Wedding dresses – budget tips and the keys to finding the look you want at the price you want!
Wedding dresses as a topic is one we spend a great deal of time researching and analyzing. Why, you ask? Simple. The bride is the focus of every wedding (sorry guys!), which means that what the bride wears is also a main focal point for the entire event. We recognize the importance, but at the same time we also know how crazy it is to spend thousands of dollars on an outfit you will wear EXACTLY once!
And if that weren’t enough to cause your ulcer to grow, wedding dresses are the one area of the wedding budget that generates the highest number of complaints. The reasons are numerous.
Many couples disagree about the amount of money that should be spent on the bridal gown, so inherently it’s a contentious issue. Most bridal gowns, additionally, are manufactured overseas which requires a HUGE lead time and makes them impossible to return!
All that being said, we have compiled a list of buying tips to help you find a wedding dress at an affordable price but still get the look you want. There are far too many steps involved in purchasing, so we hope you’ll look at the additional articles we have on affordable wedding dresses, buying wedding gowns online, and the process for buying your wedding gown. Those who are considering used wedding dresses might find this article particularly useful.
Without further adiue...Steps for purchasing:
Step 1: Shopping.
This step is usually the most exhaustive for brides. Going from store to store, trying on dresses while the caddy saleswomen squeal could be a bizarre form of torture in certain societies. But just do your best to stay focused and take a lot of breaks. It will all be worth it in the end!
While you’re shopping, the key elements for you to consider are: neckline (low vs. high), waist line, length, and embellishments (beading, lace trim, etc.). While you’re trying things on you should also be judging quality of construction (are the beads glued or sewn on? Does the stitching look even?) and comfort level. The last thing you want is to not be able to dance at your own wedding because your dress is too constrictive! Warning: Consider the venue of the ceremony.
Keep in mind that some conservative environments will frown upon off-the-shoulder designs or flashy designs.
Step 2: Ordering.
This is the mind-altering, hand-shaking moment where you’re forced to plunk down your money and place your order. At this point, the store sends your order to the manufacturer so the dress can be made for you.
Note that this process can take anywhere between 10 to 14 weeks just to get your dress made! Most dresses follow this process, but there is a such a thing as ordering “off the rack”. More on that later. Treat this step as if you were buying a car, house, or other life purchase! READ THE FINE PRINT. Understand the return policies, and get as much of your deal in writing as possible.
Step 3: Altering.
The dress is here, now it’s time to make sure it fits. Very rarely will the dress you had custom made in your exact size fit the first time you try it on. Yes. Crazy. I know. (Where else but weddings can you get something custom made that needs to be altered?! It defies all logic! But I digress.)
Keep in mind that alterations can take 4 weeks to complete and cost up to $300 in some areas! You will go through a series of fittings until your dress fits like a glove. We recommend that you have your final fitting with enough time left over in case there are mistakes, but not so much time that your weight might fluctuate between the last fitting and the day you actually need to wear it!
Step 4: Portraits.
This step is totally optional. At some weddings it follows tradition to have a portrait taken with the bride in her wedding dress. And some brides just love the way they look in their gown so much, that they have professional portraits taken in advance to be used on the welcome table at the reception.
In either case, we believe this step to be one of the optional ones, so if you get to the end of your budget and need to find fat to trim, this might be a good area of focus.
Warning: Allow time for mistakes! I cannot overstate the importance of this enough. Mistakes (sad as they are, especially when you’re paying a king’s ransom for perfection) are a natural part of weddings.
Do yourself a favor and ORDER EARLY with enough time in your schedule to allow for mistakes to be fixed. Every time you rush something, you will incur a rush fee, and the job will “look” rushed. Both are bad bad bad!
For more money saving tips on everything wedding related, get the low-down here!
Wedding dresses don't have to be expensive. Here's why.
