Bridal Attire Tips

Princess Shoes

"Here's a good one that will save you some money. My girlfriend told me to buy plain white satin ballet slippers instead of spending $200 on shoes. They looked great (I had a princess thing going on, anyway), and my feet didn't get tired like they would had I worn heels. Keely from MacAllen, TX

Pajama Party

"When we got married, my husband and I had lots of love and very little money. We had the ceremony at a waterfall. For my dress, and my bridesmaids, we bought beautiful embroidered and beaded Victorian-style cotton nightgowns for $60 each. We belted them with colorful ribbon, and topped them off with headpieces of grapevine and flowers. It was beautiful, cheap, and I still get a great thrill out of telling people I got married wearing my pajamas!" Rebecca from Seattle, WA

Creative Headpiece

"I was so frustrated with the bridal headpiece market. Everything was so boring and uncreative and nothing was 'me'. Finally, I had to make my own. I ended up designing a double-stranded beaded band." Emma from LA, CA

Sentimental Garter

"I was devestated to find out my mother's wedding dress was ruined. We both always had the idea of me wearing her dress. I was able to save the lacy hem of her dress and make a garter out of it. I cut the lace and 3 inches of satin from the hemline, sewed the ends together, folded a 1/2 inch raw edge, then sewed the fold line just above the lace, and 3/4 inch above for 1/2 inch elastic. It is beautiful, and a treasure from her dress. My sister plans on using the lace around a handkerchief for her wedding." Lynn from Riverton, Wyoming

Professional Advice

"I'm a wedding coordinator. One idea I share with many of my brides is to purchase Easter dresses for the flower girls. Easter dresses are usually available in February. They come in many lovely pastel colors, as well as white, and most are much more affordable than purchasing a dress at a bridal shop." Glenna from Boise, Idaho

You Better Shop Around

I searched the internet to find my cinderella wedding gown and discovered the gown I wanted retailed for $800. I had not planned to invest that much money in buying a wedding gown since this was my second wedding. Low and behold, I shopped around at apparel stores and found my dream gown, full tulle skirt, lace top, off the shoulders with 3/4" sleeves for $69 with no alterations needed. What a bargain!!!" Chelle Stanford from Detroit, MI

Boutiquey Bargains

"My local bridal shop had my dream dress for only $200! The original price on the Sweetheart gown was over $800! Don't knock your local tiny bridal shop - you just might find your best bargains there!" Sara from Bound Brook, NJ

eBay! eBay!

All I have to say is eBay.com. I bought a brand new dress from a shop for $40. It retailed for over $500. Lori from Taylor, MI

Thrift Store Diva

"I am on a limited budget so when it came time for me to start thinking of what to get where, we visited the local Goodwill thrift store. I found my glasses there and a beautiful wedding dress. I got the shoes at a yard sale and made the headpiece out of a white headband and some rosettes (total about $10.00). I made my boutonnirere and corsages and my bouquet on a trial and error basis and they look great. I also found some stuff at the dollar store. My invitations are all home made with nice paper I found at the dollar store. My idea is to shop around at the thrift, dollar, and craft stores in your area... there's no telling what you can find there that will strike your fancy." Yvonne from Boise, ID

Non-Impulse Shopper

"I used bridal magazines to find the dress that I wnated and even tried some on at the dress shops, but I looked around at the different discount bridal sites on the internet and found the very same dress ranged anywhere from $410-$750. My advice is to look around and don't purchase on impulse. I'm saving over $200 by not buying the dress the first time I tried it on." Mindy from Greenville, North Carolina

Civil War Wedding

I'm having a Civil War themed wedding and I found it very hard to find just the right dress. I found one at a store that would do, but I would have to change it up quite a bit. I also didn't quite want to spend that much money on something I was "only going to wear once" as a male friend of mine so subtly put it (knowing I like to save money everywhere I can). In a little bridal shop I saw the perfect dress with a similar bodice to the one I orginally wanted - it was exactly what I wanted! The best part is, it was about half the price of the other one. Don't overlook those little bridal shops on the corner! Melissa from Birmingham, Alabama

Lots of Great Ideas

"eBay is great. If you already have your colors set in stone, there are a lot of decorations sold on the site that you can get at a great price. I purchased my dress from eBay. It is a vintage 1950's gown that I am sure no one else will be wearing this season. Because I am marrying in the summer, we are giving flower seeds for favors. Tracy from Port Colborne, Ont, Ontario, Canada

Wedding Gazette