Wedding Gown Savings Option #3

Turn a dress into a wedding dress.

If you walk into any department store in the country, you'll usually find a formal dress section for proms, Quinces, and formal occasions. These dresses are gorgeous, formal, informal, elegant, and more. Some are even the colors of typical wedding gowns--whites, ivories, etc.--and they are usually in the neighborhood of a couple dollars or less. Many of these dresses can easily be used as a wedding gown. Just by removing the word bridal, wedding, bride, etc., from the title of the dress, you cut your costs by at least 30% without having to give up any of the beauty or elegance a wedding dress possesses.

Wedding Gown Savings Option #2

Hit upscale consignment shops.

Think about it. When people are done with their high-end designer wedding gowns, where do these gowns end up? Many brides try to recoup their wedding gown costs by selling them at consignment shops. This is great news for you because you'll get a designer gown that's only been worn once at a major discount!

The downside is that it's either your size or it isn't. If it's too big, you can have it altered, but if it's too small then you're out of luck.

Wedding Gown Savings Option #1

Be on the lookout for off-the-rack or sample gown sales. These special events sell the sample gowns at deep discounts. Since these are the gowns that are tried on by brides, there may be slight defects such as a make-up stain or missing embellishments. If you can hide or fix the problem, then this is a great way to get a designer dress or a designer look without paying the designer price--usually getting these dresses at a third of the cost than if you buy it brand new.