I’m a wedding professional – the secrets to bagging the cheapest gown without compromising on quality

EVERYONE wants to look and feel their best on their wedding day – and for some that means spending a fortune on their dress.

But it doesn’t have to be that way, and you can still feel ‘a million dollars’ without blowing half the budget on your gown.

LouiseRoseCouturewebresHere, wedding designer Louise Allison shares her top tips to get your dream dress at a fraction of the cost[/caption]

Thankfully now, with so many more high street options, you don’t need to compromise on fashion, and there are even plenty of ways to get discounted designer labels too.

Here, we look at all the best ways to bag a bargain when buying your wedding dress, with some professional help.

Celebrate secondhand

Looking for a secondhand ‘preloved’ gown could nab you the dress you’ve always wanted at just a fraction of the cost.

GettyLooking at preloved dresses can really help you save money in your wedding budget[/caption]

Wedding dress designer Louise Allison, from Louise Rose Couture, says: “If you know what style dress you are after, there are sites for specifically selling preloved dresses, so keep an eye out for your dream dress at a bargain price.

“Set up alerts on vinted, depop or preloved to find gems as soon as they are listed.

“Also, don’t be afraid to continually scan your local charity shops, both in person and online.”

There are also wedding dress marketplace sites such as Still White, where brides sell on their gowns – and it’s also a great place to sell yours if you’re looking to make some money back.

There are also plenty of high street options, like this Kitri dress, on sale for £169KITRI

One-of-a-kind gown

Going vintage can also save you hundreds – and it would ensure you have a one-of-a-kind bridal gown.

Alternatively, you could take elements of a vintage piece to make a simple dress more unique.

Louise says: “There are some beautiful vintage dresses out there ready to be worn again.

“Or if you love some details but not all, you can get a seamstress to alter the design for you.

“To get an absolute bargain try visiting a kilo sale, you pay by the bag of clothes.

“A friend of mine managed to grab their vintage wedding dress for under £40!”

Whether you opt for high-street or designer, there are ways to keep costs downAsos

Something borrowed

Alternatively, you could consider renting a dress if you don’t think you’ll want to keep it after the big day for sentimental reasons.

Louise says: “There are more places offering rental now, this is a great idea if you are on a budget but have designer taste.

“If you have a favourite designer, make sure you are on their mailing list and if they don’t advertise rental, contact them directly and ask.

“Particularly smaller brands tend to be open to rental options.

“We love our sample dresses to be worn for more than just the photoshoot.”

Sample the goods

If you do have your eye on a designer dress, visiting a sample boutique, or looking at sample sales from your favourite bridal designer, is a good place to start.

Allison says: “You can often find designer brands for much less than the recommended retail price for brand new dresses.

“If a shop doesn’t have the particular dress you are looking for, don’t be afraid to ask your bridal consultant if they are able to find it for you.

“They will have a surprising amount of contacts and will generally be very happy to do their best to hunt down that gown for you.”

GettyChoosing a dress is a huge decision, and you want to feel at your best[/caption]