Shopping for your wedding outfit turning you into a Bridezilla? Things can get very disappointing if you don’t have a big budget... but your wedding outfit is one area where you can cut costs significantly! Our expert tips might just help you score a great deal!

1. Take the load off!

Many shops will be willing to customize a lehenga to suit your taste and budget. They will take some load off the lehenga to make it less heavy and make the price a lot lighter! Removing one of the borders or taking off a couple of kalis can reduce the overall cost by 10-20%. Make sure you have enough time – this kind of customization takes around 3-4 weeks.

2. Opt for richer fabrics

Why wedding lehengas cost you a bomb is because of their heavy embroidery and embellishments… Rich fabrics like brocade and Banarasi silk already have self-print in gold, so they won’t need any extra embroidery – just a thin border would totally do!

3. Choose a plainer blouse

Since your lehenga & dupatta are going to be embellished and the blouse mostly hidden, you can go for something really plain. Talking of plain blouses, you must definitely ditch the jacket – those will get you a whopping bill!

4. Ditch the heavy-duty lehenga altogether!

We’re going to burst your bubble and tell you that this isn’t the age of 25-kilo lehengas! Because the modern Indian bride is brought up with traditional values and has contemporary outlook... Lightweight lehengas in rich hues like maroon, oxblood, fuchsia & tangerine, with intricate embroidery along the border look totally stunning... so don’t be afraid to pick one for your wedding – because you *are* going to look like a bride, no matter what!

5. Check out local stores

Scour through local stores hidden away from the regulars, they might surprise you with their collection! (Our blog tells you where you can get them!) In Delhi, the moment you reach Chandni Chowk, you will hear shop-keepers telling you they have Sabyasachi, Manish Malhotra...the works. 90% chances are the knock-offs will be pretty close to the original. If you’re skeptical about buying ‘em, let us assure you that these are only look-alikes and not cheap!

6. Head online

We understand that nothing beats the experience of going to a boutique and feeling the fabric, the pearls & embellishments and trying the outfits on… But a few trial sessions can leave you high & dry, which is the reason why more and more brides-to-be are heading online. And shopping online might get you some amazing discounts too... Also find yourself a good tailor when you decide to shop online, so that you get it fitted properly.

7. Visit wedding exhibitions and trunk shows

Annual wedding exhibitions like Wedding Asia and Bridal Asia are a great way to get your hands on best of designer wear, jewelry, accessories and even wedding invites – all under one roof! This is a great platform for local city-based designers to showcase their designs and they won’t even cost you a bomb! You can get gorgeous lehengas starting from Rs 9999.

8. Rent a lehenga!

Renting an outfit from one of the many wardrobe-renting sites is a great way to get wedding lehengas for waaay less! Because you’re probably going to wear it only once, so why pay full price only to keep it packed in the closet! Rental websites like Flyrobe, Swishlist, Rentitbae, Stage3 and Wrapd have all the prominent names of fashion including Rina Dhaka, Riddhi Mehra, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Anamika Khanna and Payal Singhal, et al. The rental price is as low as Rs 1999... Now that’s a real deal!

Most people don't keep up with wedding fashions, so no one will recognize how and where you got your wedding lehenga from... Everyone will be focused on how lovely you look on the D-day. And you can use the extra money saved for vintage jewelry or your honeymoon!

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