Don't mess with the dress...
Ahhh... The dress, the best part right? Right. The dress is so wonderful however can be so stressful. And unless you are Betsy Ross, I doubt that hand making your own dress is really an option here. Of course I have been wrong many many times. So, if you are planning on making your own wedding dress I seriously salute you. My hat is most definately off to you. However, for most of us that is not the case. So I am here to tell you how you can inexpensively acquire a beautiful dress. I personally borrowed my dress from an aquaintance, funny story really. Anyhow, I borrowed my dress and it was in, well let me just say dis-repair. So, the dress-capade began. And in the end it was the most beautiful dress I could have ever possibly asked for (pictured above).
So, if you are like me do not want to spend gads of cash on a dress here are some awesome tips I think you might find useful. First though, what kind of wedding are you having. Are you having a super formal black and white wedding, semi-formal, a nice casual, or a wear your flip flop type. Depending on the type of wedding will basically determine your dress type. Also things like time of day will also play a big role in what will be appropriate for you to wear. The biggest factor though is what kind of dress do you love? That is really the key question. After all it is all about how you are going to feel in the gown, and if you want it to be some big beautiful full frock that is what you diserve. So, find the kind you like, and start hunting. When I was on the hunt I looked places that were not so conventional and radically countercultural but I really found some beautiful dresses.
Outlet/Discount Stores-like Ross and T.J Maxx. I know shocking, I can't buy my dress from T.J. Maxx, but the truth is, is that they have gorgeous dresses. They often have prom or braidsmaid dresses there that are stunning. And remember when you buy a dress at that price you can afford to embellish it. Which is what I did to mine.
Second Hand- If your luck there fails you can try Goodwill, Salvation Army, or any thrift store you come across. You would be shocked at what you can find in those stores, I mean people literally give away their $1,000 dollar plus wedding dresses. Either they got divorced or they are just tired of looking at it sitting in their closet taking up space. Whatever the reason the dresses are beautiful. Even if you find an older style one, often times you can easily remove the shoulder pad, sleeves or whatever you need to make it your own. You can also ask a girlfriend, sister, cousin, or in-law about borrowing their dress. Chances are they are going to say YES.
Consignment- Consignament is huge now and days. People want to sell their goods,but don't have the time or lack the know how to sell them on-line or at a yard sale so they take them to a consignment shop. There are consignment shops that specialize in wedding attire and accessories.
e-bay- If you are going to purchase a dress on-line I highly recommend that you go and try some on at David's Bridal or any other wedding dress shop really. Try some on and get a feel for what you like, also the woman helping you will get your exact measurements. This way you know what to look for on-line and also what size you will have to purchase. There are some really great gowns on-line beautiful new dresses that have never been worn and are extremely reasonable. A great way to get a new, unique big day dress.
Embellish It- So whichever way you end up acquiring your gown, is completely up to you. After you have recieved it there are some really great ways you can make it unique and stunning. If you want it to have some color one of the best, easiest things to do is go and purchase a roll of very wide shiney ribbon. You can use this to tie loosely or tightly around your waist, you can incorporate it into your hair do, or your vail. Also buying beads or pearls is very effective. Crafts store such as Jo-anne's, Micheals, Target, Wal-Mart have a great selection of beads and crystals. Buy a couple bags and go crazy, sew them along the straps or cascade them down one side. I went and found the most beautiful Austrailian Crystals I could find and I sewed those things from the neck line dripping all the way down the slit.
So, if you are like me do not want to spend gads of cash on a dress here are some awesome tips I think you might find useful. First though, what kind of wedding are you having. Are you having a super formal black and white wedding, semi-formal, a nice casual, or a wear your flip flop type. Depending on the type of wedding will basically determine your dress type. Also things like time of day will also play a big role in what will be appropriate for you to wear. The biggest factor though is what kind of dress do you love? That is really the key question. After all it is all about how you are going to feel in the gown, and if you want it to be some big beautiful full frock that is what you diserve. So, find the kind you like, and start hunting. When I was on the hunt I looked places that were not so conventional and radically countercultural but I really found some beautiful dresses.
Outlet/Discount Stores-like Ross and T.J Maxx. I know shocking, I can't buy my dress from T.J. Maxx, but the truth is, is that they have gorgeous dresses. They often have prom or braidsmaid dresses there that are stunning. And remember when you buy a dress at that price you can afford to embellish it. Which is what I did to mine.
Second Hand- If your luck there fails you can try Goodwill, Salvation Army, or any thrift store you come across. You would be shocked at what you can find in those stores, I mean people literally give away their $1,000 dollar plus wedding dresses. Either they got divorced or they are just tired of looking at it sitting in their closet taking up space. Whatever the reason the dresses are beautiful. Even if you find an older style one, often times you can easily remove the shoulder pad, sleeves or whatever you need to make it your own. You can also ask a girlfriend, sister, cousin, or in-law about borrowing their dress. Chances are they are going to say YES.
Consignment- Consignament is huge now and days. People want to sell their goods,but don't have the time or lack the know how to sell them on-line or at a yard sale so they take them to a consignment shop. There are consignment shops that specialize in wedding attire and accessories.
e-bay- If you are going to purchase a dress on-line I highly recommend that you go and try some on at David's Bridal or any other wedding dress shop really. Try some on and get a feel for what you like, also the woman helping you will get your exact measurements. This way you know what to look for on-line and also what size you will have to purchase. There are some really great gowns on-line beautiful new dresses that have never been worn and are extremely reasonable. A great way to get a new, unique big day dress.
Embellish It- So whichever way you end up acquiring your gown, is completely up to you. After you have recieved it there are some really great ways you can make it unique and stunning. If you want it to have some color one of the best, easiest things to do is go and purchase a roll of very wide shiney ribbon. You can use this to tie loosely or tightly around your waist, you can incorporate it into your hair do, or your vail. Also buying beads or pearls is very effective. Crafts store such as Jo-anne's, Micheals, Target, Wal-Mart have a great selection of beads and crystals. Buy a couple bags and go crazy, sew them along the straps or cascade them down one side. I went and found the most beautiful Austrailian Crystals I could find and I sewed those things from the neck line dripping all the way down the slit.
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My gorgeous dress
I also had to alter the straps and take up the hem, which I just took up in a few places around the bottom and whip stiched it. Since the dress had so many folds you couldn't tell which was which. Another helpful tip if you need to make your gown shorter... get bigger heals.
So, you don't really have to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on a dress, but you will definately definately need to spend some time on the hunt. Searching these discount stores can take a long time, so if at first you find nothing don't feel discouraged. These stores are always getting new shipments, and thrift stores get donations every single day. Seems like the odds are in your favor.
So, you don't really have to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on a dress, but you will definately definately need to spend some time on the hunt. Searching these discount stores can take a long time, so if at first you find nothing don't feel discouraged. These stores are always getting new shipments, and thrift stores get donations every single day. Seems like the odds are in your favor.
