My goodness we discuss saving money and budgets as much as weight in our fitting rooms and so I decided to do a few tips together every week till Christmas to help our spring brides. These are gathered from the hundreds of girls who visit us.
This week we will talk about Bridesmaids, FIRST TIP – limit your bridesmaid numbers

I know how this happens, its either one friend or five. Or picture this, you have your new shiny diamond, everyone is excited for you, you have lots of champagne then you wake up the next day with six bridesmaids!! you have been warned, I should know the last one happened to me!!
I don’t wish to spoil the fun here but it is your day and and you must not compromise on what you want just to have an extra bridesmaid.

So,if you find yourself with four and two little flower girls and my advise of limiting numbers reaches you a little too late lets go for damage limitation.

The average adult bridesmaid will cost you £250 to dress, buy shoes for, supply a bouquet and of course presents and hair and make up. Four = £1000!!!

THE DRESSES

• My advice here is to head for the high street or better still Bicester village. You will be able to find lovely dresses for at least £60 and if you go for full length the girls can wear their own glamorous shoes saving more cash. Karen Millen, Monsoon, Coast and Oasis sales are brilliant for picking up fabulous dresses. Check out ASOS too, remember they don’t have to be formal just really lovely and pretty.
• If that is even too much go for black, all girls have a LBD in their wardrobe and black is stunning next to ivory with ivory flowers. Quite contemporary and edgy too. Match with vintage jewels to create a really stunning look for your girls. Very SATC!

This will save you at least £400 on dresses if you manage to buy dresses at £60 a girl.

FLOWERS

• Opt for a vintage wrist corsage of a simple rose on an organza ribbon, these are about £12 each as opposed to £50 for a bouquet, it also makes sense leaving your bridesmaids free to help you with your gorgeous gown!

This will save you at least £150 if you opt for wrist corsages instead of bouquets.

PRESENTS

• opt for a gift that your bridesmaids will love and can wear on the day, a stunning necklace as a gift will save buying them accessories. They also get to keep a lovely piece that they wore on your very special day.

This could save you £40 a bridesmaid = £160

FLOWER GIRLS

• two places to buy, either John Lewis at £65 a flower girl dress or BHS at £40. These pretty little dresses can be made to match the bridesmaid with a simple coloured ribbon sash. Your lovely little darlings will only wear them once and they will be wrecked by the end of the day. Be sensible here, it is so easy to get emotional with this one but be realistic.
• You could tie ribbons round a little basket full of confetti petals for them to carry instead of flowers, this would also save you lots of money and look just as gorgeous.

This could save you £60 a flower girl = £120

these are all little savings that add up to over £800 and will surely come in very useful.

We would love to hear any fabulous tips for saving money, drop us an email at oxford@elliesanderson.com, we will share more next week.

Bridesmaids if you are reading this, don’t take it too heart. Your big day will come !!