huge discount. And since they were only worn once, your dress will still look brand new. If you have wanted a designer dress but didn’t want to pay the hefty price, this is a great way to find a discount.
Idea #3: Some women are willing to give their wedding dresses away! Check sites like Craiglist for women in your area who are doing just that. You can have it altered for a fraction of the cost and still get a gorgeous gown.
Idea #4: Save money on all of your dress accessories. You might have a veil, gloves, shoes or jewelry that all add to the cost of your wedding dress purchase. Don’t purchase these at a wedding shop. It will end up costing too much. Instead, look for jewelry deals online and at vintage shops. And if you find that perfect piece of jewelry at a retail store, you can use coupons to cut your costs even more.
I’ve seen white satin shoes at a regular shoe store for as low as $20. You can even find white pumps at Payless! You can also find all of your wedding dress accessories at a prom dress store. And they will be a lot cheaper than what you will find at a wedding dress shop.
Idea #5: Order the wrong size. That might sound strange. But depending on your size, you might be able to purchase a larger, or much larger dress size for half the cost. When stores can’t sell an item, they will discount it. So try the size on that fits and make sure you like it. Then purchase the larger and discounted size in the same style. Just take it to get altered down to your frame.
Idea #6: Buy an “un-wedding” dress. Department stores all sell white dresses that aren’t considered a wedding dress. And they will cost hundreds less than what a bridal gown would. You can find short, long, silhouette or ball gown style. I’ve seen gorgeous white dresses that could easily pass for a bridal gown. Don’t forget that Department stores use coupons too. Macy’s has their One-Day sales throughout the year. Plus, you can use their Extra Savings Pass to get an extra 10%-15% off your total purchase. You should be able to find a knock-out white dress for an amazing price.
Brenna
I have a gown for sale. If anyone is interested please email me@ sparksb@hotmail.com
Maggie Sottero “Ambrosia” gown.
Color: Alabaster
Size: 0-4 (corset back)
link: https://www.maggiesottero.com/dress.aspx?style=A3365LU
Comes with a hoop skirt/slip
I had a bustle added when I got married.
I paid $1750, will sell for $800
I live in Utah.
Stephanie
I rented my dress and have never regretted it. I think it cost about $400 which included alterations, we picked it up and my mom dropped it off the day or so after my wedding. I also wanted an extra row of beads on the top and she was going to charge me but then decided she liked it better that way.
Paisley Wise
Thanks for posting!! I just got engaged so this helps a ton!!
Lyndie
I found my DD’s dress on ebay-$65! Alterations $125..wow!
Christina
I got my dress on Craigslist for $75. It still had the tags on. 🙂 the bride and groom had postponed. It fit like a glove too so no alterations. 🙂
Julie Jordan
Have you ever heard of Gowns By Pamela? Pamela makes custom designed dresses you can rent for about 1/3 of the price for buying a dress, even a discounted dress when you take alterations into account. Plus her dresses are custom designed, not the cookie cutter styles and she has better quality, AND her dresses are manufactured here in America! Check out Utah’s best kept secret at http://www.gownsbypamela.com. 🙂 Hope this helps!
Ruth D
Target has a great bridal line starting at $70.
Kara
Go to a bridal shop and ask to see their catalog of bridesmaid dresses. They can make the bridesmaids dresses in any color including white or ivory. Many of them would be suitable for a bridal gown at a fraction of the cost of the typical wedding dress. I bought a floor length bridesmaid dress but had it made in ivory. They charged me something like $50 extra to have it made in white or ivory but it was still under $200.
Deborah
Similarly, I bought a prom dress and ordered it in white. Cost me a little over $100 and it was simple, but elegant.
Kristy
I had my mother-in-law make my dress (she’s an excellent seamstress) , so it only cost the amount of the fabric, which was like $200. But still , in retrospect I would have rented a dress. because it didn’t turn out exactly how I had hoped. I’m going to suggest to my daughter that she rents- I’m pretty sentimental, but I don’t see the point in keeping a dress you’ll never wear again, and your daughter will most likely never wear, plus renting lets you get a nicer dress for less money.
Kristy
Also I just saw that Ideeli has a wedding sale on today starting at 9 am… they have one every few months. They are higher end dresses, but you can get quite a large discount when buying through Ideeli. I have shopped there for years and really like this website. https://vnlink.co/Srto2Tb
Karen
My sisters and I all wore the same dress. 3 of us got married in 2 1/2 yrs. so sharing the dress made sense–it was still in style, we didn’t have to waste more time on shopping for different dresses and it made for a fun memory. I recommend that option if possible. We all weren’t exactly the same size, but close enough to make it work.
Jena
There are lots of websites that make custom dresses and are made and shipped internationally like out of China. I’ve talked to a few different people who have gone that route and it seems to be about a split success rate. Some have gone great, others have turned out terribly. Does anyone know of a great option for doing this? Have others had great success or epic failures??
TASHINA
I got my dress for $99!! It was marked down from 1200 it was to big but I found a lady that does alterations out of her home she only charged me $100 and that was adding some pink to it too!!
Dorie
I got my wedding dress on Ebay. I ordered it from a seller on Ebay (from China) and only paid $175 for a dress made just for me. The design of the dress that I liked had a plunging neckline and back so I had them alter it so that it was more modest and they did it perfectly! The best part is that I didn’t pay an arm and a leg for a dress or pay extra for alterations. It was perfect! Just make sure you really research the seller and make sure they have good ratings and reviews. I know a lot of other friends who have done this. Also, a lot of the dresses you see at the bridal shops are actually imported from China so doing it this way is like cutting out the middle man.