The Low Down On Cheap Wedding Dresses

When it comes to finding an inexpensive wedding dress, there are hundreds of stores and shops willing to take your hard earned cash.

A little patience will go a long way. If you wait and shop around you'll find some great bargains - and that an inexpensive wedding dress as well.

First off, visit the boutiques to find designers and styles you like. Try on some dresses - but don't be tempted to place an order. Once you've found three or four dresses you like, then start to find your bargain.

Now, begin your hunt for your cheap dress. Try warehouse sales, designer sales and sample sales. Wedding shows often have hundreds of dresses on sale, but you'll need to clamber through the crowds to find your dream dress. Have patience, it will pay off.

In the UK, our charity shops have plenty of wedding dresses in the summer. Oxfam is especially good as it has a massive store dedicated to brides with racks of dresses and accessories. Best of all, the stock is made up of samples so you can be assured it's not been worn.

Vintage shops are a good bet too. Not only are the dresses really cheap, but they're unique too. So you can create an extra special look at a snip of the price.

Finally, another great place is eBay. With hundreds of designer numbers as well as second hand dresses, you'll be sure to pick up a bargain. Keep reading below for my tips on buying dresses from auction sites.

Ebay is great place to buy your wedding dress, especially if you can pick your favourite designer's dress at half the price.

Try to buy 'new' off Ebay. The simple reason is that brides have fun and you're unlikely to be able to spot damage or stains from a photo. Buying it 'new' ensures that the dress will be as pristine as possible.

Many sellers and stores do made-to-measure dresses where you send in your measurements and get back a perfect dress. I've heard nothing but good reports about these services, especially when the bride is picking up a dress for less than a $1 and the dress is shipped within weeks.

If you do take this route, then make sure you use a reputable seller. Check their feedback, ask lots of questions and ensure they're a Power Seller for peace of mind.

The choice of second hand dresses on eBay is also good. Although you're less likely to get a bargain as many brides post their dresses with reserve prices to ensure brides they get their money back - so look for ones that are in the auction with no reserve. Sometimes, you'll get a bargain as one recent British bride did when she only paid 5p for an antique lace gown - what a bargain! (Telegraph.co.uk).

You should also consider buying a size too big so you can get it altered. Most dresses are altered to fit the bride that wears them and if you want the dress to look just as stunning, then make sure there's room to make it fit properly.

Whether you choose new or once worn, eBay your heart out!

I spent £225 on my wedding dress and it was perfect. As dresses go, that's fairly cheap. It was a knee-length vintage style dress, bought from Monsoon.

I choose it for practicality really as I needed to be able to dance in it. Stuart, my husband and I do tango, so we needed to be able to move in it.

Monsoon has a great range of wedding dresses every year. More often than not they tend to be quite floaty or short, but they have a good offering for a high-street store. They were one of the best stores for short dresses.