David's Bridal

5 Amazing Bridesmaid Dresses for Under $100

BY CATEY HILL

You adore your bridesmaids – they’ve held your hand through breakups, shared their cutest outfits with you and kept your juiciest secrets for years – so it’s important to remember that they might get stressed out over the expense of being in a wedding. That’s because the average bridesmaid spends more than $1,600 to be part of your big day. Um, that’s a lot of money!  But don’t worry, you can find amazing dresses that won’t cost them a ton!

You want your big day to be perfect (I mean, you’ve only been waiting for it your entire life!), which means your bridesmaids need to look perfect too.  So to help you find amazing bridesmaid dresses that are inexpensive, I asked stylist Shahrnaz Shifteh – this is a woman who could accessorize a beige mumu and make it look chic! –  to pick the top five bridesmaid dresses for under $100.  Here are her budget-friendly picks:

1. For an outdoor wedding:

“This look is flowy and casual – a great complement to a garden or beach wedding,” says Shifteh. “Pick lighter,pastel colors in the spring or for a garden wedding, and bolder colors for a summer or beach wedding.” Bridesmaids should wear a simple pendant, a few bangles and flat sandals, ballet flats or wedges with this dress.

Strapless Chiffon Short Dress Style F12284

2. For a formal wedding:

“Floor length gowns are ideal for a formal wedding,” Shifteh explains.  Bridesmaids should pair the dress with neutral or metallic, open-toe stiletto sandals and get it hemmed so that it lightly brushes the floor.  Because of the beautiful shoulder detailing, bridesmaids don’t need to wear a necklace with this look, she says.

Flower One Shoulder Mesh Gown Style 8420Y033

3. For a trendy wedding:

“This is very runway – a Sarah Jessica Parker in ‘Sex and the City’ look,” Shifteh says.  She recommends that bridesmaids accessorize with a fun cocktail ring and high-heeled pumps or sandals that don’t have crystals or embellishments on them since “the dress is the statement in this outfit.”

Short Draped Satin Dress with Sash Style VW360017

4. For modern-meets-elegant wedding:

“This dress is elegant with a twist – the slit gives it a very modern edge,” says Shifteh.  She says that bridesmaids should wear this look with statement earrings and a stiletto sandal.

Strapless Long Charmeuse Dress with SlitStyle F44447

5. For a country club-style wedding:

“This dress is a great mix of preppy meets casual,” says Shifteh.  She recommends bridesmaids wear this look with a simple strand of pearls and kitten heels.

Cotton Sateen Short Strapless Ruched DressStyle 83312

Bottom line: “Brides should not be afraid to mix and match dresses at their wedding,” says Shifteh.  “Color and fabric should be similar, but beyond that, have fun,” she says.

Save vs. Splurge, Wedding Edition: Where to Spend, Where to Scrimp

BY CATEY HILL

From the white flowy dress to the candlelit aisle, the five-tiered cake to the gorgeous bouquets, you’ve probably imagined your wedding day since you were a little girl. But now that you’re actually planning it, reality is setting in.  Of course you want the fairytale — I mean, who doesn’t?! — but you can only spend so much, so it’s important to figure out where you’ll splurge, and where you’ll cut costs.

To figure this out, first, you’ll need to make a wedding budget (I know, you hate that word, but I swear it’s not that bad – use the David’s Bridal MyEvent wedding planner site and it’s super-easy to do it!). Then, look at the list of all the things you will spend money on for your wedding.  Check out the budget I created to help you figure this out.  Now, rank that list in terms of what’s most important to you and what’s least important; spend the most on what’s most important to you and the least on what’s not.

OK, so that might have seemed a little overwhelming.  I mean, where do you rank all those things?! You probably really want to know what married people and wedding planners say is great to splurge on and worth it so scrimp on. Don’t worry, I talked to them and got some advice.  Here’s the scoop:
Where to save
It used to be that to get an amazing dress you had to go to a boutique or super high-end department store. Not anymore.  David’s Bridal has Vera Wang dresses - yes, the Vera Wang! – for under $1,700, some even under $1,000, plus other amazing luxe designers like Melissa Sweet and Oleg Cassini (hello, he dressed Jackie O — one of the most timeless style icons ever!). Another big way to save is on food and the bar (if this isn’t the top of your priority list).  Don’t have a fancy sit-down dinner — your guests will have just as much fun with a simple buffet or passed around tapas– and serve beer, wine and one signature cocktail (you and your soon-to-be bubby can pick it together!) rather than a full-on open bar.

