One of the best things about weddings is that each one is different. This is the case largely because every bride and groom wants their special day to be a reflection of their personalities. Naturally, they want their wedding to be unique, enjoyable and memorable.
Gone are the days when every bride and groom dressed in more or less the same way, and got married in the local place of worship or registry office. Today, people marry in all sorts of locations, and many couples create a specific look or theme for their special day.
The outfits that couples wear for their wedding day are becoming increasingly personalised. This trend means that many brides are no longer able to just go into their wedding boutique and buy what they need. Instead, they need to think outside the box and buy their gown and bridesmaid dresses from other sources.
On the High Street
Increasingly, department stores and large clothing retailers are stocking dresses that are suitable for the wedding party to wear. This range of occasion dresses is the perfect example of this trend. Within that collection, you will find numerous dresses that are suitable for bridesmaids or even the bride to wear.
Hiring a Dress
Another emerging trend is for the bridesmaids to wear hired dresses. This works out cheaper than buying them a dress each, which will just end up being given to charity a couple of years down the line.
Understandably, most brides want to own their wedding dress. Often, they want to keep it, and in some families, it is traditional for the next generation to wear it for their special days.
Buy a Vintage Dress
For those brides who are planning a themed wedding, vintage shops can turn out to be a great place to buy a dress. The owners of these shops take great pride in what they do. They carry out any repairs and make sure that every item they sell has been professionally dry-cleaned. When adjustments are needed, most vintage clothes retailers can do the work, or recommend a good tailor.
Borrow a Dress
Another alternative is to borrow the dress, or dresses, from a close friend or family member. Surprisingly, most brides simply never think of doing this. This is a shame because it is a very affordable way to find a beautiful wedding dress. Often the dress will just need to be dry-cleaned, and to be adjusted slightly.
Garage and Boot Sales
Surprisingly, it is not hard to find wedding and bridesmaid dresses for sale at boot sales. Understandably, not everyone likes the idea of wearing a used dress, so this option is not for everyone. However, even if that is how you feel, it may still be worth your buying from these sources. If you want to you can always sell them online, and potentially make some money that you can put towards buying a wedding dress of your own.
Whichever approach you decide to take it is important not to compromise. You need to make sure that you find a dress that you like and will feel comfortable wearing.