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Brides Maid dresses: Is it possible to get them for under $100 each?

This is something most budget brides come across eventually in their planning. Here's the set up: A budget bride with three attendants, all very important people to her. The conflict: Two out of three are FLAT BROKE! Before you start wringing your hands in anticipated nervousness, know that there is a solution. There are two solutions to be exact.

SOLUTION #1: Prom season is a brides best friend!
If your wedding planning goes through prom season, which is generally April/May here in Texas, then you are in luck! Prom dresses are basically the same thing as brides maid dresses. Not only do prom dresses come in a wider variety of styles, fits and color combinations (beware the hideous sea foam green dress with the light brown trim...blech!), but they also COST LESS! Doesn't that just make your day? A brides maid style dress from any department store is going to start at around $50, sometimes even less depending on the formality of your wedding, where as the same dress from a bridal shop will start at $100. It gets better! Prom dresses go on sale, then on clearance. Brides maid dresses only go on clearance when they are going out of style. (And some should have been on clearance years ago!) So this is always a good alternative to buying your attendants attire at the bridal shop. Some bridal shops DO offer a discount if you buy your dress from them, but it's often not enough to aid even the loosest of budgets. The final advantage prom dresses have over brides maid dresses is (drum roll please) NO ALTERATIONS NECESSARY! A bridal shop will almost ALWAYS sell you a dress that is "alteration required" it helps their business, and who can blame them, they are in one of the most expensive businesses there is! So get your attendants, and take them out to a local department store. This is also a more fun alternative, you can play dress up as long as you want without anyone pressuring you to buy anything! No one will be trying to sell you over priced accessories to go with your dress!

SOLUTION #2: Outlets
Department stores have outlet locations which sell their merchandise at a lower price. If you are the do it yourself type of bride, you can find a gorgeous dress marked down %15 due to a missing hook and eye, or maybe a detached strap. Those things can be fixed easily. This is a very good alternative to buying from the bridal shop, especially if your wedding planning doesn't run through prom season!

There is also the option of all the ladies who can sew (and/or their mom's) getting together and making the dresses themselves. Keep in mind these dresses will most likely only be worn once; therefore, you don't want to put your life savings into them!

Learn more about this author, Amelia Borden.
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