Guide to Cheap Wedding Dresses
Where to Find Beautiful Bridal Wear at Bargain Prices
The best places to find bargain wedding dresses - from online auction sites to High Street stores - to help plan a beautiful, low budget wedding.
Wedding dresses come in a variety of different styles these days. It's not necessary to wear white any more, although undoubtedly this is still the color of preference. Perhaps cream is more suited to your skin tone, or even a floaty peach colored outfit? Floral dresses have also entered the market and provide a distinctively modern look. Whichever direction you are heading, if money is an issue you can't afford to ignore eBay.
Wedding Dresses on eBay
eBay is home to a fantastic array of ever changing wedding dresses, some of which are brand new and available at a fraction of the cost a traditional bridal wear shop would charge. Many people worry about buying from auction sites like eBay, so here are a few guidelines:
- Always check the sellers feedback. This is the best guide you have to a sellers reliability.
- Pay attention to postal charges as well as the individual items price. It won't be a bargain if the postage is outrageous.
- If possible, use paypal to pay for items as they offer buyer protection.
- Check the seller's small print. They should be up front and truthful about any problems as discrepancies between their description and the item you receive may give grounds for a refund.
- If buying second hand, ask questions such as: Are there any signs of wear/stains? Has the dress been altered? Has it been dry cleaned?
With wedding dresses you will, of course, need to try the dress on at home. Returns are not always straightforward with auction sites, and can end up costing you big bucks, so if you fancy finding a wedding dress through eBay it's more sensible to purchase with the intention of putting the dress back up for sale if it doesn't turn out to be exactly what you'd hoped for. If you're lucky and buy at the right price, you might even end up making more money from your re-sale than it cost you in the first place!
Another tip with auction sites is to buy a dress in a bigger size, and then take it to a professional seamstress to get it altered to fit you.
High Street Stores and Bridal Boutiques
Aside from eBay there are several other avenues to bargain wedding dresses. Some of the regular High Street stores have recently introduced beautiful dresses that are appropriate for weddings. In the UK Monsoon and Bhs offer particularly great examples, in America you may have to travel a little further to check out some of the great bridal warehouses. Either way, the dresses work out much cheaper from these outlets than from specialist shops
If you do still feel swayed to visit one of those gorgeous little boutique stores, try to keep clear of the new arrivals section. Instead, turn to the rack of end-of-the-line dresses, often available at greatly reduced prices. Wedding shops all have an end of season sale too, so it's worth biding your time. Avoid impulse buys at all costs. Don't let your mind (or the shop assistant) trick you into thinking you'll ever miss out on your dream dress – there are plenty more out there.
Charity Shops for Vintage Chic
Finally, charity shops offer excellent hunting grounds for vintage wedding dresses, which together with a little bit of sewing know-how can provide you with a perfectly unique wedding dress. In fact, it's always useful to know someone who's handy with a sewing machine when a wedding's on the cards. Minor adjustments can have a major effect that will have you and your bargain dress looking like a million dollars on your big day!
