This is getting embarrassing. Ed and I haven’t looked at a reception hall since July. We have one day a week off together, and it seems on that day one or the other of us has picked up some overtime. Hence, no reception hall.

So to keep busy, I’ve begun doing some research on wedding gowns. I found some interesting deals online. Dresses can be had for as little as $50 if you’re willing to go for a used gown. A search on eBay returned over 1,000 wedding dresses for sale, most of them far less than the typical bridal shop prices. A simple Google search for cheap wedding dresses will bring up a list of sites and eBay, Craig’s List and Indie Bride are all great places to start.

Of course, buying online, while easy on the wallet does come with some sacrifices. You lose the opportunity to take your mom, your maid of honor and, in my case, Ed’s two daughters wedding dress shopping. You also lose the opportunity to try on the dress before you buy it, free alterations and the chance to just have a girls’ day out.

On the plus side, you will never have to go through the embarrassment of trying to squeeze into the sample sizes, nor will you be subjected to everyone in the store staring at you while you model wedding gowns.

I did some Internet research, culling the best advice I could on surfing the net in your bridal gown. I came up with some great advice, which I’ll pass on:

• Research the type of dress you want. Even if you think you’re going to buy online, head to bridal shops, try on a variety of gowns and determine ahead of time which style suits you. Do some price shopping while you’re at it. No sense in paying new prices for a used gown.
• Keep in mind when buying online, you will need to budget for the extras, such as petticoats, a veil, shoes and, most of all, at least one professional fitting before you walk down the aisle. Make sure the dress is still a steal when you add in all the extra costs.
• Have your measurements at the ready so when you’re online shopping, you can tell at a glance if the dress is your size.
• Look at as many pictures of the gown as the seller will send you. Now is the time to ask any questions you have – like will you get the gown before your wedding?
• Use a safe-trader system like PayPal to make sure you get your merchandise.
• Start early. Leave yourself enough time to find another gown, just in case.

If any brides out there have bought a gown online – or have other great money-saving ideas for bridal attire, send them along. I’d love to hear from you.