Spending thousands & thousands of dollars on an expensive wedding dress is just stupid, plain & simple. That fact is doubly so when you consider all of the second hand wedding dresses that are ALWAYS available to you and me.

If you're a millionaire with tons of cash to burn, obviously you can do and/or buy whatever you want. However, if you're planning a wedding on a budget -- which is likely the case -- an expensive, top-of-the-line, designer wedding gown just isn't a viable option. The smart brides know this, which is why they will always choose second hand wedding dresses.

The More-Than-Possible Savings

When you stop to think of the savings potential from this decision, it's truly mind numbing. A new, designer wedding gown can cost anywhere from a not-so-low $4500 to a whopping $10,000 or more. Compare that immense figure to the cost of a second hand wedding dress -- which should cost substantially less than $1500 -- and it's really a no-brainer.

Here's something to wrap your mind around: If you were to wear your mother's or grandmother's wedding gown, the expense would be... NOTHING! Just imagine the amount of cash you could save by getting a FREE wedding dress!

Places to Look

• Family. As mentioned above, your mother, grandmother, or other female relative is an excellent start when searching for second hand wedding dresses.

• Antique Stores. Such a place is worth a few minutes of browsing, however unlikely it may seem to you. If you do find a gown here, not only will it be cheap, it'll be traditional too.

• Thrift Stores. Don't scoff at this idea, as it's a great way to find cheap wedding dresses when you're on a budget. Visit a few thrift shops and/or used clothes stores in the area and see if anything catches your eye.

Why You Shouldn't Be Picky

It's important to avoid being overly picky. Why? Because these are second hand wedding dresses you're looking through, NOT newly designed ones. The more important reason, though, is that any dress you find can be cheaply altered to match your size, style, as well as your wedding theme.

With the money you saved by choosing to wear a second hand gown, it'll be incredibly easy to find & hire a good seamstress to make the necessary changes. Remember, with the right changes & modifications, a two hundred dollar dress can easily be given the look & feel of a two THOUSAND dollar gown.

If you still don't know why smart brides wear second hand wedding dresses, well, it's safe to say that you're probably not a smart bride.