I know firsthand that a wedding budget can get out of hand as fast as you can say “I do.” Floral, catering, hair, makeup, favors, photographer, videographer, the list goes on and seems to never end. Your big day fashion moment can also eat up your cash flow pretty quickly if you don’t make an effort to manage it.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe that a woman’s wedding day is the one time it is ok to splurge on ostentatious, luxurious items in which she would never otherwise indulge. Manolos? Go for it! Monique Lhuillier? Of course, darling! Oscar de la Renta jewels? Do it up, bride! This is IF you have the budget. If you splurge on your wedding day wardrobe, then cut somewhere else. The key is to pick one item to splurge on and save on all of the rest! Where can you save on all of your wedding day fashion items?

Amsale Arianna Gown

The Aisle New York! An online, members only site that provides you access to high-end bridal fashion and accessories at a fraction of the price. Dresses, shoes, jewelry, accessories and more from the industry’s top designers can be found online at The Aisle. Amsale, Thread, Monique Lhuillier, Angel Sanchez, Rivini, Anne Barge, Lela Rose, Isaac Mizrahi are just a few of the designers featured on The Aisle’s weekly sales and the prices are typically half of what you’d expect to pay at a bridal salon.

A few tips if you want to try out The Aisle for your wedding day:

Angel Sanchez Silk Gazar
Trumpet Gown
  • Do your research. Go to at least a few bridal salons and figure out what type of fabric, shape, style, color and designer you like the best and looks best on you. The same goes for accessories. If you’ve already selected your dress, don’t click buy unless you’ve tried on something similar to see how it looks. How much you save is irrelevant if you can’t wear it!
  • Buy The Aisle’s return insurance. For $200, you can return your dress for a full refund within five days. When saving thousands, a few hundred is worth it!
  • Are you working with a short timeline? Most dresses take 2-4 months to arrive once you order but many of the dresses on The Aisle are ready to ship same day!
  • Find an amazing tailor. Your odds of needing some serious alterations to your gown are as good as getting a regift from a distant cousin. 
  • Do you have a dream dress and a long engagement? Find it at a local salon and keep an eye out for it on the site. Watch the designers on The Aisle too as they tend to have some favorites. 
  • Are you the charitable type? Well good news, ladies! You can feel good about your purchases because 2% of all dress sales go to a charity of the designers’ choice. 
The site is members-only, so find someone you know who is a member who can invite you OR request an invitation. Take some time to peruse the site, familiarize yourself with their merchandise and more importantly, make sure you know what YOU want before taking the plunge – for the dress, of course!