Congratulations!  You have started planning your wedding and now realize that the wedding gown can take a BIG chunk out of your budget!  The answer is purchasing a gown on ebay for hundreds less than it originally sold for!

First go get measured by an alterations person or a bridal salon.  Your measurements are very important when purchasing a gown.  You need bust, waist and hip measurements.  You also will need a hem to hollow measurement.  This is from the "v" in your throat to the tip of the toe.  You may want to keep in mind that this measurement will need to get longer if you have on a full petticoat or really high heels. Now with these measurements you can start looking for your gown.  Keep in mind that wedding gown sizes do not match regular clothing sizes.  You must check out the meausrements listed.  Most wedding gowns run one to two sizes smaller than your regular clothing.

When you do an ebay search for wedding gowns also use the word New.  There are new gowns on ebay and used gowns on ebay.  You will get a much better deal in the long run with a new gown.  Once a gown has been altered it can be a real challenge for the alteration lady to remake it to fit YOU.  Wedding gowns are made to fit snug in the bodice and waist and since wedding gowns are not made one size fit all, most brides need to have their gown altered to fit properly.  If it has already been altered once, it may be a problem.  You may get lucky and end up with a gown that fits you perfectly, but why spend hundreds on alterations to fix  a problem that wouldn't have been so hard if it hadn't been altered once before and the measurements and shape of the gown changed.

Another thing to look for is a CLEAN gown.  Check out dry cleaning in your area and see how much it costs to get a wedding gown cleaned.  It can sometimes range from $75 to $150 or more!  If you bought a gown on ebay that needs to be cleaned, how much does it REALLY cost you?

Most brides that purchase a wedding gown on ebay have a happy experience!  If you follow these guidelines it will help you to make wise decisions.

Have a wonderful wedding, don't forget you can get almost all your wedding supplies on ebay!