Be A Great Bride On A Budget

Money, money, money – it makes the world go round, apparently. I’ve discovered that planning a wedding on a budget can actually be fun...

Ugh, budgets. It’s hard enough to keep a sensible view of what you can reasonably afford when you’re shopping for summer clothes on the high street, so how’s a girl supposed to remain realistic when she is shopping for the most important dress of her life? Yet countless wedding planning guides will tell you that the first thing you should do is to set a realistic budget for your big day.

BUDGET BRIDES: TEN TOP TIPS
1. No matter how classy the store you’re in, don’t be too shy to ask for a discount. Many stores will offer to throw in the veil or alterations at no cost if you’re paying full price for the gown.

2. Search the ‘for sale’ boards on wedding websites. We don’t recommend that you buy the big things like your dress from places like Ebay because there are no guarantees… we would hate for you to be disappointed.

3. However, Ebay can be terrific for wedding bits and bobs. And you can always try to make some money back after the event by selling some of your wedding paraphernalia.

4. Don’t worry about splashing out on your dream dress – just try to cut back a bit on other aspects. As fabulous as it would be to wear Jimmy Choos, there are lots of gorgeous shoes available on the high street. You could skip the veil, or see if your mom’s works as you’ll have the ‘something old’ requirement then too.

5. Take out wedding insurance. It’s one thing to spend a sizeable chunk of your wedding budget on your dress, but it’s another thing to lose that money if the dress gets damaged.

6. Go to wedding fairs where you’ll find lots of ideas, and exhibitors may offer discounts. Designer discount sales also give discounts of up to 75% on top-name gowns.

7. Don’t forget to check out the lower-priced dress brands like David’s Bridal Collection with many gowns priced under $1,200. David’s Bridal also has a beautiful affordable range of bridal wear.

8. If the dress you want is too expensive, find a dressmaker to make you something similar instead. The key word here is similar as an exact copy will be in breach of copyright. Make sure the dressmaker is reputable, and see examples of their work first.


9. Try to remember that it’s the groom’s day too. Once you’ve worked out a total budget, make a list of the things that you both really want and then divide them into things you absolutely have to have, and things that you don’t mind compromising on. You may have to give up on the idea of having a string quartet if your fiancé’ really wants to hire a band.

10. Don’t be so hung up on sticking to your budget that you end up being seduced by the low price of things that you’re not sure about – it’s false economy. One bride says she was considering a dress that was double the amount she wanted to pay and when the store offered her the sample at half price, she jumped at the offer, only to realize too late, that it was not the dress she really wanted.