Saving Money on Your Wedding: Bridal Accessories

I am doing a series of posts on saving money while planning a wedding. Today I will talk about bridal accessories (veil, headpiece, shoes, etc.). My total amount spent in this area was $47.38.

Bridal Accessories
This is a part of your wedding budget where you can really save a lot of money.

-Free with purchase. As I said last week, ask if the bridal shop will give you an accessory free or deeply discounted with the purchase of your wedding dress.

-Make it. If you know anyone the least bit crafty, this could work really well with a veil. Take a look at a veil at the bridal store and you can see how simple they are to make. Tulle costs only a few dollars at a craft store and you can get a comb for under $10 just about anywhere.
My mother-in-law actually made my veil out of lace from my mom's wedding dress. Not only did it turn out beautifully (take a look!), but it has a lot of sentimental value as well.

-Borrow. This works really well with veils and headpieces. I had two friends offer to lend me their veil if the one made by my mother-in-law didn't work out.

-Get out of the bridal store! These places have a huge mark-up. Check your local hobby or craft store for a bridal department. The Hobby Lobby near me had veils, combs, headpieces, and lot more for under $10 each. I ended up finding my tiara at Claire's Boutique for under $15.

-Look for shoes everywhere. A good friend of mine got the shoes for her wedding on clearance at Walmart. I've bought bridesmaid shoes at Goodwill before.

I hate to admit it, but most of my $45 spent on accessories was blown on lingerie. *blush* I'm such a sucker for Victoria's Secret!

Feel free to add your stories and tips in the comments :)