Buying Guide to Plus Sized Wedding Dresses on a Budget
I first made a appointment with Davids Bridal, they have dresses starting at $99.00 and up, It was a really nice idea with the set appointment time. The sales associate was very friendly and took time with us. They had a great selection in sizes as well as styles and prices. It is often difficult to find a plus sized wedding dress at a reasonable price or a attractive style but at Davids Bridal this wasnt a issue at all. I was still in the just looking phase however this was a great store that I highly suggest to everyone.
I then began searching department stores. I went to a Jc Penny outlet store. They had a rather nice wedding section. This was where I went ahead and picked the bridesmaids dresses up, the styles were very attractive and the prices were in the $40.00 range,and for a dress the girls wouldn’t likely be wearing again, this was a bargain I could not pass up.Their wedding dresses ranged in cost for $60.00 thru $500.00. They had a few plus sized wedding dresses however I was not impressed with the styles that they offered and with the store being a outlet store it was unlikely to know when something that may have been of interest would be in. This is a great option for those who need a dress fast and are looking on a budget. I advise buying right away from a outlet store as sometimes items move very quickly and may not be there when you get back.
The next stop on my journey was local bridal stores. I found these type of stores to be a invaluable source of information as well as a great place to try on different styles and see the full picture as to what it being offered and the latest trends and fashions. The prices ranged from $200.00 up into the thousands. One of the features that was great was they also handled rental wedding gowns which is a great option to save money as well as have a fantastic dress at low cost. They also had the ability to order plus sized dresses and to have them altered professionaly.
My final stop was Ebay. I was surfing Ebay late one night browsing the plus size wedding dress selection and came across several gowns that ranged from new with tags to worn once, to dresses that had been passed down several generations as well as had been thru several weddings. I found a dress that was brand new with tags that had retailed for over $1000.00 being offered for $50.00 as the starting bid that was in my size and I really liked the look of the dress. The seller had very positive recent feedback so I felt confident submitting a bid. I put in a maximum bid of $65.00 as I knew I was going to spend money on shipping as well as insurance.
The end of the auction came and I had great communication with the seller and had the dress shipped overnight as well as had insurance on the dress to just be on the safe side. The dress arrived on time and was in pristine condition. I was so excited. Other than a few minor alterations that needed done I was all set to go for under $100.00. I saved money on the alterations by using a local seamstress and by carefully following her instructions on how to steam the wrinkles out by using the steam from the shower. This was a great way to buy a dress on a budget however I would advise using extreme caution and careful consideration when going this method, as you are buying something you haven’t seen and from someone you don’t know.
All in all buying a plus sized wedding dress was a learning adventure and was a great way to meet new people and get fresh ideas for the wedding and reception. There are many cost effective ways to buy a dress for the big day that wont break the bank.
