Although you want the perfect gown for your perfect day, you may not have an infinite budget. There are tips and tricks to finding an inexpensive wedding dress. This guide will show you how to find a cheap wedding dress.

A wedding dress is worn once, for several hours, then carefully stored in the hopes that one's progeny may use it in a quarter of a century or so. The average cost of a wedding gown is slightly over $1,500, which is a lot to spend on a dress you wear once. On the other hand, a beautifully dressed bride is the focal point of the wedding, so you want the dress to be perfect. With some effort, it is possible to find a beautiful dress that will look like you spent thousands, while actually costing much less.

Although it may seem to be a contradiction, the first step in finding a cheap dress is to look at expensive ones. Go to fancy bridal shops, and try on lots of expensive gowns with a critical eye. Notice the cut and details which flatter you. Examine necklines, drape, and details. Take pictures and make notes. After a while you'll have a good idea of what you're looking for in a dress.

• Some alterations are relatively simple; some are very involved. After you know what type of dress you're looking for, bring your notes and photos to a seamstress. While a custom made dress may be cheaper than a designer gown, it will not be cheap. However, by talking to a seamstress you can get an idea of how much it would cost for her to recreate that perfect neckline, or add beading and details to an inexpensive dress that you find elsewhere. This information will help you when you're ready to go shopping.

• Your mother probably has her gown carefully boxed up in the attic. She may have your grandmother's dress there as well. Its important that you've gone through the first two steps before you get to this point, as you want to know what you want, and have an understanding of what alterations are practical before you open that box.

• If the dress in the attic isn't going to work, or there isn't one there, you'll need to go shopping. Here's how to find a cheap wedding dress. Remember, it doesn't need to be perfect, just close enough that the seamstress you met with in step 2 can make it perfect within your budget.

1. Used dresses are occasionally advertised in your local paper's classifieds or on Craigslist.
2. Call each of the fancy shops you went to in step 1, and ask when they sell their samples. You can generally pick up a sample for a fraction of its cost if you are within a size or two of the sample gown's size, and are willing to purchase last season's model.
3. Contact all the thrift stores and consignment shops within a reasonable driving distance of where you live, asking them to let you know when they get a wedding dress donated.
4. There are online sites that sell used wedding dresses at bargain prices:
   • eBay
   • Preownedweddingdresses.com
   • SellYourWeddingDress.com