Balling on a Budget: How to Save Money on your Wedding Attire

This is part four of my six-part series on how to save money while planning a wedding.

The range of garments available to a prospective bride or groom is amazing; the sky's the limit, from a thrifted outfit to custom made suits and gowns. It may seem daunting to set expectations for your wedding ensemble, which will live in forever in photographs, for better or for worse. Having been through this myself and playing a supporting role to others searching for outfits for their wedding day, I have some tips on how to save money and minimize stress.

Be Prepared

Shopping for this all-important outfit will be much easier if you have an idea of what you want. Take a look at print magazines and online to get an idea of what silhouettes are available. It will be helpful for you to know what styles you like before you head to the store. If you have not bought a suit or a formal gown before (or since Prom), you might consider going to a bridal store or suit warehouse with a wide range of styles available so that you can try on a number of pieces and get an idea of what you like best.

Scope Out Sales

Bridal and suit stores have periodic sales and online-only specials. You can best take advantage of these events if you have a good idea of what styles you prefer. You may also want to keep an eye out for store closings. While this is not a common occurrence, a bridal store going out of business will be liquidating a large amount of stock at reduced prices.

Online Retailers

As long as you are careful about sizing (and backed by a good returns policy), you can search for your dream dress online. Some retailers, like Azazie, do charge a fee for trying on dresses at house. However, all of their popular styles are under $900 (many under $500!) so you will still come out ahead if one of these gowns is the one for you.

If your online retailer of choice offers custom sizing, it may be worth looking into if you have any kind of an unusual fit. I do not mean to cause offense - as someone who is 5 feet tall, I am a weird fit myself! It cost as much to alter my dress as it did to buy it off the rack. If I had ordered a dress online, I would have had someone help me take my measurements and ordered a custom length to prevent having to make multiple seamstress visits. Fewer fittings will save you money, as well.

Save on Accessories

I wholeheartedly recommend that you look online for all of your accessory needs. The markup on these items is extreme for both men's and women's accessories. Some well-known bridal chains charge over $100 for a veil, which is essentially a piece of tulle fabric attached to a comb, and more than that for belts and costume jewelry. The markup on ties is similarly huge. To give you an idea of the savings to be had, my husband tried on an $80 tie that had a pattern in line with our wedding theme. I ultimately found him a $10 tie that looked nearly identical on Amazon. I also bought a $20 veil that I liked more than the $150 one I tried on in the bridal store!

You may be able to share accessories from your family or friends. While it's difficult to share a tailored gown with someone else, accessories are much more one-size-fits-all. Your mom, grandma, or other family member may have kept their veil along with their gown. This extra-special touch would add an emotional family connection to your wedding outfit.

I bought my veil at Amazon for a mere $20 and later shared it with a close friend.
It made for an extra-special story for us both to tell forever!