How to Spend Less on Your Wedding Dress

Truth: A custom wedding dress fitted to your exact measurements can cost a lot of money. (The average price is $1,631 as of 2021, according to Brides.) The fabric, embellishments, design, and craftsmanship all play a role in the price. 

Whether you love the look of a big ball gown or prefer an elegant sheath, what can you do if your vision doesn’t quite match your budget? Don’t pay full price. Here are some of the best ways to save:

Shop early to avoid extra fees

Bridal salons suggest shopping for your dress nine to 12 months ahead of the wedding. That may sound insane but, unlike off-the-rack options, each dress ordered at a salon is custom made to fit your figure, and that can take time. When you shop early, you can avoid any potential rush charges, which typically range from $300 to $1,800, says Lisa Fuhrman, a bridal consultant at Kleinfeld Bridal in New York and a cast member of TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress.” 

Sample sales offer deep discounts  

Where can you find a $2,000 dress that’s selling for $299? At a sample sale. Bridal stores hold these special events to clear out their inventory and make room for new styles, according to Brides. You may have to wait in line for a few hours before the bridal salon hosting the event opens but to get a dress that’s a fraction of the cost may be worth it. “A sample dress may have a rip or a few missing beads or need to be dry-cleaned because the train was dirty from dragging on the floor,” says Fuhrman.  You can put a few hundred dollars into repairing the sample and you’ll still be saving a bundle.

Trunk shows tempt with giveaways

While a trunk show doesn’t offer big discounts like a sample sale, your budget will still come out ahead. The shows, which take place in bridal salons throughout the year, let a designer show off their new dress collection to an intimate group of brides and guests. When you order a dress at a  trunk show, the designer will often offer a discount based on the price of the dress, says Fuhrman. Other designers will offer giveaways like adding buttons to a train or sewing a lining into the dress at no extra charge. Each alteration would regularly cost about $400 to $700, says Fuhrman.

Keeping it simple may not be a savings

This may shock you a little: A dress that’s all blinged-out won’t necessarily cost more than a plain sheath—it all depends on a dress’s fabrication and how it’s put together. “Unless you have a great seamstress, it could cost you more to buy a simple dress that you add embellishments to,” says Fuhrman. “You can get a blinged-out dress for $1,500—it won’t be silk-satin but poly-satin, and the beads will be glued not sewn on but it’s still beautiful.”

Invest in a pre-owned dress

Buying a dress online from Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace or at a thrift shop can save you a ton. Many times the seller is a bride looking to recoup some of the big bucks she spent on the dress or a bride who decided the dress wasn’t to her liking and bought another one for her wedding. (Before buying online from a stranger, research safety guidelines.)

The price usually goes up when you customize

You may think changing a detail on a dress is no big deal but every “improvement” may cost you hundreds of dollars, Fuhrman says. Don’t take the sleeves off (or put some on) a dress you like. Don’t add beading (or take any off). Don’t change the neckline (leave it as is). And forget about finding a dress you love and asking the designer to make it with a less-expensive fabric—most won’t, Fuhrman adds. Instead of creating a dress that fits your vision, keep looking for a dress that already does.

Buying the right “stock” could pay off

What does a store do with a dress that’s damaged but still wearable? Or one that was never picked up due to the wedding being canceled? It’s sold as a stock dress, and the savings are substantial. “We only have a few but we’ll sell them right then and there instead of ordering a custom dress,” says Fuhrman. Like sample sale dresses, stock gowns are purchased as is.

Follow the money on social media

The best way to find out about upcoming savings opportunities is to follow your favorite wedding dress designers, bridal shops, department stores, and bloggers who post regularly about trunk shows, sample sales, promotions, and pop-up shops.

Think about borrowing a dress  

Paying nothing for a dress is the ultimate way to save. This works well if your budget is tiny and you’d rather put less emphasis on the dress and more on another wedding detail like the flowers or the cake. Ask friends and family members who wear the same size as you if they’d like to see their beautiful gown take another walk down the aisle. Make sure the dress is still current—a racerback neckline, for example, screams “1998!”

Bet you didn’t know there were so many ways to save? With some flexibility, patience, and a commitment to keeping on top of sales, you’re on your way to walking down the aisle in the dress of your dreams.

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