Bridal gowns can cost thousands of dollars and a huge portion of your overall wedding budget…but yours doesn’t have to. You may be a bargain-hunter by nature; one who has no problem finding the dress of your dreams at a fantastic price. However, if you’re not having as much luck with the dress shopping experience, you may want to seek another, less conventional method. Here are a few off-the-beaten-path places to look and things to try.

Rentals

Men rent their tuxedos; why not rent your gown? Chances are you’ll never wear it again. Also, renting gives you the opportunity to splurge on a designer gown that you wouldn’t typically be able to afford. Also note that dress rental companies offer a wide variety of bridesmaid and mothers’ dresses. Dresses can start as low as $35 and go up to around $400, depending on the dress and designer. Ask about any other charges that may apply when talking with a rental company.

Target.com

You may use Target for your household appliances and children’s clothing, but don’t limit yourself. Target.com has an extremely affordable dress line for you and all of the women in your party (including the flower girl). The bridal gowns are fairly simple but also elegant; your guests will never know that you’re not wearing a high-end gown. The bridesmaid dress selection offers various styles to match the tastes and body types of the girls in your ceremony. But don’t stop there. Target.com also has tuxes, shoes, rings and other jewelry, handbags, lingerie and more!
To search the site, go to Target.com > Women > Parties + Weddings

eBay

The Wedding Apparel & Accessories section on eBay has just about anything and everything to plan an entire wedding – including gowns. Whether it’s a well-known designer or a custom made dress that you are after, you can find it here. Choose to Buy it Now or start early with bidding. Two issues to consider when shopping with eBay: sizes and shipping. Dresses purchased oversees will often have slightly different sizing measurements and higher shipping costs, so be sure to read all of the listings’ fine print.

Second-hand stores

Buying used wedding gowns shouldn’t have a stigma – they’ve only been worn once...and sometimes not at all! Dresses can be found at stores like Goodwill or The Salvation Army or at higher-end consignment shops and boutiques. You never know what you’ll find, so start early and have fun with the search.

Jessica McClintock

Jessica McClintock has been in the dress industry for quite some time now and her dresses are gorgeous, as well as extremely affordable. This line allows you to get a familiar brand-name bridal gown starting at just $84! Or bridesmaid dresses at around $30! You can also find any of your other apparel needs through jessicamcclintock.com.

Craigslist

Craigslist is an online community of buyers, sellers and traders for all types of goods and services including bridal dresses. As with any other classifieds, you’ll have to check the site regularly; also post a ‘wanted’ ad so that others know you’re looking.
To search the site for dresses, go to Craigslist.com (in your area) > for sale > clothing and accessories

Connections

Use your connections to find dresses. Many of you brides-to-be utilize (or at least read) blogs of different sorts: recreation, occupation, faith, etc. Post a blog asking if anyone has a dress they’d care to sell or lend. Or, post ‘wanted’ ads in the bulletins of the groups or church with which you associate. Chances are, some of them are or have been married. This means one thing: some of them have wedding dresses. It can’t hurt to ask.

Tradition

Go with bridal tradition and wear your mother’s (or other relative’s) gown. Make it your own with alterations of all sorts. Add a longer train or shorten the existing one. Create a lace-up corset where there originally was a zip-up backing. This is a great way to wear a meaningful heirloom while customizing it to your size and style.

Keep in mind that you may have to be flexible when it comes to the size and exact details of your gown. For instance, you may find the perfect style dress but in a couple sizes too big. Likewise, you may find gowns in your size that may not be the exact style that you were imagining for yourself. The key is to first decide on what you will and won’t be happy with in regard to the overall look. Then, begin your search with your (somewhat supple) criteria in mind.

Note: when dealing with any online community of strangers, be cautious how much information you give out throughout your transactions.