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Monday, October 21, 2013

Thoughts on Bridal Wear (on a budget!)



Of course, the first thing the newly engaged girl thinks about is, "what am I going to wear?"

I tend to think of myself as not much of a girly girl. BUT, I admit, now that we have set a date it is the only thing I am thinking about! I think I am driving my fiance crazy (and we are only 280 days out!).

I haven't tried anything on yet, so the below is subject to change. BUT, this is what I have been leaning towards and what I have been using for my budget.

The Dress

For a dress I am going to wear once, I do not want to spend a fortune on it. Of course, I don't want just anything either.

A dear friend of mine offered to lend me hers. I could possibly take her up on it. Especially if I get overwhelmed by the cost of everything else. {I am really considering trying hers on, just to see. Doesn't hurt to try!}

My ideal dress is more of a beach wedding style dress. Here are some of the traits I am looking for:

  • Halter top or straps
  • Straight skirt
  • No train
  • Ankle length (no dragging on the ground)
  • Evening gown style - something flowie and silky, not puffy like a ball gown

Do you remember the dress Stella wore in How I Met Your Mother? This is the best picture I could find of it:

Stella's wedding dress from HIMYM
I remember really liking it when I saw this episode. I can't spend a fortune though on the perfect dress. I am setting my budget for $100 (with the knowledge that I might be convinced to spend just a tad more if I did find something more perfect, but would love to spend less).

Here are some dresses in my budget that I am considering, with my least favorite first and favorite last:

Liliana Embellished Cowlneck Dress - JCPenny Originally $175 | Clearance $69.99

Liliana Illusion Fit-and-Flare Gown - JCPenny Originally $130 | Clearance $69.99

Charmeuse Gown with Halter Neckline - David's Bridal $99

Shoes

I am not much of a white shoes person, nor a heels person. I think a cheap pair of flats would do nicely. Something white or tan. Perhaps something blue?

I could see myself wearing something blue with jeans, but not necessarily with a white dress. And since I want an ankle length dress, the shoes will be visible. I also want an enclosed toe. I am not a huge fan of my feet.

Here are some cheap flats I have found:

Silver Ballet Flats from Old Navy | Originally $24 | Clearance $15
White Chelsea Flat from Payless | $20
Nude Claire Scrunch Flat from Payless | Originally $29.99 | Clearance $19.99

The key being flat and cheap. I am a total klutz in heels, so heels are totally out. They don't have to be the most comfortable thing in the world (only going to wear once, possibly), so cheap is fine.

I could see myself wearing the silver or nude flats with jeans. The white ones are just too plain! I would probably want to embellish them for the wedding. After the wedding, I could possibly try covering them up with fabric and mod podge.

Jewelry

My father-in-law bought me and his two daughters pearl jewelry sets. The set includes a pearl necklace, pearl bracelet and pearl studs. Here is one similar from Amazon (minus the bracelet):

14K Gold White Freshwater Pearl Necklace 18" and Stud Earring Jewelry Set from Amazon | $129

It really isn't my style, but it is actually much more expensive than I would buy for myself. I am much more a V necklace person.

Since I do have some skills with jewelry making, I am considering modifying these pieces. I considered restringing the necklace and using some of the spare beads to make my own earrings… but I really hate the idea of dismantling such an expensive gift.

Instead, I am considering adding some gold chain to the back to make it longer. Then add a charm in the front to help give it weight to form a V. Perhaps some crystal beads or something?

Or perhaps turn it around and add a charm like this:

Pearl Necklace (image courtesy of Shecy Pearl Jewelry)
For the earrings, I am thinking I could just hook gold wire behind the pearl, but in front of the earlobe. I could then string some complimenting crystal beads or matching pearls or something. Or perhaps just make my own earrings.

If I figure this out, you know I'll blog about it. :)

Hair

To keep costs down, I am going to figure out my own DIY up-do. I really like this simple up-do, the Gibson Tuck:

Gibson Tuck by The Freckled Fox
Add some fresh flowers:

Easy DIY Wedding Updo by Brides.com


And/or use a lacy headband:

DIY Double Strand Lace Headband by McLaughlin Designs Blog 
I love all these wonderful bloggers and their tutorials. Hugs to you, Bloggers!

Groom

He and I both, a long time ago, decided what he will wear. He has to wear black cons and a bow tie, because bow ties are cool!

The Perfect Ten
Of course, being on a budget, I am thinking we should just buy him some clothes that could be used in an interview. He is graduating after fall quarter. Skipping the tux rental and buying clothes he can wear again should save us some money in the long run.

I am thinking a nice pair of black pants, vest and bow tie. I am nixing a jacket for now, since it will be summer and an outdoor wedding so he will be hot in a jacket. He already has a white button up that is fairly new, so here are some items for him for budgeting purposes.

JF J. Ferrar® Plaid Vest from JCPenney | Originally $35 | Clearance $20
Stafford® Year-Round Flat-Front Pants from JCPenny | Originally $70 | Clearance $34.99
Stafford® Holiday Solid Tie from JCPenny | Originally $25 | Clearance $16.99

In Conclusion

Remember the rhyme for what you are supposed to wear on your wedding day for good luck?
Something old,
something new,
something borrowed,
something blue,
and a silver sixpence in her shoe.
I am not a superstitious person, but it would be fun to check these off. If I borrow my friends wedding dress, that could qualify for something borrowed. OR maybe I could borrow something old from my mom? Perhaps blue?

Anywho, those are my ideas. Of course, it is still early on. We'll see how everything evolves. I will, of course, share with you what the final results are.

Any suggestions for me? Tips for saving money?

Disclaimer: The one Amazon link is an affiliate link. All other links are not. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated in any shape or way.

Linking to: Freedom Fridays | No Rules Weekend Blog Party | Weekend Wonders

19 comments:

  1. I love that third dress. Just FYI David's Bridal can kind of be a pain to work with! We did our whole wedding for under $4000 so if you ever want pointers or tips let me know!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is our budget too! My fiance and I just put $2,000 each into a joint checking/savings account.

      Thanks for the tip on David's Bridal. I am actually going to wait until spring and see about shopping for a white spring/summer dress or evening dress. I've found some really inexpensive dresses on eBay/Amazon, but am really hesitant to buy anything without first trying on similar designs.

      I am also still losing weight, so I want that to stabilize before buying a dress. 23 pounds down now! 25 was my ultimate goal, but think I'm going to go for 30 so I have some wiggle room. :D

      Delete
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