Amazing Dresses For Cheap? February 21, 2008

Okay, I want to look beautiful on my wedding day. Who doesn’t.

I also don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on a dress, especially since the GTB and I have set a very modest budget of $15,000. Can it be done? It’ll be tricky, but I think we can do it. We’re not cheap, we just want to pay upfront for everything and not incur any debt.

Anyway, I did a simple search online and there are TONS of places to get beauteous dresses for less.

If you’re in Minnesota, go to Brides of France. They sell tons of beautiful dresses that may have been worn once, or dresses that may have not even made it down the aisle (I’m thinking maybe the dress didn’t work for the bride, the wedding date changed or they decided to go toward a destination wedding). You can find Monique Lhuillier, La Sposa and bunches of consignment coverups (boleros!) and vintage jewelry.

If you’re not in the land of 10,000 lakes, consider Bargain Bride for “designer inspired” dresses created to your measurements. There are some beautiful dresses that are clearly inspired by ML and other designers.

Or, it could be hit or miss, but you could search eBay. Most of these dresses are made in China, so they certainly wouldn’t work for a wedding thats 2 weeks away, but they are made to your specifications. Do a bit of searching on the names, some are more reputable than others. Make sure to note the shipping charges (usually $175 or more — which is why the dresses are listed for $10). The dress pictured is an eBay dress.

Finally, check local bridal shops to see if they know of any sample sales in your area. Sometimes, brand name designer dresses can be found for 30-70% off their retail price. Someone else may have tried them on, but they’ve never gone down the aisle (I know some people care about that).