A Wedding Dress for Less

When the organist begins to play "The Wedding March", all heads turn toward the back of the church to see the beaming bride in her beautiful wedding dress. It's the moment every bride dreams about, and it's worthy of a dress that makes her feel like a princess.

The bride's dress can be one of the single biggest expenses in a wedding budget, but there are many ways to get a gorgeous dress without spending a fortune.

Sample sales are a good place to start looking for your low-cost wedding dress. Women who are of average size and height will probably have the best luck at a sample sale. Be sure to check the dress carefully for stains or other defects which may not be easily remedied as the dress will be sold "as is". Make sure the dress is a good fit as any alterations will be paid for separately.

The least expensive option for your bridal garb would be to borrow a wedding dress from a friend or relative. You may be surprised at their willingness to share their dream dresses with you. Again, you should look for a good fit unless your benefactor is willing to let you alter the garment.

Your bridal gown may also be rented at great savings to you. For instance, Rent A Bridal Gown in Modesto, California, (www.rentabridalgown.com) rents gowns for $250 and offers free alterations. Renting a gown eliminates the expense of cleaning the gown and solves the problem of storing it once your wedding day is past.

You can have your wedding dress made by a seamstress. A word of caution is needed here, however. The beautiful fabrics and laces used in bridal dresses are often very costly, and a skilled seamstress won't come cheap, either. Having a friend or relative construct the dress for you may bring substantial savings, but this is not, I repeat, not a job for an amateur.

Another good option is to order a bridesmaid's dress. Along with bright and beautiful colors, manufacturers frequently offer bridesmaid dresses in white or ivory. You may even want to order the same style in a darker color for your bridesmaids to achieve a coordinated look for your wedding party.

Special occasion dresses in pearl gray, blush pink, white or ivory from a department store or catalog are also worth a look. It seems just putting the term "wedding" in front of the name of a piece of clothing raises the price of the garment, and you may realize great savings by wearing a cocktail dress or a formal on your big day.

As you can see, a little resourcefulness and flexibility on your part can get you the dress of your dreams...for less.