2009-07-16 08:30:00 by SMARTBRIDE
SmartBride Features Weddding Dresses for Every Budget on CityLine!
SmartBride Boutique had the privilege of being featured on CityLine TV today, showing Canadian women that it is possible to achieve bridal bliss and find the wedding dress of your dreams, without breaking the bank.
Take a peek at our behind the scenes photos, as well as the dresses (and accessories) featured at various price points ranging from $500 up to $3000.
Under $500
This very elegant size 6 Joli Bridal ivory wedding gown features delicate embroidery and beading. The neckline provides a little more modest coverage than most strapless gowns but still allows you to show off a pair of great earrings and necklace, especially when you combine it with a pretty up do. On the segment, we paired the dress with a pair of stylish but affordable earrings ($38) and a pair of shoes ($80). This dress typically retails for $900 but is listed on SmartBride's free classifieds for only $250.
The entire look including dress, jewelry and shoes costs only $368 and provides an example of how you can prioritize spending on your big day. Perfect for a foodie who chooses to spend her budget on spoiling her guests with gourmet goodies but still wants to look fabulous.
Or, this Alfred Angelo strapless A line gown, also comes in around the $500 mark. The skirt features a pick-up detail and semi-cathedral train - perfect for a bride who wants to feel like a princess on her big day. It's important to know your "bridal gown size" before you begin to search for a wedding dress online. For example, this gently used dress is a corset style size 2, but the previous owner generally wears a street size 4.
This gown is indicative of the deals you'll find on SmartBride at less than 40% ($400) of it's original retail price of $1100. On the segment, we paired this gown dress with a beautiful pair of earrings from local Toronto jewelry designer Kim Drosdick ($95) and a chunky $25 bracelet to add a little extra sparkle. Add a pair of strappy sandals from Winners for $50 and your entire wedding day attire costs just $570.
Under $1000
Our first dress under the $1000 price point is a never altered,size 2 Lowon Pope. This sheath style, champagne coloured dress was only worn for an hour! The bride paid over $2000 for the dress and is selling on the SmartBride Boutique site for $800. It has a beautiful, sexy back and the end of the ties are adorned with crystal details. On the segment we paired the dress with a fantastic long, draping necklace ($40), to create a dramatic evening look, shoes ($100) and drop pearl earrings from Trove ($40). In total, the complete look featured costs $980. According to the latest weddingbells survey, the average bride is willing to spend $1083 on the dress alone.
The second dress we featured for under $1000 is a beautiful size 8 from Beckers Bridal made of duponi silk wedding gown. We loved the simple V neck style with delicate beading on the straps and under the bust. This stunning dress is equally simple and elegant from the back with a trumpet style train. On the segment, we paired the dress with a $20 drop necklace to accentuate the neckline, $70 drop earrings from Trove and a pair of $80 shoes. In total the look we featured is $970.
Under $2000
In the under $2000 category, we showed off this fun size 2 Vineyard "Drew" wedding dress, worn this past December at a beach wedding. Although the dress retails for about $2800, you can buy it from another local bride using SmartBride for $1500, including both the necklace and earrings that go with the dress!
We paired this dress with a funky blue pair of shoes from Aldo ($138) to create a fun, cocktail look. In total, the look featured on CityLine costs $1638.
Under $3000 - A Vera Wang!
Brides can find gowns on the SmartBride Boutique website in any price range. So, last, but certainly not least, we featured a beautiful size 6 Vera Wang dress. This dress cost the bride $6000 but is listed on the site for less than half of the original price at $2500. In true Vera fashion, she has spared no expense and designed this is a strapless gown in English net with pintuck vertical details on the overlay, and a silk taffeta sash. If you're dying to wear a Vera Wang gown for your big day, this is a cost effective way to have the wedding of your dreams on a realistic budget!
A very special thanks to:
- Victoria Fedosoff and Melisa Maggi at BeautyMarkz hair and makeup services for helping us and our models look our best during segment taping.
- Suzanne Colmer of Your Shop Girl for sourcing the shoes and accessories to complement our beautiful wedding gowns
- Tara O'Grady and her team at Bliss Events for providing their beautiful office space to us for the afternoon shoot.
