The dress comes first..

At least that's how I started my wedding planning. I first looked at wedding dresses. Let's face it, even when things are going completely wrong with your wedding, the thing everyone will always remember is what you looked like. So, why not spend the longest time planning your own look???
The wedding dress is an expected big ticket item and most brides spend 5-12% of their budget on their dress. However, if you shop smart you can get away with paying way less than that. If you're looking for Vera Wang or Nicole Miller, stick around, more on those designers later. If you think your $300-600 budget for a dress is unrealistic, think again. A site like Nordstrom has gorgeous dresses for even less than that, and you won't look like every other bride. Check out their collection for the entire wedding party here.