Where to splurge

Don’t scrimp on the photos and video of the wedding (these are things you’ll have in frames in your home for rest of your life and give to your grandchildren!).  So hire a reliable photographer and maybe even a videographer so you can make sure that perfect moment is captured … in high def of course!  Added bonus: Your friends and family can snap more pics of your day for free so you have even more keepsakes!  The other thing you should splurge on — at least for one night — is your honeymoon. Spend time with your new hubby in an amazing setting, even if it’s just for a night or two.

Clean Out Your Closet for Ca$h
BY CATEY HILL

If you’re anything like most girls I know, your closet is literally overflowing with clothes, shoes and accessories that you don’t wear anymore. (Who hasn’t gotten just a little too caught up in one trend or another?!). But rather than let all those goodies sit there collecting dust, why not clean out your closet and sell that stuff for cash?

To do this, first you’ll need to take an inventory of your closet.  Anything you haven’t worn in the past year or so, consider selling. Next, learn which items will fetch more cash than others (but don’t throw anything out yet as almost everything you own can probably fetch at least some money). Here are a few things to look for:

• Brand: Obviously, high-end designer names like Louis Vuitton and Chanel are going to fetch top dollar on the resale market, but slightly less pricey — but still popular — designer brands like Tory Burch, Marc by Marc Jacobs and White by Vera Wang will score you some cash as well. Even if you don’t have those kinds of clothes in your wardrobe, designer collaborations with department stores (think Jimmy Choo for H&M or Missoni for Target) can fetch a pretty penny, as can clothes from retailers like J.Crew and Anthropologie.
• Style: Even if you don’t have many name-brand clothes, you can get a decent amount of money for clothes that are in style right now, such as leather or leather-accented items, and clothes that are black and white, striped or floral.  Also, be sure to remember the things that almost never go out of style, like the little black dress and the simple blazer. And think seasonally: Since summer is fast approaching, you can get money for cocktail dresses and old bridesmaids dresses that people can wear to weddings.
• Condition: The clothes need to be in good condition — few if any stains, tears or discolorations — if you expect to get top dollar for them.  It’s smart to wash and iron clothes or fix a fallen hem or pocket before trying to sell them.  Even clothes that are from a big-box budget store — if they’re in good condition — may fetch you some money.

Now that you’ve taken inventory in your closet, it’s time to sell your stuff.  There are a variety of ways to do this.

• Online: Everyone knows about eBay already, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a great place to sell clothes, especially name brand items, since often a bunch of people bid on them and drive up the price. With eBay the key is to have great photos (show those designer tags or receipts if you have them, and make sure the photos are well lit) and a good seller rating.I also like these sites/apps for selling clothes: Storenvy.com, Threadflip.com and the iPhone app Poshmark.  All of these sites are easy to use and can help you earn cash for your old clothes.

• Consignment: Offering up your clothes to a local consignment shop is another good way to get paid.  Typically, you’ll get 40 – 50% of the total price that the consignment shop sells your stuff for.  If you can, get these terms in writing.  And before you go into a consignment shop, do some research online about what similar items are selling for — often you can get more money by selling your stuff online.

• Garage sale: Garage sales are often best for those clothes that aren’t from a well-respected brand, aren’t that fashion-forward and/or aren’t in great condition that you just want to get rid of.  Hold a garage sale and try to sell what you can.  Towards the end of the sale, if you haven’t sold the items, put a bunch of the clothes in a box together and then sell the “bundle” for a few bucks.  Hey, it’s better than getting nothing!

6 Simple Ways to Save on Prom
BY CATEY HILL

The fab dress, the dreamy date, the DJ and the dance party … what’s not to love about prom?!

Well, the price. The average cost of prom is more than $1,000.  Yikes!

So what’s a girl to do when she wants a dream prom night, but doesn’t want to spend that much?  Follow these simple tips and you’ll slash the cost of prom in no time (without sacrificing any of the fun!).

1. Get your makeup done at a department store: Go to the makeup counter at any big department store and have one of their pros do your makeup — you’ll look fab and it’s totally free!  Of course, you may feel obligated to buy something. If you do, pick something inexpensive like a lip gloss that you know you’ll use again and again.

2. Get your hair and nails done by a student: Rather than go to a fancy salon for the perfect do, look into going to a beauty school.  You’ll get your hair done by a student (who’s supervised by a professional, so don’t worry!) for a fraction of the cost of a salon. You can find beauty schools near you here: http://www.beautyschoolsdirectory.com/.

You can also often score discount mani-pedis from cosmetology students (use that same link to find cosmetology schools in your area)!  If there isn’t one near you, invite your girlfriends over for a pre-prom “spa day” at your house. You can do each other’s nails.

