I had my mind made up, I was going to spend as little as possible on a dress.

I started looking for dresses at non-wedding places like JCPenney, Target, and Jessica McClintock. Yes, Target sells wedding dresses. All I needed was a white dress, right? Besides, what are you supposed to do with a wedding dress after the wedding?

Halfway into my search I noticed that all the dresses were ugly so I couldn’t go that route. It was time for Plan B. I thought that if I ordered a dress online then I’d be able to get a pretty dress without spending an arm and a leg. My mother thought that was a terrible idea and that I needed to try on many dresses before I bought anything. We went to the bridal store, I fell in love with a dress, and I bought it then and there; without even thinking about the cost. Add in the overpriced undergarments that went with it, and I spent a lot more than I planned on. But in hindsight it was worth it.

So how much should you spend on a wedding dress?

Spend what you can afford. If you can afford a $6,000 designer dress then go for it; as long as you are comfortable with it. If that’s way out of your league then you can find plenty of nice dresses that are only a few hundred dollars. Maybe your entire budget is a few thousand and even a few hundred is too much. Try something different. Those dresses aren’t my style but it may work for you.

Whatever you choose, it’s up to you. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad about the choice you make. Trust me, people will try.

_{You can debate where to buy your wedding dress, but there is no debating where to find the best wedding shoes. We have a great selection of women’s shoes including stylish steve madden shoes and ultra fun pastry shoes. celebrate your right to shoes.}