How to Save Money as a Bridesmaid

Being asked to be someone’s bridesmaid is super exciting The thing no one really tells you is that it’s also expensive! The amount the bride expects you to pay for varies, but some of these costs can include a bridesmaid dress, shoes, accessories, hair, make-up, and nails. And let’s not forget about the bridal shower and bachelorette party! All of these costs can add up quickly, but they don’t have to. There are so many ways to save money as a bridesmaid. Let’s get into the different money savers!

Tips to Save Over $300 as a Bridesmaid:

1. Check Ebay first:

Whether it’s for your bridesmaid dress, shoes, accessories, or decorations for the bridal shower and bachelorette party, Ebay should always be your first stop. For the wedding I attended, I found my dress on Ebay for $30 (including shipping)! The dress was exactly the same as the one sold at David’s Bridal for $169.95 and it was still new with tags.

If you add in tax, I saved $154 just by checking Ebay first. For anyone who doesn’t like Ebay, some other great sites to check are Thred Up, Offer Up, or even Craigslist.

Friendly Reminder: If the bride wants everyone to wear matching bridesmaid dresses, be sure that the dress is exactly the same before buying it secondhand. Save everyone the stress by checking that the style number and color matches the original dress.

2. Visit your local thrift store:

For any miscellaneous things needed as a bridesmaid (i.e. jewelry, clutch bags, and shoes), definitely check out your local thrift store. There are so many little treasures that might work for your bridesmaid attire. I was able to find new Spanx for $4 and cute silver heels for $5.

At retail, the Spanx cost $60 and the shoes cost $30, meaning I saved a little over $80 by thrifting these items.

3. Ask for discounts:

Don’t be scared to ask for discounts. Many places offer local discounts and group discounts, which saves everyone money. Some places even offer bachelorette party discounts!

Our group decided to go to Chippendales for the bachelorette party. The tickets usually go for $70. Luckily, since we’re locals, we were able to use 2 for 1 coupons, saving us each $35.

4. Do it yourself:

If the bride is okay with it, consider doing your hair, make-up, and/or nails yourself. Doing at least one of those three things yourself will save you a good amount of money. Also, consider using DIY decorations for the bridal shower and bachelorette party.

I saved ~$40 by choosing to do my own manicure and pedicure. I also saved ~$25 by making my own tassel garland and Bride Tribe banner for the bachelorette party.

5. Attend happy hour:

If the bachelorette party/bridal shower is taking place at a restaurant, consider going during happy hour so you can get the best deal on food and drinks. My group went out to a restaurant for the bachelorette party and just happened to arrive during happy hour. It worked out great because we were able to get lots of drinks for cheap and food at half the cost.

By eating during happy hour, I saved $10 on my meal.