What if I can’t afford a “budget bridal gown”?
Last week we discussed finding cheap wedding dress alternatives for “Vera Wang-priced” gowns. The alternative gowns I posted about last week were certainly cheaper than Vera’s prices, but even still, the $800 to $1500 “budget bridal gown” range remains pretty pricey for some brides. But the fact is, this price range is exactly what “budget bridal gown” numbers look like.
So what happens if you can’t afford what is considered to be a “budget bridal gown” but still want the couture bridal look? Well, I scoured the ‘net in search of cheaper than cheap wedding gowns that bear similarities to all our favorite designer bridal gowns. And in my research, I (thankfully) discovered that it is completely possible to find a unique, well-made wedding gown for under $800 — I even found some for under $300. Like last week’s post, I showed the “Can’t Afford it” version first, then followed it up by its “Get Over it” counterpart.
Can’t Afford it:
This Claire Pettibone gown retails for over $3,000
Get Over it:
This Tadashi Shoji Lace & Chiffon Gown retails for $548
Can’t Afford it:
By Oscar de la Renta. ‘Nuff said regarding price.
Get Over it:
This Sue Wong gown retails for $688.00
Can’t Afford it:
By Justin Alexander. Retails for over $2,000.
Get Over it:
This gown retails for $238.00. A steal!
Can’t Afford it:
This Alvina Valenta gown costs over $2,500
Get Over it:
This Sue Wong gown retails for $535.00
Can’t Afford it:
This Liancarlo gown retails for over $2,000
Get Over it:
This gown retails for $398.00
Can’t Afford it:
This gown is made by Jenny Packham and retails for over $3,000.
Get Over it:
This Carmen Marc Valvo gown retails for $752.00.
Can’t Afford it:
This Claire Pettibone gown retails for over $2,000.
Get Over it:
This Laundry by Shelli Segal gown retails for $292.00.
Can’t Afford it:
This J.Crew gown retails for $1,800.
Get Over it:
This BCBG gown retails for $798.00.
Still can’t afford the “Get Over it” version above?
Get Over it with this dress:
This BCBG gown retails for $298.00.
Are you obsessed with a “budget bridal” gown you know you can’t afford? If so, have a you found a cheaper alternative to it yet?
OH MY GOD, that floral skirt gown.
I've already bought and returned 2 dressed and am on my third. If I hadn't just paid it off (and they allowed returns) I would TOTALLY buy that.
Maybe I still will. As a ceremony gown or something.
Totally got over it. I found a Nicole Miller lookalike at Nordstrom for $200. In fact, I even love the Nordstrom version more than the $1800 Nicole Miller (and not just because of the price!) Handy tips: you can order a ton of dresses from Nordstrom or Bloomingdales online (the selection is better there than in-person) and just return them all to the store for a full refund before your credit card bill is due.
Although dangit Britt, now I want that floral pretty too. Too bad it wasn't in stock when I went on my wedding dress shopping spree.
Hi, I found my wedding dress on http://www.lightinthebox.com for £170! its amazing, made to measure and there are hundreds of dresses for under £500. I recommend it, if you’re on a budget as tight as mine.
If anyone is in MA, I'd highly recommend Viva Amore. It's run by a mother-daughter team in Watertown who are wicked nice. Dresses in all price ranges (I found one I love for only 50 more than my prom dress!), give them a number and they'll give you some very nice options.
I'm planning a casual back yard wedding and Instead of "wedding gown" I search for "reception gown" and find a LOT of cute dresses under $200 in the styles that fit my function.
i love these suggestions!
I found the perfect dress online (still need to get it fitted) and it is actually a bridesmaid's dress, but in ivory. Under $200 and exactly what I was looking for. Now I have more money for other things, yay!
I bought my dress second hand on kijiji for $350. The dress was originally $1500. I'll need to get alterations done, but even still I'll be doing much better than forking out $1500 for the dress I love.
Hell yes. Your "Get Over It's" are way prettier than the originals anyway, i think! I love the first dress's budget counterpart! Great finds!
What I find amazing, is that the cheaper versions look a lot nicer than the designer ones.
I bought my wedding dress off the rack at Macy's for $40, marked down from $100, with a coupon and an extra discount for an incredibly small (unnoticeable) stain. I LOVED my dress. Granted, I also had our wedding reception in my parents' backyard and our total wedding cost us $2,000 which my parents paid for. No sit down dinner, just hor-doevres (im not even gonna try to spell that one), and we also had a live trio play background music. it was lovely!
Love it, girlfriends! Hey check out our latest recommended online salon–most of these dreamy vintage style dresses are less than $200. Bonus: LOTS of plus-sized options for us curvy gals. http://su.pr/2qaxDh
LOVE IT! I'm drooling over the lacy Claire Pettibone, but actually like the Get Over It version better! (And I'm not even a lacy kinda gal…) What's gotten into me?!?
absolutely loved it.
Can wait to see more of "get over it" posts.
