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Bridesmaid Dresses On A Budget: Affordable, Discount And Cheap

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Published: November 14, 2006

When it comes to planning a wedding, one of the most significant factors is the budget.

From the gown, shoes and accessories to the church and the reception hall, everything costs money. However, the bride and groom are not the only people who have to spend money on their big day; bridesmaids, though honored to be a part of such a special occasion, must endure the challenge of finding bridesmaid dresses on a budget.

A bridesmaid's attire is an obvious expense that can be easily lessened by following a few simple tips and suggestions.

Budgeting Tips for the Bride

Many brides are not fortunate enough to ignore a budget, especially when it comes to cutting the costs for the bridal party. Because the bride and groom do not want to bury themselves under a mountain of debt, it is important to find ways to cut costs without eliminating the elegance and style of the wedding. Therefore, when taking into account the cost of bridesmaid dresses, the bride should take a few things into consideration.

Season
Because most bridesmaid dresses range in price from $100 to as much as $1,000, it is important to find an elegant and cost-efficient dress, especially when buying bridesmaid dresses on a budget.

One of the most significant factors when buying a bridesmaid dress is the time of year the wedding will occur. For example, perhaps the best time of year to plan a wedding is immediately before or after prom season. In order to fit within high school budgets, most bridal shops offer a plethora of formal options, typically ranging from $100 to $400, thus giving the bridesmaids plenty of options for finding the right bridesmaid dresses on a budget. Other clothing stores tending to offer a large selection of bridesmaid dresses at low prices include JC Penney, Maurice's, Sears and Macy's.

After prom, most gowns go on clearance; for example, a dress once priced at $150 may be marked down to as little as $60. Also, a bride should try to select a simple style so her bridesmaids can wear it to another special event after the wedding. If the bridesmaids are purchasing their own dresses, they will appreciate the savings.

Talk with Bridesmaids before Shopping
To avoid tension, confusion and discontent, the bride should discuss the proposed budget with her bridesmaids before beginning her hunt for the perfect bridesmaid dresses. Discussing the cost of the dresses before hitting the bridal shops may eliminate any of the bridesmaids' money issues, and it will also give the bride a better understanding of how much everyone can afford. Even though bridesmaids typically pay for their own attire, the bride may offer to pay for some (or all) of the costs if it is within her budget.

Tips for the Bridesmaid

From the wedding shower and bachelorette party to hair, make-up and accessories, the bridesmaids contribute a great deal of time and money throughout their entire involvement in a wedding. For this reason, it is important to consider their financial positions when buying bridesmaid dresses.

Have the Dress Made
Purchasing affordable bridesmaid dresses can be somewhat hectic, especially when buying the dress from a bridal salon. Because some bridal salons tend to overcharge their customers, as well as convince them to purchase a dress size bigger than they normally wear (thus leading to alteration charges), it may be in the bridesmaid's best interest to have her dress handmade.

The first step to having a dress handmade is to find a pattern similar the one chosen by the bride. Next, the bridesmaid must find a seamstress to help create her dress. However, in order to avoid a family feud in case anything goes wrong, t is best to choose a local seamstress who is not a friend or relative.

Rent, Share or Borrow the Dress
Another way to cut the costs of a bridesmaid dress is renting or borrowing the gown. For example, renting a bridesmaid dress for a day typically costs between $100 and $350 per bridesmaid (usually includes dry-cleaning costs).

Sharing a dress from a friend or relative is another way to find an affordable bridesmaid dress. For example, if two people each have a wedding, but they are months apart, this option allows them to split the cost of the dress so both can wear it to their special event.




Sources:
Bridesmaid Dress. Buy4LessBridal.com. 13 Nov 2006.
http://www.buy4lessbridal.com/Bridemaids-dress/i ndex.html
Hall, Brianna. Cutting Costs on Bridesmaids. Ultimatewedding.com. 13 Nov 2006.
http://www.ultimatewedding.com/articles/get.php? action=getarticle&articleid=926
How to Select Dresses for Bridesmaids. eHow. 13 Nov 2006.
http://www.ehow.com/how_18672_select-dresses-bri desmaids.html
Merton, Lisa. Beautiful Bridesmaids: Budgets. 2003. Wedding Central Australia. 13 Nov
2006. http://mag.weddingcentral.com.au/bridesmaids/bride smaids.htm
Plankenhorn, Lisa. Your Dress, Hair and Accessories. 1999. Do it Yourself. 13 Nov
2006. http://members.tripod.com/lasia21/dress.html
Sydney's Simple Guide to Bridesmaids Dresses: Don't Break the Bank. Sydney's Closet. 13
Nov 2006. http://www.sydneyscloset.com/bridesmaid.htm
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