The Dress
Even for practical and not-very-girly girls like me, few things can be as stressful as finding just the right wedding dress. Not only are there hundreds of styles, there is a very wide range of prices. A high price tag does not necessary guarantee a fabulous wedding dress though. And fabulous dresses don’t necessarily come at a high price. My solution was to wear an ivory colored bridesmaid dress. It even had a short sweep train that made it feel more bridal. The $275 price tag, compared to the four-figure dresses my friends had worn, made me very happy. If you want something even more inexpensive, or if a bridesmaid dress simply isn’t fancy enough, there are other options. Ebay, for one, offers new, used and vintage wedding dresses. Using the popular online auction site is an excellent way of getting a designer dress well below the original price. Check local wedding dress shops for trunk sales and discontinued styles, also great ways to get more for less. For an informal affair, a white cocktail dress or sundress is perfectly appropriate, and comes with the added bonus of being able to wear it again. If you won’t settle for anything less than free, see if a friend or relative will let you borrow her wedding dress.
The Veil
For most brides, the veil is not optional. A store-bought veil is unlikely to be helpful in your quest for an inexpensive wedding, though. One alternative is to make one yourself. The internet is full of websites with instructions for doing so, and even DIY-challenged brides will be able to handle this. Additional options for an inexpensive veil are the same that apply to the wedding dress: eBay, sample sales, or borrow. One last option would not be a great idea when it comes to wedding dresses but is perfectly do-able for wedding veils: don’t wear one!
Men’s Attire
For rented tuxes, inexpensive rates can sometimes be found at shops offering discount deals such as free rental to the groom if a certain number of additional tuxes are ordered. Make sure to return the tuxes on time and in good condition to avoid additional charges. A simpler approach is to have all the men wear their own dark-colored suits with matching ties for a cohesive look. Kill two birds with one stone by making the tie your gift to each groomsman.
Bridesmaid dresses
Chances are that the bridesmaids will be praying for an inexpensive dress since they, most likely, will be footing the bill. Cut them a break by allowing them to get something they can wear again. There is no rule that says they all have to wear the exact same thing, so name a color and then let them select the style. Shopping at a few retail and department stores will yield as many different colors, styles, and fabrics as a traditional bridal shop.
Hair and Makeup
You do these yourself every day, right? Skip the stylist and makeup artist, trust your own judgment, and you’ll look fabulous. Why? Because you should look like yourself. If you really feel that you need a little extra help, try to get it from a friend. And if you are going to have your hair done professionally, an inexpensive and time-saving strategy is to schedule the trial at the same time you’re having your hair cut anyway so you’re not making a whole extra appointment and being charged separately for it.
