We know bridesmaids typically pay for their own dresses, so you may not be thinking about keeping these costs on a budget too, but having affordable bridesmaid dresses can be a huge relief of financial burden on your closest friends. And you don’t even have to sacrifice style! Keep reading for some ideas for affordable dresses for your favorite girls:

1.     Hit Up the Outlets. For semi-formal and more casual dresses, the outlets may be a good source for that perfect bridesmaid apparel at hugely discounted prices. So get your girls together and do some shopping! There are pros and cons to this approach: Pros- You do get to see the dress you want in the color you want, you leave with the dresses, so no worrying about timing or stressing about when the dresses come in, and of course you are saving your bridesmaids lots of money which will make them love you forever. Cons- You do need to get all of the dresses at once due to changing stock, so make sure you have either all your girls with you or their sizes for you to pick up their dresses. You also have to work with the sizes available at the store, although many stores will be able to check with nearby stores and outlets for the size you need, so make sure to talk to your sales clerk. Another perk? Most outlets have coupon books available, so grab one at the Visitor’s Center (usually free for AAA members) and see if your store has a coupon for additional savings!

2.     Choose a dress that they actually will wear again. Think tea-length, simple, and not a crazy color. This is will give your girls at least the option of wearing that dress again to another wedding or semi-formal event, which makes the cost more reasonable.

3.     Check out Etsy! Yes, Etsy comes through again. Definitely a great source for a unique bridesmaid dress, with many options that cost less than bridesmaid dresses at wedding boutiques. Etsy is also a fabulous option for unique bridesmaid dress that achieves that special look you are going for your wedding day.

4.     Go to the mall. You know how you go into the mall, see an adorable dress in a store window and think- I wish I could afford that and that I had some place to wear that to? Why not make that your bridesmaid dress?!? So many of your typical mall stores have some pretty fabulous dresses that could easily double as bridesmaid dresses. And while they may be on the pricey side for a just-because dress, these are a steal for bridesmaid dresses! Browse your local stores, pick out your favorites, and then see if you can get them on sale or a discount. The advantage to malls is that chain stores are supposed to carry the same merchandise at the same time across the country, so your bridesmaids can just go to their local store or online to pick up their dress. And if one store is out of stock, the store can definitely call another to check for a size or style. AND you can use coupons or online discounts to score dresses from these stores at an even better price! Some of our favorite bridesmaid dresses have come from Ann Taylor, The Limited, J. Crew, Banana Republic, and Anthropologie.

5.     Try David’s Bridal- especially when they are having one of their large sales, or check out their clearance sections online. They have a huge range of colors and sizes at affordable prices.

6.     Talk to the salespeople!  Wherever you end up getting those dresses, ask the sales associates if they can work out a discount. Our three best approaches: 1) Ask the sales associate for a volume discount —if they can knock off a percentage since you are buying 4/5/6 dresses. This typically works best if you are not at a bridal store, since they are used to selling this many dresses at once. 2) Go to the bridal store where you purchased your wedding gown. Before committing to a dress, ask the sales associates if they will give your bridesmaids discounts on their dresses since you purchased yours there.  (Or ask this when you purchase your dress!) Many bridal shops do offer a discount in these cases. 3) Ask for a discount if you pay in full. This typically only works at bridal boutiques, since most have the option for 50% down and the other 50% when you pick up the dress. If you aren’t getting any other discounts, ask the sales associate if they will give a discount if the girls pay the entire amount that day, which will save them a chunk of money overall. Don’t be afraid to ask! Many stores will not offer these discounts upfront, so asking about them will make all the difference! Ask before you commit to the dresses, since they’ll be more likely to work with you to make the sale. Then everybody wins!

7.     Skip the alterations. Try to find a dress that will require minimal alterations for your bridesmaids, to save them from this added expense. So if you want a tea length dress, order a tea-length dress rather than a floor-length one that will need to be altered. Select a dress that is exactly what you want, so the only alterations needed are to get the dress to fit the girls just right.

8.     Sometimes bridal boutiques are the best option- particularly if you need a wide range of sizes or want a specific style or color. Some quick tips for keeping those bridesmaid dresses as low as possible: shop the sales rack or go when a store is advertising a special sale, ask for discounts (see above), and minimize the price by choosing a less expensive material, or a dress that does not have a lot of intricate detail or require major alterations.

  

_