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!

DIY Wedding Dress Inspiration

Here's a great video I found from a creative seamstress who has DIY wedding dress tips to share:

Affordable Wedding Dress NJ - David's Bridal Online

Image copyright David's Bridal

Not sure how many people know about this, but you can score a pretty affordable wedding dress if you shop David's Bridal's website. Right now, if you visit the site you'll be greeted with a popup inviting you to take $10 off your order of $60 or more (you can easily get a wedding veil, or maybe even 2 for that amount). AND, simply by ordering you'll be entered to win your bridal gown free.

In addition to this and whatever other sweet deals are offered on David's Bridal's website... you can always take advantage of the SALE page when shopping for either your wedding gown or your bridesmaid/mother of the bride dresses.

For example, they have an entire page of bridesmaid dresses under $60 (ooh, there's that $60 price point!). While I admit that I don't have a close-up view of the dresses, they appear nice enough for bridesmaid purposes, and that's a really good deal if you ask me. I wore an Alfred Angelo to the last wedding I was in, and I paid $150 (for a short dress, no less) and thought I had gotten a deal. I'm sure most frugal brides would gladly cut their maids a break by forgoing the designer apparel. Plus, if you have any doubt as to the quality, you can always visit the store, sample/try on the dresses, then go home and shop online.

They also feature a page of bridal gowns under $100. While these are clearly just a few featured bridesmaid dresses shown in white, you may just be that type of no-fuss bride who's hoping to rock an above-the-knee style. In which case, David's Bridal has got you covered.

Over on the Bridal Gown Sale page, you'll find an array of exciting choices - from the plus-size in flattering A-line spaghetti strap for $200, to the deeply discounted Vera Wang bride gown that dropped from $1140 and change to just under $650. (prices not exact, and subject to change - check the David's Bridal site for current accurate pricing and updates!)

Affordable Designer Bridesmaid Dresses - CB's Limited

Image courtesy CBsLimited.com

The last wedding I had to purchase a bridesmaid dress for was my brother's. The order was for an Alfred Angelo design, fairly common, but I didn't have a lot of bucks to blow so I shopped around a bit online rather than just buying the first one I found available at a local store like David's Bridal.

(Additionally, I am a totally lazy shopper - I can't deal with malls, loathe dressing rooms, detest standing on lines... wah, wah, wah!)

So basically, I was right at home (and I do mean literally - right in my own house!) taking my own measurements, typing them in the little box, whipping out my credit card and putting in my online order for a bridesmaid dress at CB's Limited.

One convenient feature that I remember about ordering from CB's Limited was that they wanted to know the actual date of the wedding you were going to be in. NOT the date that you wanted the dress, but the actual date you'd be in the wedding.

I was honest about that, and the dress definitely made it to me in perfect condition, well in advance of the date. I want to say like 2 months in advance, even.

So basically, I was rather happy with my CB's Limited purchase - and I would recommend them if you're going to be a bridesmaid and are required to buy a specific dress by a specific designer.

Check them out - http://cbslimited.com. 

Used Wedding Gowns and Formal Gowns at the Goodwill

I visited the Goodwill store in Bethlehem, PA recently and saw some well-cared-for, used wedding gowns as well as other formal dresses that could serve as a Mother of the Bride, Maid of Honor or Bridesmaid dress.

I would assume that they accept used bridal gowns/wedding dresses at other Goodwill stores here in NJ and in other parts of the country. I can't say whether the quality passes muster across the board, but I think it's worth checking out if you're in the market for a used wedding dress or secondhand bridal party attire.

And hey, now this is cool! I just Googled "used wedding dress Goodwill" and discovered that you can shop online with them. Check out my search results:

Wedding dresses from Goodwill

How to Refurbish a Vintage Bridal Gown

I wish I had taken before and after (and during) pictures, but I didn't. My mother in law refurbished a 1940s bridal gown that I had found on Ebay and purchased for about a hundred dollars. I will give you the steps she/we took to achieve results and get it clean and presentable.

Purchase vintage gown. You can find a vintage or antique bridal gown on Ebay, at an estate sale, thrift shop, on Craigslist, at an online boutique, auction, or anywhere really.

Have gown dry cleaned. I wouldn't set foot in a vintage bridal gown without having it cleaned first. I believe it cost my local dry cleaners about $70 to do my gown.

Inspect any beading or jewels. The rhinestones on the upper bodice of my wedding gown were dirty, and some had come loose. Also, a number of them had accumulated rust.

