* If your budget is tight, you might choose to rent rather than buy your gown, or to purchase a used gown; Some shops rent gowns for both the bride and her attendants.

* If you can find the right dress, this may be a good way to go. However, you will need to reserve the dress well in advance, particularly if it is a popular style.

* Some resale shops also sell gowns. Thus, a used gown may be a better choice than a rented one, especially if the rented dress has been worn numerous times and the used one worn only once.

* Former brides who broke their engagement often dispose of their dresses through resale shops and classified ads. It is possible to find a new, never-worn dress for a fraction of the original price.

You may also find your gown or the attendants' dresses in a catalog. The catalog usually carries at least one wedding gown and dresses suitable for bridesmaids. Some department stores also carry one or two wedding gowns each summer.

* Gowns are available on the Internet from a number of sites. But be careful about purchasing in this manner, since you have no guarantees of the quality of the dress and you may have difficulty returning it if it is poorly made or doesn't fit. You should also find a local seamstress to make any needed alterations and someone will have to press the gown.

* If your mother, grandmother, or a friend has a gown that you particularly like, you might ask to borrow it.
- If you enjoy antiques or old clothing, vintage gowns dating back as far as the Victorian era can be purchased in retro clothing shops and on the Internet.
- If your family has close ties to its national origins, a gown from that culture can be very striking and unusual.

There are brides that choose to wear a traditional western-style gown for the ceremony, and then change to a national dress for the reception. Likewise, some men choose to wear kilts or other ethnic dress for the ceremony, the reception, or both.