David's Bridal "Final Sale" Page

I put this pic up just because I think this dress is really cute. It's totally something I'd love to wear as a bridesmaid, or even for just a formal occasion. Image property of David's Bridal. All rights reserved.

I thought it was worth mentioning here on the NJ Wedding on a Budget blog that they have some really low-priced bridesmaid dresses on the David's Bridal Website. In my circle of friends, the most bridesmaid action I saw was in the late 1990s to early 2000s. I would say that I typically paid around $150 for a bridesmaid dress. More recently, I was a bridesmaid again in 2013, and still that price point hasn't really changed much. Although it's worth mentioning that the dress I wore this time around was above the knee, as opposed to full or tea-length which is what I wore back in the day.

Looking at the current offerings on the David's Bridal Final Sale page, and they're running as low as $30-something, which is quite amazing to me. But it also goes to show that even popular wedding vendors are trying to catch the attention of today's economical bridal party. Let's face it, times are getting tougher, starting salaries are lower, and maybe NJ brides and bridesmaids are taking a more frugal approach.

Plus, stores like David's Bridal are competing with all the secondhand bridal gown shops and online stores. So maybe they aren't getting as much of a markup as they once were. Or maybe the merchandise is coming in from China under a generic name which can greatly reduce the value of the dress. Whatever the reason, if you're shopping for low-cost bridesmaid dresses and a budget bridal gown, you should probably head over to David's Bridal's website and peruse their online offerings.

My guess is that the dresses that are being offered for the lowest prices are probably not available to try on in the store. The workaround for that is just to take your measurements, and the buy the closest size dress you can find. If you're worried about your problem areas, maybe go for the next size up and pay a local seamstress (or hit up your ma) for alterations.

Some of the gowns being shown on the David's Bridal Final Sale page are probably not suitable for a wedding that will take place in the upcoming season. For instance, if you look there now (May) you'll see dark-colored dresses that would be more appropriate for a winter wedding. Well... do some advance planning, and assuming that as a frugal bride you're not going to be picky about last year's bridesmaid dress trends... snap some up and you'll be ready for the coming fall and winter months!