Buying A Wedding Gown On A Budget: Saving Money On A Wedding Dress

Chances are that shortly after you were engaged, you envisioned yourself in your wedding dress and couldn't wait to start shopping for one. But once you saw the price tags of even the most basic dress, you were probably a little shell-shocked. Lessen the impact of your dress on your wedding budget by using these simple tips for choosing an inexpensive wedding dress. 

TIP AROUND FOR MORMON WEDDING DRESS

Wedding dresses have a lot of variability in their price, and brides willing to do a little digging may

find a great bargain. Prices for the exact same dress can vary from retailer to retailer, too, so even if a store has a huge selection makes sure to check out at least a few other bridal gown retailers.

BUY A BASIC OFF-THE-RACK WEDDING GOWN

Dresses with excessive beading, lacework, and fancy stitch work are naturally going to be more expensive. Skip the extras and buy a plainer (and more affordable) wedding dress – you can always take it to a tailor and have them add fancy extras for much cheaper afterward.

Also, if you’re looking to save money on a wedding dress, then buy one off the rack. Having anything custom made is going to cost brides dearly. Even the pickiest bride is bound to find something she loves if she’s willing to do a little shopping.

BUY USED OR RENT A WEDDING DRESS

Many bridal wear stores will offer the option to rent a dress rather than purchase it outright, although they usually won’t advertise this option to customers. Ask about it and see what they have to say.

Other brides might try looking at second-hand wedding dresses through consignment shops, Craigslist or Free cycle, or specialty second-hand formal-wear or bridal retailers.

BARGAIN ON THE PRICE OF A WEDDING DRESS

Like other major purchases such as a house or a car, wedding dresses are subject to negotiation in price. If you fall in love with a dress that is just a little out of your price range, be honest with the salesperson and see what kind of deal they can give you. Make an offer – if they accept it or counter-offer then great! If not, you can just continue shopping. 

ONE-STOP WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING

Even if you have to pay full price for your dress, you may still get a bargain on other wedding accessories if you buy them all at the same time from the same retailer. See if they offer discounts if you buy your wedding shoes with the gown, or if you order bridesmaid’s dresses from them as well.

Bridal gowns are a substantial part of the wedding budget no matter what, but you can keep the dress of your dreams from turning into a financial nightmare with these money-saving wedding dress tips and tricks.

WHAT YOU SHOULD BRING WHILE DRESS SHOPPING

Photo Courtesy: Silaystudios

Wandering into a bridal-wear store completely unprepared is okay if you’re there just to browse, but if you’re earnestly in the market for a dress and the clock is ticking, you’d better get serious. Know what to take with you when you go wedding gown shopping for the best possible experience.

DRESS SHOPPING CHECKLIST ITEM #1: ONE OR TWO TRUSTED FRIENDS

         Photo Courtesy: Silaystudios

When wedding dress shopping, your best defense against making a decision you might regret is bringing along your two closest female friends or relatives. If you don’t yet have temple garments but will be wearing them on your wedding day, take an endowed person with you to advise you on dresses that may not cover your garments.

Choose people who are supportive of the wedding, whom you are comfortable with, 

and whom you can handle taking constructive criticism from as well as praise. Don’t take more than two other people, though – shopping with a mob of girlfriends is worse than shopping alone, Hahaha! 

DRESS SHOPPING CHECKLIST ITEM #2: A NOTEBOOK AND PENCIL

HAVE A SMALL NOTEBOOK AND PENCIL TUCKED AWAY INSIDE YOUR PURSE TO TAKE NOTES DURING THE DRESS SHOPPING EXPERIENCE. YOU CAN JOT DOWN STYLES OR CUTS OF DRESSES THAT LOOK GOOD ON YOU AND IDENTIFYING INFORMATION FOR DRESSES THAT YOU PARTICULARLY LIKE.

IT MAY ALSO BE HELPFUL TO RATE EACH DRESS ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 5 ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS LENGTH, CUT, AND SKIRT FULLNESS, AND SO ON. SAVE THE NOTES TO REVIEW LATER ON, AFTER YOU LEAVE THE STORE.

DRESS SHOPPING CHECKLIST ITEM #3: A CAMERA OR CAMERA PHONE

TAKING PICTURES OF THE DRESSES YOU LIKE BEST AND REVIEWING THEM LATER GIVES YOU A WHOLE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAN JUST LOOKING IN THE MIRROR IN THE CHANGING ROOM. YOU’LL HAVE TO CHECK WITH THE RETAILER FIRST TO MAKE SURE THAT PICTURE-TAKING IS ALLOWED INSIDE THE STORE, BUT BRINGING A CAMERA IS THE BEST WAY TO EVALUATE THE PROS AND CONS OF DIFFERENT DRESSES.

DRESS SHOPPING CHECKLIST ITEM #4: THE RIGHT SHOES

You can’t buy your wedding shoes until you buy the wedding dress, but you can know approximately what height shoes you’ll ultimately choose. Bring shoes with a similar sized heel for trying on dresses.

You can let out or bring up a hemline, but only to a certain point. Make shopping easier on yourself by wear similar shoes to what you will be wearing on your wedding day.

DRESS SHOPPING CHECKLIST ITEM #5: UNDERGARMENTS

                             Photo Courtesy: Silaystudios

Bridal-wear retailers may provide a slip, but it’s best to bring your own just to be on the safe side.

