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That dress for less
If you're planning to get married this summer but you're on a tight budget, fear not,
there are ways to buy a gorgeous wedding dress and save a penny
WE don't yet know what
sort of dress Colleen
McLoughlin will wear
when she marries Wayne
Rooney this summer. But
when Alex Curran married footballer
Steven Gerrard last year, her dress reputedly
cost £60,000. Gulp.
We think we can find you one a bit
cheaper than that...
Even for the average wedding the
dress can easily cost near enough £1,000.
And in these credit-crunching days that
seems an awful lot of money.
If you've fantasised about your wedding
dress ever since you sat in maths
lessons doodling designs on the back of
your rough book then there's no alternative.
You are clearly going to have to
devote much time, effort and money in
finding the dress of your dreams .
whether it's a bridal boutique or a specialist
dressmaker.
But maybe you think that could all
cost too much for something that (a) will
spend the next 50 years in a box on the
top of the wardrobe and (b) could be
spent on better things, such as the honeymoon,
or a deposit on a house.
But can you do radiant bride on the
cheap? Of course, you can. Try Chainstore,
Charity or China....
CHAINSTORE
AFTER a brief experiment, Asda have
stopped doing wedding dresses, though
claim that some of the George range
would still be suitable. Marks & Spencer
have special occasion dresses in their
Autograph range, short and long from
£49 - £99. Most aren't really specifically
wedding dresses, which makes them
more appealing to some . as well as more
versatile, such as the long silk mix dress
with wrap over bodice for £75.
BHS have two ranges. The cheaper
range currently has dresses from £52 to
£96. The materials are mainly polyester
satin, but the designs are classic, simple
and very stylish. As it's coming to the
end of range, sizes are a bit hit and miss,
but range from 8 - 22. They also have a
posher range designed by Elizabeth Emmanuel - half of the design duo who created
Princess Di's wedding dress . which
cost £495. Not such a snip . but include
some very elaborate and interesting designs
in tulle, organza and satin.
CHARITY
NOT all dresses in charity shops are second
hand. Last week the owner of bridal
shop in Durham gave 50 brand new wedding
dresses to St Cuthbert's Hospice,
who put them on sale in their shops in
Durham and Chester-le-Street.
Oxfam generally charges a flat rate
£50 for a wedding dress and £25 for a
bridesmaid's dress. Last week in Darlington,
for instance, they had a £50 silk
dress which still had the £995 price tag.
They have some lovely dresses in a good
range of sizes, but don't seem to be able
to display them to their best advantage.
At the Bcause dress agency in
Northallerton, run in aid of the Butterwick
Hospice, they last week had a number
of wedding dresses, including one in
gold and ivory, £55; ivory satin £90 and a
cream silk bodice and skirt for £120.
They also had a number of suits in
ivory, gold and cream, often with pearls
or embroidery from £60 . £100 which
would have been great as an alternative
to wedding dresses and a good choice
of mother of the bride type outfits.
Remember, in charity shops and agencies
we can only tell you what was there
when we were there. Stock is always unpredictable.
Which might mean, of
course, you'll get an even bigger bargain.
CHINA
AS so much of what we buy these days
is made in China, then there's no surprise
that wedding dresses are too. On
eBay you can cut out the middleman and
buy direct from Chinese sellers. With
only minutes to go in the bidding, some
of these were still only going for £3. Even
with postal costs of between £30 . £50,
that's still pretty good.
Many of them also offer made-to-measure
at no extra cost, ask for a reassuring
long list of measurements and
promise delivery within three weeks.
Worth looking at if only for the sales
pitch. We particularly liked gThis is the
junoesque Chinese wedding dress, made
of excellent material for the noblest lady.
Get it now and you will become charming
lady soonh.
But, if you are buying off the internet
you must remember some common
sense rules.
* Buy only from a seller with a solid
feedback rating.
* Read all the details extra carefully
and be sure you know what you're buying.
* Read all the feedback comments.
They often contain some useful information
or advice.
* Pay only through Paypal . so you
should have some redress if anything
goes wrong.
And remember, it was apparently
Queen Victoria who set the fashion for
elaborate white wedding dresses. Before
then, most brides just wore their best
frock. An elaborate wedding dress is
wonderful, but not compulsory.
THIS coming Thursday, May 15,
sees the Shopping Spectacular at
the Station in Richmond . a showcase
for 14 different local businesses,
including children's clothing, luxury
food, jewellery, cards, soaps and bridal
wear. Exhibitors include The Little Present
Company, Heart and Soul, Damsels
and Dragonflies, Teesdale Lamb,
Swaledale Cheese and Sloe Motion. The
event is organised by Rebecca Metcalf
and Alison Nicholson of Real home
accessories.
Admission is £2.50 . to include refreshments
. and is in aid of the NSPCC.
* Richmond Station, Thursday, May
15, 10am . 1pm.
* Real accessories have a new website,
www.arealhome.co.uk
12:26pm Friday 9th May 2008
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