Before looking at used gowns, research the various designers'

Before looking at used gowns, research the various designers' styles so you know which brands generally have "your look." While you are doing this, also decide what features you would like the wedding dress to have. For instance:

 What general style would you prefer (aline, mermaid, etc.)?

Also, like everyday women's clothing, sizes vary depending on the brand. Each designer publishes a measurement chart. Using those charts, determine your size in every of the preferred designers' gowns (Remember that in all likelihood your wedding dress will need to be altered, whether you purchase it used or right out the designer).

After completing your research, you are prepared to start looking for a used wedding gown. There are many places to locate used gowns. You will want to set up notices, put in requests, and monitor all of them:

 Consignment stores can be a good used gown source. If you are lucky enough to get possess a local used formalwear store, alert the owner that you're searching for a dress.

 Craigslist is an extremely active usedgoods marketplace. Find the local Craigslist, open a free account, and make an "item wanted" post. Do searches for the terms "wedding gown" and "wedding dress" in the clothing section and monitor new listings often to see what is currently being sold.

 There are several Websites that specialize in used wedding attire and/or produce a buyer/seller marketplace (hint: search "used wedding dresses" or something like that inside your favorite search engine).

 Buy at auction. By far the largest auction site is ebay, and they've a comprehensive bridal gown section. Many were worn once or are sales samples.

 Whilst not technically "used," bridal store floor samples are a great bargain. Most stores sell their lastseason samples for $99 or more.

Other Ways of Finding Inexpensive Wedding Gowns

In case your heart is placed on a designer dress, however, you don't have a designer wallet, you will probably find a designer sample dress for any fraction of the cost at among the abovementioned floor sample sales.

You could also buy a designer duplicate. These resemble but aren't completely identical to an existing designer gown. Generally, you order clothing based on a photo of an existing dress. A seamstress, usually within an Asian country, then recreates the overall look of the pictured gown often for approximately $100. There are both advantages and disadvantages to this approach. Whether an outfit like this fits your needs depends on your personal priorities: If you expect exactly the same quality of material and exact detailing as a designer original, you'll be disappointed. If you are looking for a way to very inexpensively buy a formal wedding dress that will look great on you for a day, then consider this option.

A final strategy for finding a cheap bridal gown would be to think about a white or ivory bridesmaid dress to put on being an informal wedding dress. Because bridesmaid dresses are usually a smaller amount expensive than wedding gowns, you can save 100's of dollars with this particular approach.