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Planning a wedding ceremony and reception is not an inexpensive proposition. For some brides, one of the most expensive parts of their wedding is the cost of the wedding gown. This is not so much a problem if it is possible for the bride to continue a tradition and to wear a wedding dress handed down from a family member like a grandmother or aunt. But, if you do not have this option, there are several other alternatives.
If the wedding gown you are looking for must be new, check with your local and chain-run national bridal shops to see if they run annual or semi-annual wedding dress sales. For example, the national chain, David's Bridal, runs a sale where it is possible to buy a gown for only $ 99. Although rarer, some locally run brutal salons may often do the same. This may take some legwork, so do not be discouraged if you do not find a sale right away.
A second option open to you is to see if you have a member of the family or a friend who has sewing skills. There are number of patterns available in a range of sizes at most sewing centers which will allow you to be custom fitted for your wedding dress as it is manufactured. In this way, the cost of your gown will be limited to what you spend on the pattern, fabric, trim and notions. Other family members who might be adept at beading or perhaps making the veil and headpiece could custom decorate the gown to give it a more expensive look and help keep the cost more in line with your wedding budget.
If you do not have a problem with wearing a used wedding gown, there are several options open to you. Many times those wishing to sell their wedding gowns list them for sale in the classified section of your local newspaper. Another low-cost option is to check local thrift shops like the Goodwill and the Salvation Army stores. Do this as much in advance as you can to ensure that you have time to have the gown professionally cleaned prior to your nuptials. The same is true if you find your wedding gown at a yard or lawn sale. Your last option is to check with your local dry-cleaning stores to see if they have any unclaimed gowns that they are offering for sale. Many times people drop off their gowns for cleaning, and then never claim them if they do not like the amount being charged for cleaning and storage. Other times, the owner moves or dies and the wedding dress is never reclaimed. After a certain amount of time, the gown is considered to be abandoned and the dry cleaner has the right to dispose of it as he sees fit.
Your last option is to not wear a white gown for your wedding ceremony at all. Up until Queen Victoria's wedding, when she broke with tradition and wore a white gown, brides simply chose a good dress or other fancy clothes for their wedding ceremony that could be worn again later for other special occasions. Although popular myth, the white gown did not originally signify chastity or purity, but was worn by a girl to indicate her status and wealth, because only the rich could afford to have an expensive white dress made to be worn for just this occasion alone.
