Wedding expenses are looming, precariously overflowing the budget: deposits, food costs, the dress, jewelry -- the list goes on and on. And those bridal shop shoes cost HOW MUCH? You must walk a fine line when saving on your bridal shoes. You will, after all, be in them for at least most of a day, so they should be comfortable. This means quality materials and construction, which cost. Fortunately, there are ways you can save on these more expensive shoes. Give yourself enough time, and you will find the perfect pair of wedding shoes at a discounted price.
First consider what type of shoes you want. Ones made specifically as wedding wear? Dress or other shoes not necessarily made to be worn as wedding shoes, but will meet your needs? Or do you plan to buy plain shoes to adorn with bows or other decoration? The answers dictate what type of sales and discounts to monitor. If you are set on a pair of "real" bridal shoes, then you'll be searching specifically for wedding shoes. If not, you can widen your search to non-bridal sources.
The Definition of Cheap
You are not likely to find rock bottom $5 pricing on quality-made shoes, but you can find great values. When considering how much you can pay for your bridal shoes, think about how many times you can wear them. If you purchase dyeables, for example, have them dyed black or other dark color and they become evening shoes, to be worn over and over. Paying more for a pair like this can be a better value than paying less for a pair you can never wear again.
If having the superior construction and attention to detail of designers like Vera Wang, Stuart Weitzman, Cynthia Rowley and Filippa Scott is important to you, then "cheap" may mean saving $100 to $200 on a very expensive pair. Understand, too, that the more specific you are about your shoes, the longer it will take to find a good deal on them.
Seasonal Shopping
If yours is a beach, destination, or informal wedding -- or if you are looking for dress shoes -- plan around the seasonal clearance sales. Shoes for a particular season hit the market just before that season. By mid-season, clearance sales begin in order to make room for the next season's new designs. This can mean shopping a year ahead. If you have a June wedding, for example, begin looking for clearances the previous June or July.
Locally Discounted Bridal Shoes
Department stores and bridal shops occasionally run shoe clearances and sales, where you may find cheap shoes you like. To find the best deals, sign up for mailing lists and closely watch local advertisements. You can find weekly circulars online at retailers' Websites or visit ShopLocal to see all of the major retailers' sales in your area.
Discounted Wedding Shoes Online
The best opportunities for finding inexpensive or discounted shoes are online. The selection is much wider than in stores, and you will be able to more easily find your size (especially if your foot is wider, narrower, smaller, or larger than average). Most allow you to sort items by price, so you can easily peruse the lower-priced selections. Many of these retailers offer periodic coupon codes, free shipping, or other discounts. Search online for coupons before purchasing at a particular store and you can save more.
Auction Sites
You can usually find many styles of new and used shoes at a fraction of retail price at auction sites (eBay is the most popular). Some brands are readily available. Others are sparse. If you do not find what you are looking for right away, set up notifications that will monitor auctions and email you when relevant new auctions begin.
Online Classifieds
You can find individuals selling lightly worn shoes on classifieds sites. Craigslist is the most established -- recently reporting 40 million monthly users. Find your local Craigslist and post an "item wanted" classified describing what kind of shoes you want to buy. Also, there are always several brides selling their wedding shoes on Craigslist. (Hint: to search all Craigslists at once, go to Google and type in "site:craigslist.org wedding shoes" for a full list of classifieds from all areas. Replace "wedding shoes" with something more descriptive for a shorter list.) As with auction sites, you may have to monitor for a time before finding the right pair.
However you look for inexpensive quality bridal shoes, you will have more success if you use multiple methods at once. You can walk down the aisle for pennies on the dollar and no one will ever know!
Bobette Kyle-Wagner is publisher at www.MyOnlineWeddingHelp.com -- a Website helping engaged couples get the most use from Internet wedding resources. The site includes online wedding tips, original articles, tutorials, and shopping sections. Read more about finding discount wedding shoes at www.myonlineweddinghelp.com/shop/discount-shoes.htm
Submitted by Bobette Kyle-Wagner, www.myonlineweddinghelp.com
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