Are you a bride on a budget? You may think you can skimp on the price of a wedding dress, but you should never buy cheap wedding dresses. Here’s why.
As a young girl, many women dream of having a fairytale wedding where they get to wear a beautiful gown designed by a famous designer. However, searching for the perfect gown isn’t easy when you’re trying to adhere to a strict budget.
The average wedding gown costs around $1,564 and an additional $300 on accessories like the lingerie, shoes, and veil.
With costs like that, it isn’t surprising that many brides on a budget will consider looking at cheap wedding dresses in order to save some cash.
Today, we want to break the stigma of wearing a wedding gown that doesn’t require spending a small fortune.
We will also give you a little insight on how to shop for these affordable gowns, so you can focus on other things like choosing the perfect venue!
Why are Cheap Wedding Dresses Taboo?
With 73% of couples footing the bill for their own weddings, it’s understandable that they’d want to save money whenever they can. However, the dress should not be one of those cost-saving items.
“Why?” you ask?
The wedding gown you choose should make you feel incredible. It should hug your body in flattering ways. It should make you feel like a bride.
When you cut corners and opt for sticking to cheap wedding dresses (especially ones from sketchy websites from overseas) you aren’t going to be guaranteed that you will receive a good-quality gown.
The dress you receive from these sites rarely lives up to your expectations and often times doesn’t look anything like you ordered!
How to Spot Scam Sites for Cheap Wedding Dresses
If you are set on saving money on your dress because you want to have an awesome honeymoon, here are some tell-tale signs that the website isn’t reputable:
- Designer products are at a deep discount (aka, labeled as cheap wedding dresses!)
- Shipping and delivery claims are unrealistic
- The website has loading errors, grammatical and spelling errors, dead links, and other signs of poor design.
- The online shop claims to be an authorized retailer of designer gowns but does not show up on the designer’s “Store Locator” page
- Images of dresses are not clear and/or models do not have heads
- Unverified payment processes
If you find that you keep coming across scam websites, keep reading because we have tips on how to get the dress of your dreams.
How to Buy an Affordable Wedding Gown
Shopping for cheap wedding dresses doesn’t actually mean they have to be poor quality! You can get a lovely gown without breaking the bank, and here’s how.
1. Don’t shy away from sample gowns
Sample gowns are the dresses that are tried on in a boutique. They are going to be gently worn, but because a shop’s inventory usually changes with the season, you’ll be able to get deep discounts.
If you have a favorite boutique nearby, you can keep an eye out for a sample sale blowout. You may even be able to score a Morilee Madeline Gardner sample gown if you know where to look.
Just make sure you get to the shop early so you can find the best dresses and deals!
2. Renting a dress is an option
We never understood why we had to buy our dresses, but the fellas could rent their tuxes.
Fortunately, there are plenty of sites where you can rent a gown for a very low price. The best part of these rental services is that you don’t have to worry about how you’re going to store the dress, or having to get it dry cleaned!
3. Have your dress customized
Having a dress custom made for you doesn’t sound like it’s an affordable option, but you might be surprised. When you go to a local seamstress, you’re only paying for the material, embellishments, and the expertise and time of the seamstress.
Plus, if you have your dress custom made, you can let your personality shine through and really make a fashion statement.
4. Be okay with simple silhouettes
Getting married isn’t about the dress – it’s about the love you share with your partner. So with that in mind, why not just wear a simple dress with sleek lines and flatters your figure.
You don’t need to have tons of tulle, lace, and glitzy embellishments. A simple silk or satin sheath dress is a lovely option.
If you feel like the dress needs a little something special, you can purchase simple accessories such as:
- Colored belt
- Sparkling headpiece
- Vintage veil with tiny seed pearls
- Lace bolero to cover the top of the dress
- Statement shoes
Sometimes the most basic gown can be taken to the next level with the right accessories!
5. Negotiate the price
If you’re a savvy shopper, you can shop during the off-season for weddings (usually in the fall or winter) and negotiate with the boutique staff for a lower price.
Now, keep in mind that sometimes you may not get a discount on the dress itself (unless it’s a sample). You can, however, try to get a discount on accessories like shoes, a bag, hairpiece, and even jewelry.
You never know until you ask!
Wrapping Up
Planning your wedding should be a fun experience that only leaves you feeling excited about your big day. It shouldn’t leave you feeling like you’re drowning in thousands of yards of silk, lace, and tulle.
Ladies who are on a budget don’t have to settle for those cheap wedding dresses they may find on less-than-reputable websites. You can find affordable beautiful dresses in secondhand shops, retail shops, and even rental services!
We say, instead of thinking of your wedding dress as the main focal point of your big day, choose something that makes you feel your best.
After all, you’re only wearing it for one day!
For more tips, tricks, and bits of fashion advice, check out the blog!