Affordable Wedding Gown Alternatives

Now, as I’ve said in other articles, a wedding doesn’t have to be a big production number to be beautiful, enjoyable and genuine. In my personal opinion, a wedding dress that costs as much as a house (and is almost as big! ) is a completely unnecessary display of conspicuous consumption! Here are a few ideas to help you have a beautiful wedding with a beautiful dress that won’t threaten your first-born’s college education!

Do a Keyword Search

There are lots of ways to get inexpensive clothing online. First of all, enter keywords such as “cheap wedding dress”, “bargain wedding dress” and so in into your favorite search engine. Don’t be put off by the terminology! It’ll find you some good online deals - you don‘t have to call it a cheap wedding dress once you have it hanging in your closet!

Some likely places to find “cheap wedding dresses” online are eBay, Craig’s List, and of course, any number of online shops that will turn up with a good keyword search. As with anything else, if you are buying a wedding dress from someone on eBay or Craig’s List, do your homework and be very careful. You don’t want to end up on the police blotter instead of the wedding announcements page!

When I got married at 18, I surely could not afford an expensive wedding dress. I bought my dress for about $25 off a clearance rack at a clothing store called Margie’s near Dallas. It was a white, cotton summer dress. Since my wedding was on Christmas day, I wore a silky green and red blouse under it. It was pretty, appropriate, and uniquely mine. You may be able to find something that is just right for you at a regular dress shop or even a department store. Keep your eyes open, and be creative.

When my best friend got married, we checked a local bridal store, and she tried on all kinds of strapless things that were outrageously expensive and really didn’t look good on her because she’s very tall and thin. I spotted a beautiful, off-white, flowing slacks and tunic outfit. She tried that on, and it was just perfect, and if I remember correctly, it didn’t cost her more than $50.

You don’t have to be as creative and off-beat my friend and I, though! Check local wedding shops like Bride’s Mart. You may find the gorgeous, fluffy gown of your dreams hanging right there on a clearance or sample rack. Remember that you can always have alterations done if you find something that’s a little too big, but don’t try to alter a gown that’s too small! That’s a recipe for disaster!

While you are shopping the bridal shop, be sure to check out the brides’ maid gowns. There may be something very pretty that would be just right for you if you don’t have your heart set on white. For a more mature bride, something in an off-white, beige or pale pastel could be lovely. Or, you could just be daring and get any old color you want! It’s your wedding after all!

If you can sew, get yourself a simple pattern and some nice fabric, and have at it. Better still, if you have relatives who sew, make a family project of it and do something more elaborate with lots of fittings and time spent together. You will be building a treasure trove of stories and memories as well as creating a cherished heirloom to hand down to your daughter or niece.

Alternately, find out if a member of your family or a close family friend has a vintage gown that would fit you or could be altered to fit you. This is a great way to build and share memories.

Other options in vintage gowns could come from ads in the local newspapers, vintage clothing stores, or your local thrift shop. Don’t be too proud to check out that last option. You might walk in the door and find the gown of your dreams right in front of you for $10! In that case, you’ll just know it was meant to be!

Remember that we only wear our wedding dress for a few hours, so buying one that has belonged to someone else is just a sensible, practical thing to do. If you are lucky enough to get a very fine and luxurious dress from a thrift shop or a charity sale, then you will have great story to tell that shows just how wise you are, as well as a lovely dress that you can cherish and pass on.