Yes, a bride’s wedding dress will cost a lot of money—probably more than you’ll spend on another piece of attire in your life! However, there are several ways to save money on your wedding dress while still finding a gown that you absolutely love.
Don’t try on dresses that are over-budget: Be upfront with your bridal salon consultant about your budgets—and be sure ask about the cost of each dress you try on. Avoid the temptation of trying on a wedding dress that’s out of your price range.
Find a simple wedding dress, and accessorize: As mentioned, a simple and relatively unadorned wedding gown will cost less than an extremely detailed wedding dress. If you’re on a tight wedding dress budget, we recommend finding a simple gown and using a beaded sash or a brooch to give it some extra sparkle.
Find a dress you love as is: Any significant alterations or customizations that you do to a wedding dress will cost (a lot of!) money. Therefore, if you want to make significant changes to a wedding dress (add sleeves, change the silhouette, etc.), that gown is probably not for you. Look for a wedding dress that you love mostly as it looks off the hanger.
Scour sample sales: Many bridal salons offer sample sales where they sell sample dresses from past seasons. These sample dresses are typically in sizes 6 to 12, so if you fall in that size category, you may find a gorgeous gown at a low price at one of these sales.
Visit trunk shows: If you’re set on purchasing a gown by a specific designer, you might find a deal at a trunk show. Trunk shows are when a bridal salon features the collection of a particular dress designer—and usually offers a discount (usually about 5 or 10 percent off that designer’s wedding dress prices). Research which salons in your area carry your favorite designers, and check their websites for upcoming trunk shows.
Give yourself time to shop: A wedding dress can take several months to arrive after you’ve ordered it. Be sure to start shopping for your wedding dress as soon as possible —many brides shop at least nine months in advance, if not more. If you wait until the last minute, you may end up paying rush charges for your dress, which can greatly add to your total wedding dress cost.