A dress can be a big expense for your girls, so pass along the same tips we gave you when searching for your wedding gown. Online dress shops sell the same items that your local retail outlets do but with discounts up to 20%, 30% or even 50% off what you’ll find in the dress shops. If you find a great deal online, you and your bridesmaids may want to consider taking it, but you’ll want to actually see the dress and have the girls—or your maid of honor—try it on in a shop first.
How to Find the Best Deal
A good strategy is to start off by browsing ideas online. For example, The Knot (www.theknot.com) has one of the best online dress and gown catalogs. Narrow down the look you want, perhaps with a few specific designers and style numbers noted down that you’ll want to try out. Using the online sources, find local shops that carry the dresses you’re interested in, and make appointments to see them. Make your final decision after seeing the dresses, just as you normally would. Bring along your bridesmaids or maid of honor to try them on and provide their feedback. Get quotes for the dresses you like; you’ll want to compare the shop’s price’ with what you find online.
Don’t commit to anything at the shop just yet. Armed with all the specifics and a price, go back to the web now and check the online dress shops. If you find the same dress for significant savings, you might want to pass the reference on to your bridesmaids to purchase it online—they’ll appreciate your saving them the bucks. Just keep in mind that shipping will add to the overall cost (although you’ll probably be able to cut out the sales tax), and the dresses will likely need to be pressed since they’ll wrinkle during shipping. If your girls don’t feel the online savings are worth it for the dress you’re looking at, they can always head back to the dress shop and make their purchases there.
So where do your find these online discounters?
The following are some of the better bargain sites:
EBay’s “Wedding Apparel” Section (www.ebay.com)
NetBride (www.netbride.com)
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By: Crystal and Jason Melendez are the authors of e-Plan Your Wedding:
How to Save Time and Money with Today’s Best Online Resources.
For more information, please visit http://www.eplanyourwedding.com