A tight budget shouldn't restrict you from donning a beautiful gown on your wedding day. If you're a frugalista bride and you want to explore your options for saving on your gown, check out our practical tips below.

STREAMLINE YOUR GOWN DESIGN.

You might have your heart set on having a gown custom-made, so to save, check with your designer or seamstress if your gown's design will incorporate pricey fabric like duchesse satin, or expensive embellishments like Swarovski. Ask your designer to suggest more affordable alternatives so you can spend less on materials. Some fabrics and embellishments can still deliver similar looks--just be willing to substitute some elements from the original design. Also, keep in mind that a simpler gown silhouette would be easier to execute, which means you'll be spending less on labor, too.

REUSE OR REWORK AN OLD GOWN.

If your mom's, tita's or older sister's wedding gown is still in pretty good shape, consider making their dress the "something old" in your wedding wardrobe. Bring new life to an old dress by having it restructured, or use some of its fabric to make a new dress. Not only will you save on your wedding dress expenses, but you'll also be eco-friendly with this practice. (Candy, one of our featured brides, restored the train of her mother's gown and incorporated it in her wedding dress.)

BUY RTW.

Brides now have more RTW options if they're on a tight budget. If you have the patience to troop all the way to Divisoria, check out Oh My Gown, a lane selling and customizing affordable dresses. You can also try your luck at department stores or other boutiques--these boutiques don't even have to be special bridal shops. If you look hard enough, you might find a white gown or dress that can serve as a wedding gown. You can just jazz up a simple find for your wedding with the right accessories. Or, you may ask your seamstress to put beading on a simple RTW dress to make your ensemble stand out.

RENT A GOWN.

If you can't reconcile with the idea that you'll be spending so much on a dress that you'll only use once, renting a gown may be a good option for you. If you go around Divisoria, Baclaran and Marikina, you'll come across dress shops that offer gown rental services. Patience is key, though; you need to scan through many racks to find a gown that will fit both your budget and style. If the gown needs to be altered, you just need to pay an additional fee to have it tweaked to your size or style. RCRW Bride and Groom Fashion and Rosette Ramos Biag are some of the gown rental shops you can check out.