Oooo, love the "get over it" options! Sometimes more than the "can't afford it" dresses… Is that blasphemy to say?
walk into a bridal shop and dresses are waaaaay over $1,000. that's an eight of our budget gone!! i looked for non-wedding dresses in white…and i looked high and low. i found the most gorg tea length 50s style dress on unique-vintage.com for $105 US!!!! BARGAIN!!!!!!! and because it's tea length i can show off my bright shoes!
Loooooove these posts!! Please do more!
They def help keep things in perspective!
i thought this was going to be about where you could actually get or create an inexpensive bridal gown.
if i wanted to see images of dresses that i can't afford, i'd look through a magazine.
thanks for the push into depression.
So sorry you had this reaction, Bridall. The point of this post was to show that there ARE inexpensive alternatives to big money bridal gowns. I understand some of the prices shown above could be seen as "expensive", however in reality, these alternatives gowns are indeed priced really well for a wedding dress. To see where each gown is sold, simply click on the picture and it will send you to the place where it is sold.
Thanks for stopping by…
My solution is to make my own dress! $100 in fabric and I'm good to go! White and gray silk dupioni, yellow/white gingham and yellow/white pin stripe mens dress shirt material. Cant wait to make it!
bought a dress from light in the box and i had to throw it in the garbage. the material is so cheap looking. do not be fooled. they do not accept returns either
Just got my bridesmaid dresses from Light in the box. I'm sure not all are fantastic quality. But the Bridesmaid dresses i found ($99 each) are AMAZING. quality is gorgeous, material is expensive looking. Sorry whatever you ordered didn't work out.
Hi Ladies!
I'm loving all the gorgeous dresses! But I have a weird body shape and linebacker shoulders….can anyone help me find someone who can recommend a dress style for me? My FH likes the sheer top and long sheer sleeves style, but under I want a little cleavage.
Willing to consider long or short, and hoping to find something pastel, not white or ivory.
Big thanx to anyone who can steer me in the right direction.
I find that David's Bridal online dresses are cheaper than even the budget-conscious J. Crew and Ann Taylor lines, and the dresses look remarkably similar. Also, at Aria Bridal, they have very nice budget dresses that they will create for you.
I also like Olivia Luca. There, you can design your own dress, which they will make for you. If you like the shape of a dress, but don't mind so much about the material, you can cut the cost of your dress budget by choosing a cheaper material. If the material is important, but you are open to a dress silhouette, you can pick your fabric and play around with the shapes to fit your budgets. They also have eco-friendly fabrics available too for those environmentally conscious brides. My daughters and I love "making" our own dresses, and even when we try to make it expensive, we can't seem to go over $2,000 dollars. Most of our favorites are around $300!
I absolutely love looking through all of these "Can't afford it, Get over it" posts, however I have set my wedding gown budget to $100 tops.
Is this at all possible and still get the look I want?? I am beginning to doubt myself..
I am looking for a lace-styled cap-sleeved gown, if anyone knows of any good places to look and venture!
Thank you!
Hey Dean, have you heard of etsy before?
We do not have much in the terms of funds, but I wanted a beautiful dress that was all about me and what I like. I created a collage in paint of a bunch of different dresses that I liked aspects of and put it in the "alchemy" section and I am working with a woman whom is custom making this dress for me for just 150! It is a sweet heart cut with long skirt and flowing sleeves for my outdoor ceremony that are detachable. I was not expecting such a great deal, but it goes to show you can try!
Hey Taleitha, like I mentioned above to Dean, have you ever heard of etsy? I made a request for a custom rainbow dress in the alchemy section using a collage I made in paint of a bunch of different designs I liked (example- long flowing sleeves, basic sweet heart neckline, rainbow skirts) and now I am working with a woman to create my dream dress for just 150. You can certainly try a request with an example picture for $100, otherwise the only place I know of under 100 is David's bridal which advertises "under $99"
Hey thanks! I have not heard of them! I will certianly check it out! And I have looked at David's Bridal a few times…no luck so far..But I guess I cannot be too picky with a tight budget!
Thank you again!
I spent a good portion of the front-end of my wedding planning on finding my dress without breaking the bank. My goal was to find a figure flattering, high quality gown with just enough detail to make it special. And, I wanted to avoid at all costs a gown that was made in China, due to the horrible sweatshop conditions. (That ruled out David's Bridal, which—I'm sorry for anyone who likes that place–is like the WalMart of wedding dresses.) With that said, here are my pearls of bridal gown hunting wisdom:
Check out your local consignment stores (or call ahead) which may have vintage wedding dresses. Sometimes consignment stores have designer samples or unworn wedding gowns.
Apparently, FIDM has a scholarship store in downtown LA that sells wedding dresses at a discount. Word on the street is that dresses retail from $100-400. They are all sample sizes 8-10. I'm not sure where you live, but you can always check if a fashion design school nearby does something like this, or if a student could design your dress.
Ann Taylor might also be a good bet. It has some beautiful ivory gowns that are in the $200 range, and it often has 40% off promotions if you enter a coupon code, so that would just put you barely above your budget.
