Wedding planning is not always easy, but one of the most important parts of planning your wedding is making sure you have enough money for the dress. Often times brides are left in a position where they must choose between cutting other items from the budget and choosing a less expensive dress that still meets their budget restriction. Here are some tips and tricks to help avoid this situation.
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Know what you can afford
The first step to being able to budget for your dress is knowing what you can afford. There are many factors that come into play when planning a wedding, such as cost of food, venue, and entertainment. Scaling back on any one of these items could make a huge impact on your overall budget. One way to calculate your budget is by adding up all the different line items in your wedding plan and subtracting anything that doesn’t have a price listed. If you’re not sure what some of the line items are, ask an event planner or look online for help.
Another way to figure out how much money you will need to spend on your dress is by using our handy-dandy wedding budget calculator. This online tool can help you create a complete budget based on your specific needs and preferences.
Shop for your dress early
Wedding dresses are typically one-time purchases, so it’s important to find a dress that you really like and is within your budget before the wedding. If you shop for a dress early, you can avoid having to buy one later on in the process.
The earlier you shop for your dress, the more likely you are to find something that fits within your budget. By going into stores earlier in the season, brides can get an idea of what dresses will be available for their style and size when they come back to buy.
In other words, if you shop early enough, there’s a good chance that the store will have what you want in stock when it comes time to make a purchase.
Consider the timing of the wedding
If you are still in the planning stages of your wedding, consider when the dress will be needed. If you know that the dress is needed for a date that is not too far away, it may be worth it to spend more money on renting a more expensive dress. This will help avoid having to choose between cutting other items from the budget and choosing an affordable dress.
If you are getting married next month and already have your venue booked, you can also consider budgeting for a less expensive rental. Almost all venues offer bridal gown rentals as an option and many are more than happy to provide one to their guests as well.
Budget wisely.
When going dress shopping, make sure you set a budget for the dress. A popular rule of thumb is to keep your budget between $500 and $2,000. If you find yourself over budget, don’t be afraid to shop around or ask your friends and family for help.
Make sure you put aside enough time in your schedule to go dress shopping without any distractions. It may be tempting to have an overnight or weekend stay-over with loved ones or friends when it comes time for dress shopping, but if your priorities are not clearly set then you are setting yourself up for failure. Buy the best quality dress that meets your budget .If you find a wedding dress that exceeds your budget, buy that instead! You may end up saving money down the line as the quality will last longer than a cheaper option.