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Can You Afford A Designer Wedding
Gown?
 You’ve dreamed
of your wedding gown since you were 6 years
old.
And suddenly
here you are, engaged, planning your wedding and ready
to shop for that amazing dress. Reality
hits and you realize that you have so many other
things to consider than just your wedding dress. The cost of your
gown may be one of the more expensive items on your
wedding budget.
And now you ask yourself,“Can I really
afford that Designer gown that I love?”
Budget
-
Staying
within a certain budget is the lot of most
brides.
The average wedding costs about $25,000, but not
everyone can spend nearly that much. A nice wedding
can be assembled for much less and can even be put
together on a shoestring if necessary. After all, you
are not getting married just to have a big party! You are getting
married, because you are in love. So if you find
that you do need to cut some corners, don’t
despair.
There are lots of ways to save some money and
still have a lovely day.
Saving on Your
Dress
Many wedding planners
recommend spending about 6% of your wedding
budget on your bridal gown.
For the average
wedding costs listed above, that would be about
$1500. But
there are many beautiful dresses for much less. You can find
wedding gowns as low as $200 on sale or at discount
bridal shops and outlets. Silk gowns generally start at about $2000 and
designer gowns can cost $3000 - $7000 or
more.
EBay is a one possible
source
for finding a discounted designer
gown. You
will find several “EBay” bridal gown stores as well as
individual brides selling their gowns on the popular
website.
You may need to clean
the gown if it has been worn before, so keep that in
mind if you decide to bid on a used EBay gown. And
remember, if the gown is polyester, you may be able to
hand clean it yourself and save even more.
You may spend a
bit more by shopping at a bridal shop, but you
will receive more service
also. Bridal shops are
a great resource, as they are familiar with various
designers, fabrics, and have alterations resources
readily available.
Let them know immediately if you are on a budget
so that they can recommend dresses that will work for
you in your budget range. They may also be
aware of sale dresses that will fit your pocketbook
precisely.
Call around before you
shop,
as bridal shops vary in the
price range of dresses that they sell.
Saving with
Custom Made
If you
have fallen in love with a gown that is out of your
price range, consider having a replica custom made. It is possible
that an excellent seamstress could reproduce your
favorite gown for a lot less than the designer
gown. Be
careful when selecting fabrics though. Stay away from
acetate and rayon, as they are more difficult to work
with and wrinkle easier. Don’t be penny
wise and pound foolish. Invest in excellent bridal
polyester or silk fabric if having your gown made for
you. And be sure your
seamstress is well qualified.
Fabrics
Many
bridal gowns are made of satin. But, be aware that
satin is a type of weave, not actually a fabric.
There are polyester satins, silk satins and even
acetate satins.
However, most of the $300 - $2000 gowns will be
made of polyester.
But don’t let the name of the fabric bother
you.
Polyester can be made
into amazingly beautiful fabrics, so closely imitating
silk that bridal gown experts may have to do a test it
to determine whether the fabric is polyester or
silk.
Maggie
Sottero
is one very popular designer who
specializes in polyester fabrics. Her gowns are
well made, with lovely details and range from $500 -
$1500 dollars.
She also has a less formal line that is under
$500. You
can also find websites that offer Maggie Sottero
replicas.
Rent Your
Dress
Most men
rent their tuxedos, so why not consider renting your
wedding dress?
If you are not determined to save your gown for
your posterity, then you can consider renting a wedding
gown. However, you may find it difficult to find a shop
that rents wedding dresses. Check with your
local bridal shop or look online to find a Bridal Shop
rental service nearby.
If you
are unsuccessful finding a gown to rent, consider
selling your wedding gown on EBay after your wedding to
help offset the costs of the gown now. If this is your
plan, use care in your wedding activities to ensure the
gown remains in good condition. And look online
before hand to see just how much your dress could bring
in. Use that number to help you determine how much
you can afford to spend on your gown.
You Can Do
It
Shop
around. You may find
just what you are looking for
in a price you
can afford.
Or you may decide to
rearrange your wedding budget to give your gown higher
priority so that you can buy the designer gown you love.
After all, it
is your big day.
© Copyright 2007 Heritage Garment
Preservation
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Wedding
Gown Care Newsletter series
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