Affordable Gowns for the Mother of the Bride
After all is said and done, planning your daughter’s wedding can be an emotionally and (dare we say it) financially draining experience. After negotiating the caterer, dj, baker and managing the 1001 wedding details, the last thing you want to do is worry about where you going to find an affordable mother of the bride dress.
Finding affordable formal wear may be easier than you think. Department stores and chains like Macy’s and David’s Bridal offer a variety of styles and fabrics to choose from. The average price of a gown (excluding wedding gowns and certain bridesmaid’s dresses) at David’s Bridal is less than $300.
Macy’s offers several collections with gowns and formal ranging in price from 100$-$1000. With changing consumer patterns and tighter budgets, retailers are now providing new styles and collections at a lower cost. Off the rack gowns now have much greater detail and more appeal than ever before.
Also, keep in mind that you need not confine yourself to a traditional gown. Tailored suits and other more versatile ensembles are becoming a more popular option for mother of brides.
However, choosing an affordable mother of the bride dress may mean sacrificing a few of the more costly details associated with custom made formal wear. For example, off the rack gowns (depending on the collection) will tend to have beading and decoration glued as opposed to stitched in the fabric. You may also find that the fit of the gown is not quite as precise as one that has been custom tailored.
If you prefer not to go to major retailers and are looking for a truly unique and affordable mother of the bride dress, you might try an upscale consignment shop. Look for a shop that offers only high quality designer wear with a minimum of wear and tear.
It is quite possible to find a fashionable dress that can be made serviceable with a minimum of alternations for less than $100. The one drawback to searching in a consignment shop is that finding what you want is really or hit or miss affair, since there is no guarantee that a particular style of dress will be available.
The Internet is another resource for mother of the bride. Ebay offers designer one of a kind gowns for extremely low prices. It may be worth it to do a little online surfing to see what you can find. Pictures are usually provided so that you can see the condition of any dress that you interested in. (Be wary of listings without pictures!) Also, the seller is required to inform potential buyers of any defects, stains, rips or tears before the buyer purchases the item. Be sure to give yourself enough time to send the item back if it is not up to your expectations.
If you rather purchase something brand new, online bridal shops are also an option for an affordable mother of the bride dress. Since online bridal shops don’t have the overhead of traditional bridal shops, they can afford to mark down their merchandise to a considerable degree. Of course, you won’t actually get to try on what you’re purchasing, so be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to make a return if necessary. Houseofbrides.com and bridalonlinestore.com are some options to try if you are interested in purchasing a gown online.
With this many resources at your fingertips, finding a comfortable, affordable and stylish ensemble for your daughter’s wedding day should be a breeze.
Andrea Pellettiere has been has been a freelance writer for a number of years. She is a new contributor to .
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