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How to Find a Designer Wedding Dress for Less
Falling in love with a designer wedding dress doesn’t necessarily mean paying the full made-to-order price.
If you love the quality, fabrics and detail of designer bridalwear but want to make your wedding dress budget go further, there are other ways to shop. Designer sample wedding dresses and off-the-peg gowns can give you access to beautiful dresses from leading bridal designers at significantly reduced prices.
At & She Loves Bridal in Arborfield, near Reading, Berkshire, we specialise in exactly that: designer wedding dresses without the traditional designer price tag or long ordering times.
Here’s what you need to know.
Can you really buy a designer wedding dress for less?
Yes.
The price of a designer wedding dress isn't only determined by the name on the label. How and where you buy your gown can make a significant difference too.
Traditional bridal boutiques usually work on a made-to-order model. You try on a sample gown, choose your dress and the boutique orders a new one from the designer.
Another option is to buy a designer sample wedding dress off-the-peg.
These are genuine designer gowns that have formed part of a bridal boutique's collection. When boutiques refresh their rails or designers introduce new collections, sample gowns can become available to buy at reduced prices.
You're still buying a designer wedding dress. You're simply buying an existing gown rather than ordering a new one.
Look for designer sample wedding dresses
If you want a luxury wedding dress for less, sample gowns are one of the best places to start.
A sample wedding dress is a genuine designer gown that has usually been available for brides to try on in a bridal boutique.
Because it isn't being newly ordered from the designer, a sample dress can often be sold for significantly less than its original retail price.
At & She Loves Bridal, our collection includes sample gowns from sought-after international designers including Made With Love, Jenny Yoo, Madi Lane, Trish Peng, Jane Hill and Chosen by KYHA.
Our designer sample wedding dresses typically range from £500 to £2,500.
Shop off-the-peg rather than made-to-order
You'll also see the term off-the-peg wedding dress when looking for designer bridalwear for less.
Sample and off-the-peg aren't quite the same thing.
A sample dress describes the gown itself. Off-the-peg describes how you buy it.
Instead of trying on a boutique sample and ordering another gown from the designer, you purchase the actual dress you've tried on.
This has another big advantage: there's no designer lead time.
If you find your wedding dress during your appointment, you can take it home rather than waiting months for another gown to arrive.
Don't judge a wedding dress by its original price
It's easy to assume that a reduced wedding dress means compromising on quality, but that's not necessarily the case.
A designer sample gown may originally have had a considerably higher retail price. Its reduced price reflects the fact that you're buying the existing boutique sample rather than ordering a new gown.
That means you could find premium fabrics, beautiful construction and distinctive designer details at a price you hadn't expected.
When you're shopping, look at the dress itself, not simply the price tag.
Keep an open mind about designers
You might arrive convinced that you want a particular designer, only to discover that a completely different gown makes you feel incredible.
Keeping an open mind can be particularly useful when shopping for designer dresses off-the-peg because the collection is constantly changing.
Rather than limiting yourself to one label, think about what you actually love: perhaps a clean minimalist gown, a dramatic full skirt, a fitted silhouette or something relaxed and modern.
During your bridal appointment, we can help you explore different designers and styles while keeping your budget in mind.
Be flexible about the dress size
When you order a wedding dress traditionally, the boutique can usually order your chosen gown in an appropriate size.
Off-the-peg is different because you're buying an individual dress in the size available.
But don't immediately rule out a gown because the label isn't your usual high-street size.
Bridal sizing can vary between designers, and alterations are a normal part of achieving the right fit with a wedding dress.
At & She Loves Bridal, our collection includes designer wedding dresses in sizes 4–24, giving you plenty of options to explore.
Remember to budget for alterations
Finding a designer wedding dress for less doesn't mean forgetting about the rest of your bridal budget.
Depending on the gown and how it fits, you may need alterations before your wedding.
These could be relatively simple adjustments, such as changing the length or straps, or more involved alterations to achieve the fit you want.
It's worth keeping some of your overall dress budget aside for alterations rather than spending every penny on the gown itself.
Don't wait too long if you find the one
One of the biggest differences with sample and off-the-peg wedding dresses is availability.
There usually isn't a stockroom full of identical gowns waiting behind the scenes.
If there's one sample available and another bride buys it, that particular dress may be gone.
That doesn't mean you should feel pressured into making a decision. You should feel comfortable and confident about your wedding dress.
But if you've found a gown you genuinely love, bear in mind that an individual off-the-peg dress can't necessarily be reordered later.
Does buying a designer wedding dress for less mean compromising on the experience?
Absolutely not.
Shopping for a reduced designer gown doesn't need to feel like rummaging through a clearance rail.
At & She Loves Bridal, your appointment takes place in our private bridal studio in Arborfield, Berkshire.
You'll have a relaxed, one-to-one appointment with Rochelle and time to explore more than 300 designer wedding dresses without a busy shop floor or other appointments happening around you.
We'll talk about your wedding, your style and your budget, then help you explore the gowns that could be right for you.
Ready to see what you could find?
Where to Find Designer Wedding Dresses for Less in Berkshire
If you're looking for an affordable designer wedding dress in Berkshire, our Arborfield studio is home to an ever-changing collection of designer sample and off-the-peg gowns.
We're near Reading and welcome brides looking for a different way to shop for luxury bridalwear.
You can browse our current collection online, including gowns from Made With Love, Jenny Yoo, Madi Lane, Trish Peng, Jane Hill and Chosen by KYHA and more.
Because our gowns are available off-the-peg, you can see exactly what's available before your appointment. And when you find the one, you can take her home.
Ready to find your dress? Browse our current wedding dresses or book your private bridal appointment.
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