The average price of a UK wedding is a staggering £27,000. A wedding may be a once-in-a-lifetime day, but not all of us can afford the luxuries that come with it. The time you get married (avoid bank holidays!), the venue and the catering can amount to a huge sum of money. Thankfully, there are few ways to reduce the cost, like cutting down on flowers, having one or two fewer bridesmaids and making your own wedding invitations.

The wedding dress is usually a big contributor to this hefty bill, often costing over £1000. For some brides, this is too much money, so thankfully, finding a discount wedding dress without sacrificing quality is possible. Bridal sample sales, rented dresses and doing some research beforehand can all help.

Looking fabulous on your wedding day doesn’t always require you to break the budget. Even in London, a city renowned for being expensive, it’s possible to find a beautiful dress for your wedding day. So, follow these five simple steps to find your perfect wedding dress at a discounted price.

1. Do Some Research First

As a bride to be, it’s likely that you’re already doing a lot of research about venues, food, flowers and dresses. With a bit of browsing and shopping around, you can discover where to find a dress at a discounted price.

There is no doubt you will stumble across some gorgeous dress websites while researching. However, before booking an appointment, always check their prices. You don’t want to go and try dresses on to only be disappointed to discover that they are outside of your budget.

2. Find a Sample Sale

If you’ve done some research, you may find a bridal sample sale in London, which is a great way to get a discounted dress. Sample sales are dresses from designers which may have been used in marketing campaigns, tried on by previous brides or left over from a previous season.

The quality of the dress is still extremely high, despite having been worn before. All bridal sample sale dresses are at a reduced rate, meaning it’s an excellent way to find a good deal.

3. Make it Yourself

For those with some sewing machine skills, making your own dress can be a winner. There are so many fabric shops in London that you’ll be sure to find a material and colour that you like.

If you’ve got the time and skills, making your dress can be so rewarding. You can style it yourself and make sure everything is as it should be. If you’ve never designed and made your own dress before, it might be a good idea to get some help from friends and family. However, there is no doubt you can create something stunning and unique.

4. Check Charity Shops

If you want to do something for a good cause and save some money at the same time, consider checking out charity shops for a wedding dress. A lot of dresses are donated to charity as most women only wear them once. It may be difficult to find the exact style and size you want, but if you do, you’ve hit the jackpot and found a discount wedding dress.

5. Borrow From Friends or Family

If you intend to only get married once (as I’m sure we all do!), borrowing a dress is an excellent way to save money.

Friends and family who have been married previously will have a dress in excellent condition. So many sisters are similar sizes which means borrowing their dress ideal. You might also find that your mother has her wedding dress tucked up in her wardrobe. With a few alterations, it can be reinvented and become the perfect dress for your big day.