Oh, the cake, the flowers, the drama, the honeymoon, THE DRESS….and yes, the cost. All the flourishes that make a wedding day special can quickly add up, making it cheaper to fork over a down-payment on a house than be a modern bride. Instead of taking out a mortgage to fund your nuptials, why not play it financially chic at David's Bridal?

They not only sell affordable bridal gowns, mother of the bride dresses, and accessories, but offer help on getting the right type of dress for your body type, have a wide selection of contemporary tea length & color-accented dresses (plus necessary shapewear), shoes, & accessories. But wait…there's more: no, not the dreaded Ginzu knives but quirky-cute eco invites, programs & thankyou notes, gifts, favors, table cards, and other must-haves for the ceremony and reception, wedding planning help, plus advice on everything from florists to photographers, travel, and gift registries. Their clever Dress Your Wedding feature lets you pull together an endless combination of styles, colors, accessories and anything else you want to design a custom wedding. And should you have an appointment scheduled at any of their locations, your consultant can preview your choices in advance for styles you'd like to try on.

OUR PICKS:

ANYTHING OLEG CASSINI Designed by Jackie Kennedy's personal designer, the classic gowns are artfully embellished, glamorous, and around $1000.

SHORT IS THE NEW LONG Not a traditional bride-to-be? Opt for the retro chic of a Mad Men'ish tea-length number.  The "David's Bridal" label strapless lace frock in ivory or white comes with a colorful sash (choose from 40 different hues) for under $600.

BRIDESMAIDS' CHOICE! Instead of imposing a single dress on your hapless bridesmaids, thanks to the "What's Your Color?" option, you still get to choose your theme color, but they get to choose a dress style they actually like. Not only will they thank you, they may actually wear it again…willingly.

HAIR BLING For elegant updo's or glamorous film-noir coiffures (deep side part and glossy waves), crystal embellished hairpins add a touch of silver-screen sparkle for a down-to-earth $15.

ECO-FRIENDLY INVITES  Share the news about your upcoming lovefest by showing your Mother Earth a lil' love with invites or announcements made from 100% post-consumer waste using Green-E certified windpower and printed with waste-free digital printing. Editor's Pick: Love Birds in earthy-blue/green "Pool".

CUTE CAKE TOPPERS Poised and elegant from the front, and cheeky (so to speak) from behind.

CUSTOM CHOCO-KISSES Instead of your usual wedding favors, these make for a sweet send-off for your guests…cuz one kiss is never enough.

- Lesley Scott

Note: this post may have been sponsored by David's Bridal, but the words and opinions are 100% ours.

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