Modest wedding dresses aren't going to be sleeveless, so don’t worry about a special bra. In fact, if you don’t have garments now but will by the time your wedding day arrives, the bra straps provide an excellent guide for how far out the neckline can extend before exposing the garments. After you buy your dress, take time to find the right undergarments and then do a check with them and your dress. Ensure your undies don’t pinch or slip. Try sitting, bending over, and dancing around the room, and ensure you’ll be comfortable and confident on your special day.

Avoid setting yourself up for failure or disappointment by following these simple rules of thumb when going out to find the perfect LDS wedding dress. Bring a friend, a notebook, a camera, and the right shoes and undergarments to help you make the best decision possible.

Tips on Altering A Dress For Modesty

ALTERING A DRESS FOR MODESTY

Modest wedding gowns are few and far between, especially if you live in an area where there aren't many modest wedding gown retailers that cater to Latter-day Saints. One option, often selected by LDS brides with no other choice, is to buy a dress that comes close to being modest and having it altered by a seamstress. Doing this is trickier than it sounds, so make sure that you follow some general wedding dress alteration guidelines.

NOT ALL WEDDING DRESSES CAN BECOME MODEST

If you buy a dress planning to add sleeves or otherwise modify it for modesty,  you need to be very careful. Certain types of wedding gowns lend themselves well to such modifications, while others don’t. You can’t just buy any old dress you like and expect a tailor to be able to add sleeves that look like they were always part of the dress.

When you choose a wedding dress, your deposit is generally non-refundable. Having to pass up the dress and lose your deposit, or even returning a dress after you've paid in full, can be pretty painful on top of all the other expenses of a wedding. 

Photo Courtesy: SilayStudios

BRING THE SEAMTRESS WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING

The best way to avoid unpleasant surprises is to bring the tailor with you when you go dress shopping. They will be able to tell you at a glance which dresses can be modified and which ones can’t.  They will examine seams and hems to tell you exactly what they can and can’t do with the dress.

Even in cases where sleeves and other coverage can’t be added, there are other solutions like adding a shawl, wrap, or stylish short jacket to foster modest wedding gown standards. Don’t discount the possibilities for no-sew solutions as they apply to modest wedding dresses.

HIRING A LDS WEDDING DRESS TAILOR

Since they only get one shot at creating the perfect wedding dress for you, the selection of your tailor is crucial. Compile a list of potential seamstresses and ask one:

• Do you charge by the hour or by the type of modification being done?
• How much is the deposit and how much do I owe upon completion of the dress?
• How long will it take to alter my dress?
• Do you have previous experience in tailoring modest wedding gowns?
• 
  

Avoid a seamstress that charges 100% of the fee up-front, because you’ll lose everything if you’re not satisfied with her work in the end. It’s also best to bring in a sketch or pictures of the types of modifications you want, since verbal descriptions can sometimes lead to misunderstandings.

If you understand basic rules of wedding dress modification, you are in a good position to alter your way to the wedding gown of your dreams.

From Baguio to Wensha Spa

Sunday night (Feb. 22,), close church friends, Pat and I planned to go to Baguio on Feb. 28 for Panagbenga Festival, however considering the fact that it is a festival, we anticipated that there are a lot of people coming too. There might be a problem when it comes to transportation. So, we decided to go to Marinduque instead, it's a 12-hr drive from Manila. For me it's way exciting than going to Baguio since I've already witnessed Panagbenga Festival, and how crowded it is.

Marinduque! everything is set, everyone is excited. We have one week to prepare.  Along the week, of course we continued to plan, and found out that not everyone can come. They have their own reason. We PLANNED AGAIN. This time to Quezon Province, somewhere in Sariaya. Take note, our target date to leave is on Feb 27, Friday after work. It was on Thursday, and our plan is getting nowhere. Lol! We PLANNED AGAIN. and AGAIN and AGAIN. Someone suggested to jog around CCP, Others, want to go to Noraebang (KTV). I suggested to just have a movie marathon and food tripping at home, or watch Crazy Beautiful You at the theater. (Our normal get together activity). And the last option is to just SLEEP. Lol! (I thought, after all the planning we had, we'll end up sleeping).

Finally, we've come up with a good idea! Anyways, our main goal here is to be free from stress and to relax. Kristel, one of my closest friends in the church suggested Wensha Spa.

Wensha Spa

      We all agreed!

 On our way to Wensha Spa (Feb. 28 Friday, @ 10:30pm) 

Everyone is excited. Finally!

He said, it feels like he is in China! Lol!

Wehsha Spa rate is 830 pesos per head, and we could stay for maximum of eight (8) hours. 

We will be wearing a locker wristband to ensure safety of our belongings. 

Wensha offers "Eat All You Can" buffet dining Chinese style shabushabu, Filipino dishes and bottomless juice drinks, one (1) hour whole body massage, steam and dry sauna, detoxifying hot Jacuzzi and cold whirlpool. 

Dressed on their silk uniform robes and shorts. So comfy!

Waiting for our 1 hour whole body massage. 

They really enjoyed the one (1) hour whole body massage. It shows in their faces. 

We really enjoyed the experience. We were full, relaxed and rejuvenated. All the planning were worth it.  I was so relaxed with their dry sauna and hot Jacuzzi.We went home around 4:00 AM. I want to share one of my favorite verses, in Ecclesiastes 3:1 It says and I quote "To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven". Baguio, Marinduque and Quezon province were not really meant for us because we need Wensha Spa at that time. Indeed, great planning brings forth SUCCESS!