Welcome to The Bride Files - covering all things related to weddings as Laura prepares for her big day.
When it comes to wedding dresses you could end up spending a small fortune on a dress that you will be wearing for one day.
Yes, we all want to look our best and yes it is probably worth it, but it's hard to justify the amount of money that some wedding dresses cost. Sometimes people's budgets just won't stretch and it can be quite upsetting if you can't find something to fit your price range.
But fear not, there are a few great shops in Ireland that allow you to have a beautiful designer dress for a fraction of the price.
Smart Brides, Portlaoise
Sisters Kelly and Adele started Smart Brides 5 years ago when they realised, after searching for their own dresses, that there seemed to be limited options for brides with smaller budgets or for brides that didn't have months to wait for a dress on order. They always try to work with every bride and their budget, whether it's 300 or 3000 Euro.
They pride themselves on choosing the very cutting edge of bridal styles from the most esteemed global designers and successful new talent. The gowns are high-end designer pieces which are available to buy from €599 with at least 70% off the RRP. They are not used samples but brand new dresses which have been sourced directly from the designers.
They also have a large range of veils and accessories all to provide the perfect finishing touches. For bridesmaids, they have an additional showroom upstairs where they stock a large range of bridesmaid and prom dresses.
Key Designers they stock include Sophia Tolli, Richard Sherman, Gemy Maalouf, Mark Lesley, Phoenix, Danielle Couture, Diane Le Grand & LM by Lusan Mandongus.
Barnardos Bridal Boutique, Dun Laoghaire or Wexford
With beautiful brand new bridal gowns available from as little as €250 in Barnardos Bridal Rooms in Dun Laoghaire and Wexford, you can get a designer dress for way less.
Located at Main Street Dun Laoghaire in Dublin and Selskar Street, Wexford, Barnardos is the only charity in Ireland stocking 100% brand new bridal gowns and accessories, donated by some of Ireland’s top bridal retailers and designers.
Bernadette Harrington, Barnardos Bridal Rooms, said, “Our aim is to provide brides-to-be with the dress shopping experience they deserve. Every bride is treated to an individual consultation in our beautiful Bridal Rooms where one of our bridal experts can offer help and advice”.
They also stock designer shoes, veils, tiaras and bags. Everything a bride needs for planning their perfect day. Not only will you be looking beautiful on your special day, you will also have directly helped Barnardos to continue to provide services that help disadvantaged children and families in Ireland.
To make an appointment for an individual consultation visit www.barnardos.ie/bridal.
Number 15, Limerick
Number 15 is a brilliant store which sells pre-worn wedding gowns. Most are worn just once but some are not worn at all.
They are based in Limerick City on Anne Street (just off Thomas Street) and have a wide variety and sizes available. Their prices range from €80 to €800. The dresses have been reduced in price significantly and are as good as new.
They also offer specialized advice on how you can update and alter your pre-loved gown so you can make it into the dress of your dreams, saving you money.
Number 15 also stocks real vintage dresses, dating as far back as the 1930's, and has a huge range of bridal combs and hairpieces that they hire out starting from €10.00. They also have a large range of hats and accessories for the wedding guests.
Sample sales
If you can't find anything in those shops, make sure to keep an eye out for sale rails and sample sale days in other bridal shops. DeStafford Bridal, Dublin offer sale prices on the display dresses which would have been on their shop floor.
They can be hit or miss but it's worth a look to see if there are any gems available for a fraction of the price.
Also, shops like Áibhéil in Adare, Limerick, offer sale prices through their
website so it's worth a look if you're on a budget.
If you spot anything wedding related or have a product or company you want to feature on The Bride Files you can get in touch with me on laura.holland@her.ie or on Twitter
@LaurHolland.
