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try:
also, if the bride isnt adverse to it, most higher end bridesmaid designers offer their gown in white or ivory, so that may be a place to save $$
jim hjelm and alvina valenta have very nice bm gowns you can get in white
good luck!
I'm not sure where in the Bay Area you are but here are the stores I've visited. Trudy's, Elegant Lace, and Bay Area Bridal definitely have gowns under $1,000. It's important you make that clear in your criteria when you talk with the sales person. The one thing they might not mention to you is that there are samples among the racks that are marked down. It's worth browsing if you have a little extra time.
From what I've observed, most stores that carry multiple designers will have at least one brand that in under $1,000. I'd recommend haveing the bride browse a couple bridal brands, pick a couple dresses she likes, and then browse the Internet to determine if the dresses fall within the budget. That way to you can maybe start with a store that has something similar.
Try Shadows up in San Anselmo. My FMIL took me there for my first shopping trip and I found a dress straight away. They have a mix of really reasonably priced vintage dresses and a small selection of designer dresses, including Casablanca. Call ahead for an appointment - they only take two brides at a time so they can be helpful. The folks at Shadows are low-key and wonderful and the prices are fabulous - almost all their dresses are under $1,000. Good luck!
Bella Mia Bride at West Gate in San Jose...it's on the other side in between Michael's and Ross. They are having a Jim Hjelm bridesmaids trunk show until next weekend, so if you find a bridesmaid dress you could get in white or ivory you could get a great price. Even still I was there yesterday and they have racks where there are some beautiful dresses for as cheap as $200. There is one rack to the right when you first walk in and all the dresses on that rack are 75% off. Here's their website:http://bellamiabride.com/
Others already mentioned the other places like Trudys and Bay Area Bridal/New Things West. Trudys kind of frustrated me so I don't really recommend them, but they do have tons of gowns for under 1K. If you go to Bay Area Bridal/New Things West ask for Audra, she is great, listens, and really cares.
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I think I had the most fun trying on gowns at Trudy's, though they mark up the gowns something awful. They have nice mirrors in the try-on area, comfy chairs for your friends to sit in, and good lighting, though, so try stuff on and maybe buy the gown elsewhere.
Alfred Angelo has a nice selection of dresses under $1000, so any salon that carries that line should be able to help you. When I called to make my appointments the salons asked me my price range, and I told them up front that it had to be under $1000 - I would recommend that you do the same. I assume that if they have nothing for you they will just tell you that, and save you the trip. But really, there are lots of nice dresses under $1000, in every style. I think that most good salons will carry a range of prices, and will be able to help you out.
Kate's Kouture in berkeley! (located on university ave... really close to bart)
They carry Maggie Sottero (and others). Prices are better for the SAME dresses found elsewhere, and Kate is SO SWEET. My friend and i went in the other day without and apointment, and even though she was booked all day, she found the time to put us in a few dresses (all i really wanted that particular day was to get an idea of how a certain silohouette looked on me). then, she told us she would love for us to come back any time and "play". She even suggested another store for us to try that day since she was sorry she didn't have much time for us. (no feelings that she was trying to keep our business and keep us from other places). i definitely suggest her store! :)
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When I first started searching for dresses to try on, one of the best stores to go to (at least for selection) is Trudy's in Campbell (close to San Jose) and Ginisees Bridal ( in Concord). I found my dress at Trudy's - but it was $1200.
It was a bit steep, so I decided to search if I could find the same dress elsewhere for cheaper. I eventually purchased my dress from Bridal Image in San Francisco. Its a smaller store, but the customer service is great, and the best part is - they price match. They were also selling my dress at Bridal Image for $1190, but they had the price matching option available. I searched like crazy and found this boutique in Louisiana (far, i know!) and they were selling the same exact dress for $650! 
I did my fair share of checking though (to make sure it was a legit business and checked them against the BBB). Once I confirmed all that info, I forwarded it to the manager at Bridal Image and they price matched!
Hope this helps!!
Try David's Bridal They are not very expensive but are nice dresses in a wide range of styles. several of my friends and sister-in-law have all bought their dresses at David's and no one paid more then $600.
good luck
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Myer Bridal in South San Francisco, ask for the owner Debbie she is a doll and her shop has a good selection. I got my Raylia dress for about half of what was posted online and even ebay. My alterations for a bustle were $20 and she did a fantastic job! I paid abou $600 for everything, but she had 100-5000 dresses in there. Good Luck!
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http://www.forgetmeknotsbridal.com/
Forget Me Knots on Union Street has some options under $1000.
Good luck!
I also set a budget of under $1000 for my wedding dress. I tried on dresses at Trudy's Bridal, Elegant Lace, and Bay Area Bridal...I would definitely suggest checking out the sample racks at any of these stores because there are some great deals. I ended up finding a very new looking sample of a Maggie Sottero dress at Trudy's for $400. I went to Trudy's twice and had two different consultants...the first one didn't really get what I was looking for, but Marika helped me the second time and found lots more dresses that I liked.
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everything in sf is soooooo expensive but with some extensive digging I came up with this list of places within san francisco that are worth checking--some where literally bargain-basement locations so I hope you weren't hoping for a salon with chaise-lounges and champagne flutes!
Good luck!
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I found my potential dress at Trudy's for $665 (Mon Cheri), but did some price comparisons and found it for $60 less at Gesinee's in Concord.
Though I was pretty set on getting the dress, I decided to book one more appointment (for fun) and my consultant there found me a dress similar that I liked even better (Alfred Angelo) and it was $550.
My dress is super simple, classic and elegant. No embroidery, embellishments, or beading - nothing.. and I love it.
So I will have to admit I'm extremely proud of myself that I found my dress for $600 (including tax). We even bought my girls' dresses the same day I placed the order for my wedding dress!
Good Luck!
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Hi Hive,
A friend is just starting wedding gown shopping - she wants to spend under $1000 (and preferably as little as possible) on her dress. What salons/designers in the Bay Area do you know of that will have a good selection in this price range?