3. Buy a discounted gift card to pay for dinner: It’s super fun to go out to dinner for prom, but who wants to spend that much?  You probably already know about Groupon, LivingSocial and Restaurants.com, all of which have great deals on restaurants. But here’s another little secret that can save you and your friends big: Buy a discounted gift card for the restaurant you’re going to on PlasticJungle.com.  So, let’s say you’re going to Macaroni Grill for dinner. You could go in with friends and buy a gift card worth $100 on the site, but only pay $80 for it!  That means you’ll get $100 worth of food for only $80!  And if you still can’t afford that, don’t worry: It’s often super-fun to host a dinner party at home!

4. Score deals on your dress: It’s tempting to totally blow your budget on your dream dress, but there’s really no need to. Skip local stores and boutiques (you don’t want to end up with the same dress as another girl!) and check out the dress selection (there are so many choices!) on David’s Bridal.  They have some amazing dresses that are literally half off, and tons of super-cute frocks that are well under $100!  If money is really tight, look for a dress (think classic, solid colors) that you can wear again if you pair it with different shoes or accessories. Here are three great dresses under $100 we LOVE this season and will make you feel like a princess on your big night!

Strapless Empire Beaded Empire Waist Prom Dress Style 8420CW7B

Pearl Jeweled Necklace Halter Mesh GownStyle 8420Y039

Beaded One Shoulder Mesh Prom DressStyle 8420BX1B

Remember: The #1 rule to saving money on your dress is to start shopping early. As prom approaches, the dress selection can get picked over — and that’ll make you desperate to find the perfect dress, and a little too willing to totally blow your budget.

5. Host a prom swap party: David’s Bridal once again wins my vote as the go-to spot for amazing shoes and accessories at prices you can totally afford!  But if you’re running low on cash and still need a few key accessories, host a “prom swap party” for all of your girlfriends at your place. Everyone brings some fun accessories and shoes, and you guys can borrow each other’s stuff.  It’s a super fun way to get together with the girls, and it allows you to put the finishing touches on your prom look.  (Remember even if your BFFs shoes don’t quite fit you, you can always add insoles.)

6. Say no to pricey extras: A lot of people feel like they need to buy photos from the professional photographer at the prom or get a pricey limo.  If you can afford these things, great, but they’re totally not necessary.  Have your parents take the before pics, and once you’re at prom, you and your friends can use your phones to snap pics of each other.  You can also rent a nice car with a driver rather than a limo, which is often cheaper, or just drive yourselves or have friends from a different school or your older brother or sis do the driving.

What Should a Wedding Cost?
BY CATEY HILL

Almost every future bride has a moment when she wonders: How can my wedding be costing this much?! Don’t worry, that’s totally normal — and it’s true, weddings can be pricey.  So what’s “normal” for a wedding to cost?

Estimates on what the average wedding in America costs usually range from about $25,000 – $28,000, not including the honeymoon.  Here’s a breakdown of how the average bride likely spends that money (based on a $25,000 wedding):

• $13,250 on the reception.
  This may include the venue, catering, bar, cake or dessert, lighting and music.
• $3,000 on photos and video.
  This includes not only the photographer and videographers fees but also prints and albums.
• $2,500 on attire.
  This may include the dress, alterations, veil, accessories, hair, makeup, and tux.
• $2,000 on flowers.
  This includes flowers for both the ceremony and reception.
• $1,500 on the ceremony.
  This may include the venue, officiant, marriage license, ring pillow and musician.
• $750 on stationary.
  This may include save-the-date cards, invitations, RSVP cards, programs, seating name cards, thank-you notes, postage and menu cards. Definitely check out David’s Bridal’s line of invitations and stationary- they have just about any theme you’re looking for and are reasonably priced!
• $750 on rings.
  This includes the wedding bands for the bride and groom.
• $750 on favors and gifts.
  This may include favors for wedding guests, welcome bags for guests in their hotel rooms and gifts for the wedding party.  If you’re looking for inexpensive but cute favors from photo albums and sweets to note pads and bottle stoppers, be sure to check out the assortment from David’s Bridal- the more you buy the more you save!
• $500 on transportation.
  This may include transportation for guests to and from the venue, valet parking, car rental or limo for bride and groom and limo for the wedding party.

Of course, every bride is different, and her wedding could cost far less or more than average.  Some of that will depend on where you have the wedding.  It tends to be more expensive to get married in the Northeast — New York City is usually the priciest place, but Boston isn’t too far behind — than most other areas of the country.  It’s also expensive to get married in California, especially popular spots like Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, as well as in cities like Chicago and Philadelphia.  If you’re looking to save money, head to the Midwest or South and to smaller cities or rural areas (doesn’t a quaint country wedding sound nice!).

