Then Again, Maybe You'll Splurge
One friend was determined to help her daughter find a wedding dress that fit their budget. They had saved on everything else and were feeling pretty good about their winning streak!
As she recounts, “My daughter tried on the first one, and as she came out of the dressing room, I saw a young man with a young woman looking at dresses. I don't know if she was his fiancée or friend, but anyway, he shook her arm to get her attention and said, ‘Oh, wow, look at her!’ Now, the other young woman wasn't real happy at that remark at first, but she looked at my daughter and you could see she thought it made Sarah a beautiful bride.
“The dress was twice the budget we wanted to spend. I could tell Sarah thought this was ‘The Dress,’ you know, the one that they say you'll just know is It. She said that she could be happy with the dress that was more in our budget, but I just couldn't let her. We decided we'd find some way to save in other places.” And they did.
Essential
Many bridal salons request that you call ahead to make an appointment to try dresses on. This allows them to plan for your visit and give you individualized attention.
Find Other Places to Save
“There was a headpiece to match the dress, and the price was outrageous,” added Sarah. “It just bothered me to see what they wanted for a simple cloth scrunchy-looking thing that wrapped around my topknot. I mean, it was really just a ponytail holder! I made a satin one to match my gown and attached a fingertip-length veil to it, and no one was the wiser. I spent next to nothing for the small amount of satin and the tulle for the veil.”
Sample Sales
Fact
If you are even reasonably adept with a needle or a glue gun, you can put together a headpiece that won't cost as much as the ready-made ones. Visit the bridal section at your local fabric or craft store.
Sample sales are a smart way to buy a designer gown at a discount price. Bridal salons sell sample gowns once the manufacturer discontinues them, usually a seasonal occurrence.
Bridal salons take great care to keep their samples in good condition, but usually they will have been tried on by a number of customers. Slight imperfections are unavoidable, but you can replace a zipper, have the sample dress professionally cleaned, and still come out ahead.
