How to bag the perfect wedding dress without breaking the bank

Most little girls dream of getting married and we women are no different when we grow up. We still have that picture in our mind of how our big day is going to be. You imagine walking down the aisle in the perfect wedding dress, looking just like a princess, wearing a sophisticated tiara or hairpiece, and holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Everything is just perfect, and money is not a thought that enters your head.

Now your dream becomes reality and you've gotten engaged and are beginning to plan the perfect day. Except when you do start, you soon realise that the reality is that funds are not endless and you have to work within a budget. That budget must cover so much, fees for rental of your ceremony and reception site, decorations, catering/food, bar, flowers, music, photography, video, marriage license, invitations, wedding rings, transportation, honeymoon, attendants, gifts, guest wedding favors, and a myriad of other miscellaneous costs. So how much is then left for your wedding attire, which could also include not only a dress for you, but your bridesmaids, flower girls and of course the men's wear too.

Not many of us have the luxury of spending over £2000 on a designer dress and even if you could you might prefer to allocate less towards the dress and use a larger portion of your budget for a more elaborate honeymoon or reception party. Whether or not you are working to budget, everyone enjoys the feeling of accomplishment when locating and acquiring a bargain. These days it's not so hard to come across a bargain with little effort. The best way to start is to have a look in some bridal shops. You may not have the intention of buying from them but you can certainly establish the style, size, and cut of the kind of dress you are going for.

Make notes of what kind of styles and colours you like the best. Sometimes you find a style in a magazine and when you try it on you find it isn't really how you imagined and it doesn't flatter your shape the way you expected. Bridal gown sizes can come up smaller than your usual size so the best thing to do is to go by your measurements and ask dressmakers for the bust, waist and hip sizes that make up the size in general. Some bridal shops don't keep the manufacturers labels on and instead re-label and price with their own internal tagging system (many salons do this to avoid competitive shopping and price comparisons). The shop should tell you the name of the designer or manufacturer if you ask.

Once you have got an idea of the styles you like and the size you need, then you can begin searching for your gown and accessories. It's best to purchase your dress before shopping for accessories. Certain elements of the dress will help you choose the best accessories to match.
When you start looking for a gown it is better to find a dress that either fits perfectly or is just a little bit big. Because of the delicate fabrics making alterations can be done easily if the dress needs "taking in" but to "let it out" can be quite tricky. Most gown designers always allow about an inch or slightly less for seem allowance. If a gown is very tricky to alter then this will reflect in the price of the alteration. So remember your dress budget needs to be for the dress itself and any alterations needed.

Bargain dresses can be found in a number of places. Some bridal shops will sell ex-show dresses at a cut price. Some of these gowns will have been modelled on the cat walk but may no longer be manufactured. Some dresses are available due to brides changing their minds and therefore forfeiting their deposits. Generally these kinds of dresses are almost new but can still be dry cleaned and altered for that perfect fit.
One of the best ways to bag a bargain is online via the internet. Internet shopping has reached record levels and it is great way to be connected to thousands of sellers and great offers. There are a number of good websites dedicated to selling bridal wear. Some sites host new dresses and some nearly new. Either way, because the sellers have no overheads in terms of premises and stock, they can sell you the same dress that a store will, for a fraction of the price.

Which One is the Right Dress Shoe For Me?

Choosing dress shoes can be a disaster when you come to a party. To avoid in that situation, you need to know which dress shoes that imply to the occasion. The first thing you should remember is about color. Men's dress shoes are most commonly black or cordovan in color. Other colors include are brown, burgundy, oxblood, chestnut or white.

While women's dress shoes come in a variety of colors, such as: black, silver, gold, tan or white and they may also match the color of the gown, dress or suit being worn. Almost all women's dress shoes are high-heeled.

Let's find out which dress shoes that suit you...

• Loafers

Loafers are dress shoes that can be worn by men and women. In fact, men's and women's loafers are quite similar, which is why the loafer is typically thought of a more masculine shoe.

• Oxfords

Oxfords are one of dress shoes for men. They are typically made of leather, but can also be constructed of suede and other similar materials. Some oxfords have an additional piece of leather sewn over the toe section

• Pumps

Today, pumps have evolved beyond the classic working women's shoes. Pumps now come in a variety of materials, such as suede and wool.

• Slingback

The slingback is similar to the pump. This dress shoes usually in that it can have a rounded or pointed toe and usually has a heel, but it doesn't wrap all the way around the heel like pumps usually do. Instead, it has a narrow strap that is pulled up over the heel, leaving the rest of the heel exposed.

• Mules

Mules are shoes that slide onto the foot and do not cover the heel or the back of the foot at all. These aren't considered dress shoes unless they have a heel.

• Ballet Flats

Ballet Flats are flat shoes with a rounded toe, and come in many different colors and patterns. The classic ballet flat has a small bow on the toe, but this style has evolved to include varieties without bows.

• Sandals

Some sandals that can be worn with dress clothes. Any sandal that has a heel, many straps, or a shiny finish would probably be acceptable in a more formal atmosphere.

Dress Fads and Professional Attire

Over the last one hundred years, fashion fads have come and gone. But with the advent of multiple tattoos, body piercing, the low-cut look, and pants below the waist, there has been a noticeable decline in the manner in which employees and job applicants have been dressing. Everywhere we look nowadays we see young women with their hip bones exposed, their bosoms bursting out of fabric, and young men's undergarments either hiked above their pants or the crack of their derriere's in plain view for all to see! Sensible attire and common sense has been replaced by the weird and offensive. Professional businesses are faced with body piercing, absurd tatoos, a variety of hair colors, and a general overall fall from the dignity of dress.

Somehow we must return to the days when girls and women cared about they they look, and young men took pride in their appearance. We have become a slovenly group of people - men, women, girls and boys. We have come a long way in relaxing our wardrobes but not so far that business attire has been completely replaced by outlandish, gaudy, tasteless garb. There are many, many companies that still insist on the professional look!

Much has been written about how to dress for an interview, and how to maintain a professional look for business. It all comes down to this: Wear sensible, practical, washed and ironed clothes. And, it should go without saying, but bathe, bathe, bathe. Ladies, no sandals, sneakers, shorts, jeans that reveal your hip bones and your thong undergarment, or skirts that just barely cover the cheeks of your derriere! Be careful of too much cleavage, and limit your jewelry to something simple. Don't pile gobs of makeup on your face, looking natural is wiser for business than looking like you are ready for a photo shoot. For men: A clean shirt, a nice pair of slacks, a tie and sports coat or a suit, if appropriate, and clean and polished shoes. For my next article, I will attack the issue of body piercings and tattoos as they relate to the professional business look!