Cost-conscious brides-to-be can still look like a princess for the day without facing a hefty bill when they return from their honeymoon to start married life.
Whether this is an example of practical romance in the Age of Austerity or the desire to create a dream wedding without the nightmare of having to later count the costs, increasing numbers of women are realising that, by tying the knot in a second hand gown, they can still look a million dollars without breaking the bank.
Beautiful Benefits
And the advantages are obvious.
- It’s the chance to snap up a dress or designer label at a fraction of the cost that the same dress or designer name would be sold for in a shop
- You can buy a gown that with a little attention from a good seamstress can quickly be altered to get the exact look you want to achieve while still saving money
- You’ll be part of a growing trend amongst brides-to-be for upcycling a once-worn dress
- By opting for a vintage dress you can inject a little va-va-voom into the proceedings, making you really stand out from the crowd on your big day.
- You’re buying an item that, more likely than not, has been worn just once!
- You get to meet other brides who has already gone through all the stresses of organising the biggest day of her life, so will have plenty of useful tips and advice to impart
Counting the Costs
With the cost of an average wedding in the UKnow estimated to be somewhere between an eye-watering £15,000 and £25,000, an off-the-rack wedding dress can account for around £1000 or more of the total. If the dress is from a recognised designer, this cost will shoot up even quicker than a groom at the reception heading to the bar before the first dance.
Yet, some of the other costs associated with the wedding day are far less likely to make a bride blush. For instance, the marriage certificate in the UK currently costs a very reasonable £3.50 and a venue such as a registrar’s office can be hired from around £100, while a church wedding starts at approximately £300. Choose a beautiful preloved wedding dress and it’s still possible to bring in the entire day for around £1000.
Picture Perfect
Once you start looking at ways to save some money by being a little more creative with your planning, other ideas soon start coming. For example, by asking friends to bring theircameras and camcorders to the wedding you can avoid the expense of hiring a photographer and end up with a set of images that have a more spontaneous and personal feel.
And by saving money in one or more areas, it means you could be free to splash out on others, such as the venue or a fantastic honeymoon destination.