How to Wedding Dress Shop on a Budget. If you’ve just gotten engaged and have started looking at wedding dresses, you’ve realized that wedding dresses are expensive! The dress you’re going to wear for only a few hours can cost you thousands! Fortunately, the whole world hasn’t gone crazy and there are many ways to get a gorgeous dress without spending a fortune! Let’s be honest, you can spend that money elsewhere in your wedding planning! The dress is just a small part of your wedding, it shouldn’t be the most expensive thing! Here are some simple steps to finding a gorgeous wedding dress on a budget.