Clean the jeweled area. Use a fabric-safe, non-caustic spray-on cleaner to gently spritz beaded or jeweled area. My mother in law keeps Basic H, which is made by the Shaklee Company, on hand and it worked perfectly for this purpose. To do this, first put a utility cloth on the underside/inside of the fabric to absorb liquid. Spray the cleaning solution onto the affected area. Pat with cloth or paper towel.

Repeat this process until much of the beading and jewels have lost their dull and grayed or rusted appearance, and returned to their former luster. Periodically check the cloth that you used to sop up the dampness that will have accumulated on the inside of the gown. Remove and replace the dirty cloth with a clean one, and continue spritzing and patting dry until you have worked on all of the beading and/or jewels in question.

Hang dress to dry. This will take a day or so.

Replace missing, damaged or especially dirty beads, rhinestones or pearls. This should be performed by someone who has had experience sewing small beads or jewels on fabric. My mother in law is a skilled crafter, and was able to replace many of the bad looking rhinestones with pearls. Because she had incorporated so many pearls into the upper bodice, she also had to make an executive design decision. Which part of the dress would have pearls, rhinestones, and/or both? Once she had established a method of patterning the jewels she then went ahead to painstakingly sew on each gem until the dress was fully converted to its new look.

Have dress altered to fit you perfectly. I took my wedding dress to a local seamstress who did a few tricks with the bust area and made it work for my shape and size. Her price was extremely reasonable and she did as good of a job as she could, working with what I gave her.

Carefully iron all wrinkles out of dress. The final step is to neatly press your wedding dress with a warm iron, then store in garment bag for your marriage day.

Hope this gives you some ideas for how to breathe new life into an antique or vintage bridal gown!

Plus Size Wedding Gowns in NJ – Pretty Awesome!

I just came across an ad for a plus-size wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses. I didn't know that anyone in this area offered such a service.

The one I found is called The Curvy Bride, and it's in Manalapan, NJ. Even if you don't live nearby there, I thought it would be worth the trek for any plus-size bride who is having trouble finding a wedding gown.

They call themselves "A Designer Plus Size Bridal Boutique" and they offer private appointments, selections for every budget. Also worth mentioning that they carry special occasion gowns in case you're shopping for something other than a wedding, such as a Bar Mitsvah, Sweet 16, prom or something similar.

Their info:

The Curvy Bride

Towne Point Shopping Centre

357 US Highway 9 South

Manalapan, NJ 07726

http://thecurvybridenj.com

phone: 732 536 6100

I would also just like to point out that Warren County seems to have more than its fair share of curvy gals, and it may be worth opening a location around that area of NJ. Seems to me that Manalapan girls are a little more fit.

Terrific Bridal Shop - Somerville, NJ

The first bridal shop I visited in NJ was Isabelle's on Division Street in Somerville. And, thanks to her great service and a deal I could not pass up, I left the store in about an hour with my wedding dress in-bag!

Isabelle is not the name of the lady who owns the shop - I believe her name is Karen, but it's been a while so I'm not entirely sure. I do remember that Isabelle was the name of the little doggie mascot who stood watch at the window and barked at the construction workers and passerbys outside.

I'll give you a rundown of my experience at Isabelle's. First I went in and explained to the owner (Karen?) that I was on a limited budget and wanted something simple that would flatter my petite yet plump frame. She kind of laughed and asked me why I had such a negative body image (you say negative, I say realistic... whatever!). Then she assured me that I had a great figure and would look beautiful in my wedding gown, and proceed to make recommendations that reflected my taste and price range.

I was open enough to take her suggestion of trying on a spaghetti strap dress, although it wasn't my initial plan to wear one. I tried on the dress she recommended, and was quite surprised at the potential I saw there.

She then explained to me that there was a lot the dressmaker could do to customize the dress and make it work for me. The straps could easily be removed - or, changed into a cap-sleeve without any major upheaval. She also explained that the tailor could add a panel to the back (because the dress was a bit tight), and make a bustle in the back that my bridesmaids or helpers could tighten for a flattering, figure-hugging look.

With all these possibilities dancing about in my head, and her agreement to a price that I simply could not refuse, I walked out of the store quite pleased with my purchase.

Although I didn't end up wearing that dress because my practicality won out (I was a mommy-bride - my son was 2 at the time, and I didn't want the fuss of a big, bustley gown that I could possibly trip on while picking him up), I do not regret my purchase in the least.

I assure you that I was in excellent hands the day I shopped for, and bought, my wedding gown at Isabelle's Bridal on Division Street in Somerville, NJ.

Check out their website and stop in for some first-rate service!