I found this set of saving tips online and thought it’ll be great to share here, especially in the time of rising costs! 
As usual, most of it apply to those in the US but I’ve added some localised Malaysian tips. For all those bride-to-bes who have yet to buy or rent their wedding gown, do have a read before you do! My comments are in red italics.
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Avoid buying a “wedding” dress: Check out bridesmaid, prom, and department store dresses. You may be able to find a dress that just happens to be white at a fraction of the cost. You’ll do even better if you’re looking for a dress in off-white, champagne, or another color.
This might actually work! Wedding gown designers tend to jack up the price since every vendor knows a wedding is the best time to whack the couple for the most money simply because it’s “once in a lifetime” event. Don’t fall for that line!
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Wear someone else’s gown: Ask your mother, grandmother or other family member if she’ll let you wear her dress. She will be honored that you asked, and you can’t get cheaper than free. Remember, though, that you will probably need to have it altered.
Wouldn’t it be lovely to wear your Mom’s wedding dress? I wonder how much can be altered though considering how much bigger we are than our Moms! I actually saw my designer altering a 30 year old Chinese “kua” which was handed down from a mother to her daughter for her wedding day!
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Shop sample sales: You can score a designer dress for less if you hit sample sales, especially if you wear a size 8 or something close to it. Sales are usually held during the winter and summer months.
Definitely! I only wish we had similar sales here too!
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Make your own veil: Veils are usually just made of tulle and a comb or tiara. Don’t pay $30 or more for something you can make on your own for significantly less. Arm yourself with a glue gun, fabric, and a headpiece, then get to work!
This is another DIY project in the making…
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Do your own hair and makeup: Unless you’re planning on doing something complicated and ornate, you probably don’t need to call in the professionals. Look to wedding magazines for ideas and instructions, then try it out yourself. Remember to practice your style at least once before your wedding day to make sure things will go smoothly.
Um…I actually wouldn’t recommend this unless you’re really good with makeup and hair. But to save costs, you can actually try looking for friends or going for make up artists who don’t only specialise in wedding makeup. Going for a “wedding make up artist” will probably cost you more than a normal make up artist.
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Buy a dress that fits now: Many brides plan on losing weight before they get married and buy a too-small dress for motivation. However, this strategy can set you up for disaster if you don’t make it to your goal weight. Buy a dress that fits now, then have it altered when you lose the weight. It’s always cheaper to take in a dress than to let it out.
With lots of good and relatively cheap alteration services around, alteration doesn’t need to cost an arm and leg anymore.
Wear family jewelry: You don’t need to spend lots of money on wedding jewelry. Chances are that someone in your family has something nice for you to wear on your big day. This saves you money and also takes care of finding “something borrowed.”
I love this idea, simply for the sentimental meaning behind each piece of jewelry.
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Rent the tux or buy an affordable suit: Chances are your husband-to-be won’t need to wear a tux on a regular basis. Instead of buying one, rent it or just get a nice suit that he’ll be able to wear again.
I totally agree. A good suit definitely has a lot more mileage compared to a tux unless you move in high end society circles.
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Rent a gown: Some bridal studios might actually rent out their gowns for a relatively cheaper price even without a package. It depends on the power of your bargaining skills and the quality of their dresses.
Based on my personal experiences, the rental cost might still be as expensive as RM500 to even RM1,000 just for 1 dress. It still does work out cheaper than buying a wedding gown or tailoring one if you don’t intend to keep it.
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Buy off eBay: There are some surprising gems on eBay if you have the time to look. There are lots of brand new or slightly used designer wedding gowns up for sale which can range from a Oscar de la Renta wedding gown all the way to the ultimate Vera Wang wedding gown!
If you are considering this option, always check the authenticity of the seller and the shipping charges. Do make sure you have a good tailor at hand to help you with the alterations as well.
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China Made Gowns: Recently, there are quite a number of people who are selling China Made wedding gowns for a really cheap price. Some of these gowns may only cost RM400 for a full length gown complete with lace and ruffles.
Do check the gowns yourself before buying them. One I saw had some sort of “fake satin” fabric which felt and looked like polyester. And again, have a good tailor at hand as those gowns are usually made in standard sizes and may not fit everyone properly.
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Go Bargain Hunting: Keep an eye and ear out for bargains. There are bargains every now and then if you know where to look. Some places do fantastic offers or sales to clear their old stock and these could be great places to start your search for a designer wedding gown for a lot less! :)