JCrew also has great dresses of wonderful quality, and it frequently has promotions (right now it's an extra 40% off sale items with the coupon code).
Nordstrom/Nordstrom Rack have lovely evening gowns. I can't recall seeing long white gowns at Nordstrom for under $100, but you never know–check the sale racks.
One word: Outlets. Spend a day at the outlets and cruise the racks at Off Fifth, Banana Republic, Bloomingdales, etc. I ended up getting my shoes at the Neiman Marcus outlet store and I paid about 20% of retail.
Check OnceWed.com. There is a section for wedding dresses for purchase in a wide range of prices. You may also want to take a peek at EncoreBridal.com. It's a similar type of website. Gently used or sample wedding dresses are available at discounted prices.
I ended up getting my dress from PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com. There are dresses listed from $50 to $10,000. It's kind of like Craigslist for wedding items, so be aware of that. And, keep in mind that prices listed are often negotiable. It doesn't hurt to tell the seller your budget and see if she will work with you. (I saved an additional 35% off of the seller's listed price–my dress retailed for $5,000 and I got it for under $1,000 with shipping included). Speaking of Craigslist, you could search there, too.
YourDreamDress.com was also great for me. I didn't end up getting my dress from there (although they have many), but I got my bridal jewelry and headpiece from there at deeply discounted prices.
If you are willing to go for a shorter gown, your search for a dress under $100 will be much easier. I got my rehearsal dinner dress for $60 at Macy's. It was an ivory jacquard silk Elie Tahari dress that was over $250 regularly. I totally loved it and, since it's a cocktail dress, can re-wear it.
Lastly, check out eBay! There are risks with eBay if the seller doesn't have a reasonable return policy, so be careful. My friend ended up getting her dream dress (a brand new Maggie Sottero dress retailing at around $2,500) for $120. No joke. The bridal shop was closing down and was getting rid of all of its inventory. If there is a particular dress or designer you like, take a look at it at the bridal shops to make sure you like it and that it meets your expectations. Try it on so you know what size you need, and search all over the net to see if you can find it for a bargain price.
Phew! Sorry for the essay, but I thought I would spread the knowledge in the hopes that it might help out. Good luck and happy hunting!
My advice would be to stay away from halter style dresses (they will undoubtedly accentuate your linebacker concern, if it truly is a concern). A-line dresses are universally flattering and are great if you are pear or hourglass shaped. Other than that, just make sure you try on dresses to see what silhouette you like. Sometimes you might think that a certain style will look horrible, and it ends up being beautiful once it's off the hanger and on your body. Real Simple Weddings magazine always has a good spread on different dresses for various silhouettes.
Suggestion: Check the sale prices at major department stores online. I ordered two dresses, for less than $105., tried them on and returned the one I didn't like to the store. In the end, I found my wedding dress at Nordstrom.com for $105!
I also bought a dress from light in the box and literally threw it into the garbage. It was a hot mess!
I've been looking for a copy of Jenna Bush's wedding gown and have not had any luck. My husband and I are going to renew our vows in the church,( last time it was in front of the J.P.. Since the recession took place there isn't much money to go all out like we would want. Desperately need help.
I bought my dress from bigdaydress.com (china) and was worried… until it turned up. My seamstress used to make bridal gowns and couldn't believe the quality and work. I paid about $350 for a knock off of Mori Lee's 4701 and I had tried on the real gown ($1000 off the rack) twice. Of course it wasn't exactly the same, but it was damn close, and I ended up preferring mine with a couple of alterations. I think if you are ordering a dress in simple materials (satin) it's a good choice, I don't know how lace or appliques would turn out though.
I also agree with department store sales… there was a huge Saks sale going on over the last 2 months or so to clear out inventory. I got that very last BCBG strapless tiered dress in this post for $70. It was the last one. Otherwise, it's perfect and amazing for my budget. Saks and other department will have a similar clearance sale again post-Christmas.
Happy hunting and it's possible to find a dress for under $100!!
Ebay is the best!! My dress budget was $150, and with some luck (and hitting "refresh" over and over again) I picked up an $830 St. Patrick "Bahia" style gown for $57 with shipping. It can be done!
I will say that if you take this route, it relaly helps to know how to sew, or know someone who does. The gown arrived and is gorgeous, but will need some work before it fits me properly. Luckily this is something I can fix myself.
thank you how much it cost do you ship to th
thank
David's Bridal has a large selection of affordable wedding dresses. In addition to this, you can always go to a trunk show and consider the display or sample dresses. They're usually sold at a discount. They also have sites where you can rent a wedding dress….
If you want a beautiful gown but cannot afford it, try to find a local designer and see you can offer some kind of trade – I sometimes work with budget brides in exchange for modelling, helping in the store, etc.
xo
Kpoene'
The bcbg gown is absolutely beautiful.
I guess I'm one of the few that doesn't care for the budget ones. I supposed I have a high fashion taste. I feel that the budget ones look cheap. I absolutely adore the first Claire Pettibone gown. I wish I could have it!!