Buying the perfect wedding dress can make a real dent in your wallet. CNN reports that the average cost of a wedding dress in 2013 was $1,211. I managed to score a beautiful gown for less than half of that! You too can have your dream dress without breaking the bank.
Buy Secondhand
I bought my Maggie Sottero ball gown wedding dress for $250 at a gown sale put on by Brides Against Breast Cancer. This organization sells used wedding dresses at bargain prices, and all proceeds are used to support women fighting breast cancer.
If Brides Against Breast Cancer isn’t having an event near you, you can find quality used wedding dresses on eBay. Also, don’t forget to check out your local consignment and thrift stores. You never know what you may find!
I never would have been able to afford a brand new Maggie Sottero wedding gown. Buying a used dress enabled me to purchase a stunning designer gown.
Find a Good Tailor
Once you have your dress in hand, it’s time to find a good tailor. Your tailor can fix any imperfections that the dress may have. My gown, for example, was missing a couple of buttons. After an appointment with a local seamstress, my dress is as good as new!
Even if you buy a brand new wedding dress, it is likely that you will have to have it altered for a perfect fit. My tailor replaced the missing buttons, shortened the hem, and bustled the gown’s train, all for $200.
Have it Cleaned
With all the money you’ve saved thus far, it is worth the money to have your gown professionally cleaned. Call around to your local dry cleaners and find out which one has the best deal on cleaning a wedding dress.
It cost me $120 to have my dress dry cleaned. The total amount that I spent on my wedding dress including purchasing it, altering it, and cleaning it: $570. That’s $641 less than the national average!
Sell Afterward
You’re only going to wear your wedding gown one time in your life. Why not sell it after your big day? You can sell your wedding dress on eBay or Craigslist. You could even take it to a consignment shop and have someone else sell it for you.
Selling your wedding gown allows you to recoup some of the money that you’ve spent on getting married. Plus, it gives another bride-to-be the same opportunity that you had: to save money by buying a fabulous pre-loved wedding dress. Take that extra cash and put it toward your well-deserved honeymoon.
