Getting married is frightfully expensive. No one’s disputing that. But do you have to spend $10,000 on a Vera Wang dress? Perhaps not.

What guys have known for years is that weddings are a prime example of where it’s better to rent than buy.

Unless you’ll have a boatload of black tie events to attend, renting a tux when you need it is an inexpensive way to look great at the right price. So why don’t women rent their wedding dresses?

Maybe we just didn’t have the right places to go.

Consider these resources before you decide on a dress: www.atlantabridal.com (great tips on saving money when shopping for a gown, including checking out sample gowns, shopping at consignment shops, and buying a white bridesmaid gown and then having a seanstress add lace or beading). And from the Weddings/Celebrations section of the New York Times (www.nytimes.com): Alexandria’s Formal Gown Rental (www.alexandriasformal.com); The Fancy Wedding Center (www.fancyweddingcenter.com); Jana Starr (www.janastarr.com) and Unforgettable Rentals (www.elegant-rentals.com).

Feb. 27, 2006.