How to Set a Budget for Your Wedding Dress

The days leading up to your big day can be a roller coaster of emotions. Exciting as it all is, it can be easy to get swept off your feet - in the wrong direction. Fortunately, certain things like planning and sticking to a budget can really help you from being whisked off track.

How to set a budget for a wedding dress

Back in the day, wedding dresses used to have to cost a fortune to be considered appropriate or glamorous enough for such a big day. These days, more and more people are choosing to have smaller, less flashy, intimate weddings. Of course, there are still many who desire a big, fantastical wedding - like stepping out of a giant pumpkin with a gown fit for a queen - and that’s okay too.

The 10% rule

What it really comes down to is what makes you and your groom-to-be happy. Unfortunately, it also comes down to what you can afford. Ultimately, there’s a rough guide for setting a budget for a wedding dress. Allow yourself to allocate about 10% of your total wedding budget to buying a dress, keeping in mind that you may have to spend extra on alterations.

Keep in mind that if you do want to spend more on your dress, you should be prepared to sacrifice funds from other areas of your wedding. Of course, at the end of the day, the choice is yours. However, writing up a budget and sticking to it can really help to keep everything else in check. Think of it as a domino effect - if one thing falls out of place, it’s likely the rest will begin to follow suit.

Assess and readjust your budget

Should you fall in love with a dress that’s above budget, you might find it works well to take funds for your accessories and add them to your dress, or vice versa. For example, you might choose an extravagant gown with a delicate necklace, or a simplified dress with a striking crystal or pearl headpiece. Often, this strategy can work well to rebalance your budget.

Save with sample sales

If you have an idea in mind for a dress that you can’t quite shake off, nor can you afford, you might have some luck shopping at a sample sale. Sample sales are when boutiques sell their floor model dresses at a fraction of the price, in order to clear stock. Bear in mind, however, that this way you won’t be getting a brand new dress. However, one man's trash can be another’s treasure, and you might just end up with a real gem.

If you do go this route, be sure to check for any damage and enquire about how much it will cost to alter or mend the wedding gown.

Hire a dress rather than purchasing one

Hiring your wedding dress is another option for both those looking to save money, as well as those who don’t want to have an expensive dress retire to their cupboard. This way, you might also be able to wear a more extravagant dress than you otherwise could not afford.

Unfortunately, hiring a dress also comes with its downsides. Those who are sentimental, won't be able to keep their dresses. In addition, you might have a dress that doesn’t fit you like a glove, because you can’t alter hired items.

Keep it in the family

Not everyone will be able to take advantage of this one, nor might they want to. However, if you’re one of the lucky ones to have someone in your family who still has their wedding dress, you may be in luck once more.

Using a preloved wedding dress means that you can spend all your allocated money on altering it to suit your body and taste. This option isn’t for everyone, but there can be something very special about taking an old wedding piece and breathing life back into it.

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Recommended reading

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Tags: Wedding , Marriage, Fashion