As you begin your search for the perfect wedding dress, you’ll notice one thing immediately: wedding magazines are full of photos of slender models with perfect smiles wearing a gown that, apart from being beautiful, can cost the moon. Not everyone has the budget of a Hollywood star to spend $10,000 or more on their wedding dress, but every bride has the ability to pull off a similar look! Here are some suggestions on how you, too, can get that designer look without breaking the bank.
Let’s say you’re flipping through a bridal magazine and there’s the dress of your dreams, but it’s from a famous designer and the price, according to the ad, is well above your $1,000 budget. To do? You may be able to find an inexpensive dress that is in a similar style and dress it up with purchased lace and embellishments. You can purchase lace appliques, fabrics, and trims at your local fabric store. If there are no fabric stores in your area that have what you are looking for, there are numerous online stores. Just search “lace fabric”. If you’re not the crafty type, you may be able to find a dressmaker in your area to make the changes for you. When making your appointment with the dressmaker, be sure to explain the project you have in mind and she will be able to tell you if she handles that type of work. After you meet with her, she should be able to give you an idea of the cost of having your dress checked. You can then decide if it is still within your budget or not. If it is, great. If not, consider taking a sewing class to learn how to do it yourself, or find a relative or friend who sews to help you.
Same scenario: You found the perfect dress in a magazine (or even online), but it’s way over your budget and the first option described above isn’t for you. Find a dressmaker in her area who specializes in bridal and special occasion wear. Bring the picture of that $35,000 designer dress and discuss her project with her. Chances are good to excellent that you can have a faithful rendition of the dress made for less than the original price. While this is a great way to proceed, you shouldn’t expect her to turn you into a exact designer dress copy First, you’ll be working from a photograph, where details are not always easy to discern. Second, even though she can embroider and bead the dress, chances are she doesn’t have the exact pattern. Third, her design experience and her personal preferences will come into play during the process of making her dress. She hopes that she can mimic the silhouette, overall feel, and overall style of the dress. Remember that you will probably have to design the back of the dress yourself, as it is rare to get both front and back views. While it will be less expensive than the designer’s price, expect to pay fair market value for their services. She is a professional and makes a living creating unique garments that fit perfectly and charge accordingly.
Another way to find a great dress for less than premium is to visit consignment stores, where the dresses have never been worn (they are store models, for example) or have only been worn once. When buying a used gown, be sure to check it very carefully for damage, rips, tears, etc. and try it on to make sure it’s not too small. (Too big is fine, you can alter it to fit you. Too small and you risk not being able to make it big enough.) Most consignment dresses sell for less than half their original price. Alterations and redesign will add to the final cost, but you will have a unique and unrepeatable dress.
How do you find a dressmaker? If she routinely has her clothes altered, ask her alterer. If you like her work, ask if she does custom work as well. Maybe not, as creating custom clothes and modifying clothes involves completely different skills. Custom work involves designing, pattern making, pattern fitting, and intricate stitching. Alterations require knowing how to undo a garment and then redo it so that the change cannot be detected. They may know of one or two custom dressmakers in your area and can give you a recommendation. You can search online with the keywords “custom dressmakers (your state)”. You can also check out the Professional Association of Custom Fabricators at paccprofessionals.org. This is a national organization of people involved in the sewing business.
Other ways to keep your wedding attire budget in check include making your own headdress and veil. Sewing and craft stores like Jo Ann Fabrics, Michaels, and AC Moore have bridal sections that sell headpiece bases, artificial flowers, and embellishments. A hot glue gun and your imagination are all you need. Again, if you’re not skilled, your dressmaker can make you a headdress. Veils shouldn’t cost a lot of money, although you’d never know that from the bridal store price tags. You can make your own bridal illusion, which is readily available at fabric stores, or have one made for you. There are some limitations to this option. If you have come across a veil that has a lot of embroidery or beading, you’d better buy it, as beading by hand is time consuming and therefore expensive. However, in the vast majority of cases, it can be less expensive to have her dressmaker make her wedding veil than to buy it at a bridal shop.
Your big day should be about the ceremony, the man you are marrying, and planning a life together. It doesn’t have to put you in a poor house for years to come, or cost as much as a down payment on a house to make it a beautiful day to treasure forever.