Surprisingly, it’s often less expensive to do a destination wedding than to get married in or near your hometown.  Part of that is that fewer guests tend to come to destination weddings, so you’re paying for a lot less food and alcohol that you might otherwise.  Plus, if you go somewhere like the Riviera Maya or Jamaica, you can find great deals on beautiful beachside hotel venues.  Grab your flip flops, ladies!

Even if your wedding is going to cost a lot less – or a lot more – than average, don’t worry.  As long as you can afford it (no credit card debt, please!), go for it!

V-Day With Your Fiancée: 5 Frugal & Romantic Date Ideas
BY CATEY HILL

Of course, you want to make this Valentine’s Day special — it’s your first as an engaged couple! — but with all the things you need to spend money on for your wedding, you don’t want to break the bank. Here are some fun but frugal Valentine’s Day date ideas that are sure to make this day one to remember.

1. Make a memory box
Pretty soon, you’ll be a married missus, with photos and keepsakes from your wedding lining your home. But it’s important to remember what brought you two here — where you met, memorable dates, the proposal. So before Valentine’s Day, both of you should gather memorabilia from your time together (everything from receipts and concert tickets to dried flowers and photos); during the date, you’ll each put your items one by one into a beautiful memory box, telling each other the significance of the event and how it made you feel. Here is a great memory box from David’s Bridal that would make a perfect gift! Then promise each other you’ll open this box to keep the romance alive every Valentine’s Day.

2. Whisk him away on the cheap
I love the app HotelTonight.  You can find amazing last-minute deals on usually pricey hotel rooms. (The hotels put the deals on the site the day of the deal since they realize they might not fill the room otherwise.)  Wake up early on Valentine’s Day morning and see if the site is offering any deals in your city.  If they are, book a room and keep the details a secret from your man.  This is a great way to get away from it all without having to travel anywhere!

3. Play the question game
You may feel like you know almost everything there is to know about your partner, but there are certainly surprises to come!  That’s what I love about the question game.  Write down a series of questions, things like: What’s the one trip you’ve always dreamed of taking?  What is one thing you want to do before you die?  What was your most embarrassing moment?  On what day were you happiest?  Then take turns asking and answering.  Consider writing down the answers and saving them — it will be fun to look back at these things years from now to see if anything has changed.

4. Have your first date — again
Assuming your first date wasn’t something crazy expensive, recreate it.  Even if you two just met at a Starbucks and grabbed coffee or went to the movies at your local theater, it will be so romantic to relive all the moments from where it all began. And in case you need something to wear on the big night, David’s Bridal has a great selection of special occasion dresses that are perfect to relive your first date with your significant other!

5. Take the day off together
Unfortunately V-Day is on a Thursday this year — and it’s hard to celebrate when you’re tired out from work.  So have a staycation in your home with your soon-to-be hubby.  Rent a bunch of movies, curl up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and relax.  It’s all about spending quality time with each other.  Come evening, you two can cook dinner together and share your meal over a bottle of wine.  Don’t worry about work until tomorrow!

A New Style Council is in Office for David’s Bridal!

We are proud to introduce the 2013 Style Council! A notable stylist, a renowned wedding and proposal planner, a prominent financial-savvy advisor and a budget fashion expert have joined forces to “propose” their knowledge as part of the Style Council.  Be sure to check out each Style Council members bio to learn more about their area of expertise and keep an eye out for their upcoming posts on our blog!

2013 Style Council:

Sarah Pease –  The “I Do” Expert

Nikki Pennie – The Purveyor of Style

Catey Hill – The Money Maven

Carmen Ordonez – The Budget Fashion Aficionado

Catey Hill

The Money Maven

Catey Hill is a writer and editor whose work has appeared in/on The Wall Street Journal, SmartMoney, Worth, Seventeen, Forbes.com, the New York Daily News, and dozens of other publications and websites. She is also the author of “Shoo, Jimmy Choo! The Modern Girl’s Guide to Spending Less and Saving More” (Sterling, 2010), which People dubbed “one of the best of the new crop of personal finance books,” The New York Times called “solid” and The Associated Press said was “eye-opening.” Catey has appeared as a personal finance expert on dozens of television programs, including “FOX & Friends,” “The Huckabee Show” on FOX and “The Early Show” on CBS; in a number of magazines, including Marie Claire, Allure, People, Seventeen and Woman’s Day; and on more than 50 radio programs.