Wanted: wedding dress that won't break the bank

Try David's Bridal. Some of my friends have found good affordable selection here and the dress look beautiful.

I suggest shopping around in store and finding style you like than choosing someone reputable to make that style in your measurements. Azazzie etsy ebay has some... there's others

Look on BHLDN! It’s anthropologie’s wedding line. I haven’t 100% decided on it, but I think I’ve found my dress from there for $280 (it’s technically a shirt & skirt). It’s very casual but they have some more formal/classic looking dresses that are still reasonable - tons less than $1,000 and I’ve seen several under the $800 mark. And, from what I’ve seen so far, it looks like they have a pretty reasonable return policy if you are not close enough to a brick & mortar store and have to order online.

My sister’s best friend got her dress from there and it literally looked like she got it from a designer boutique.

View Quoted Comment Not something I've heard of before I will totally check it out!

David’s Bridal / Lulu’s / Cocomelody / Amazon / Etsy / Azazie

I highly recommend a used-once dress from stillwhite.com! You can search within size parameters but also message the seller to get specific measurements and ask if they had the dress tailored. Most listings show the dress being worn so you can see body type. My experience was extremely positive- my dress was $3000 retail when the previous bride bought it, listed on stillwhite for $200. Fits like a glove because I got measurements before ordering.

I am on the smaller side of plus size and I went to three traditional shops and 1 plus size only shop. There was one shop I could only try on one dress because they didn't have sample sizes that were bigger. So I would just do your homework and contact shops about their sample sizes. The sample doesn't have to fit perfectly but it has to get around you. So dont be afraid to ask. And for the plus size shops, some of the samples were way too big and they just clipped me in. As long as you fit in the smallest size they order it's an option.

I went to davids bridal. They have a credit card that is interest free for 6 months.

I agree with PP David’s bridal has a large selection and normally you can find something in your size. Plus there’s a sale right now!

Look for resale or privately owned stores. They usually sell dresses for cheaper

I don't know your budget, but I went through etsy - specificallu ieie bridal. My dress was priced at $350.

I bought mine on etsy for $200. I picked a standard size but the shop I bought from offered made to measure for maybe $50 more. I've noticed other shops offer the same option. My sister is similar to you in that in between size, she couldn't find a bridemaid style dress anywhere until she did custom measurements through eShakti and it ended up working out perfectly.

Look at thrift stores!!! I have my dress already, but every time I go fil my local thrift store, I pass by the wedding dress section, and they have quite a few gorgeous options that are all sorts of different fits. They are all really nicely priced, too. The one I would hands down close if I didn't have my dress already is only $40!!!

Boutique shops don’t necessarily carry outrageously expensive gowns and you can definitely find some very affordable ones at boutique places. I found mine at one....I did research and I wanted a particular Stella York and found when they had a trunk show, tried the drsss on, fell in love and it was discounted because I bought it that day. So boutique stores also do sample and trunk shows that other places do not. They also can be competitive with their prices and the gowns that they have. I went to a david’s Bridal and for the price of a dress I found there, the quality of the dress was nothing compared to my Stella York, which was only a little bit pricier...

Have you looked at Lulu's? I got my dress there on sale for under 100 but it looks like a 1000 dress from David's Bridal. I am so happy with it. I'm putting my money towards perfect alterations.

I would definitely try Azazie's bridal gowns. You can do custom measurement sizes

Have you tried a bridal consignment shop? There is one in my state that I looked at and they had a lot to choose from, also affordable!

Hi Julia! I feel the same way! I wish I had more advice before I chose my dress. I wanted an affordable, eco-friendly dress. I was determined to find the perfect used dress and never buy from a retail shop. I wanted to "up-cycle" a used or vintage dress and read every blog I could on how to do it. Here's what I learned:

1. GO TRY ON DRESSES. Be real with the sales person that this is your first time looking. Dresses feel so different when you try them on. Find out your size, try different accessory combinations, try to glean as much info as possible, and use what you learn to score your online dress.

2. Check the sale racks and learn the sales. David's Bridal and other stores have final sample sales with dresses that are gorgeous but just being discontinued. It's unpredictable what you'll find, but it could be your dress!

3. There are lots of online options for used dresses. If you are really into bargains, Goodwill has an online auction with a shocking number of new dresses with tags! A lot of re-sell sites seem to be $2K+ dresses marked down. Check out Facebook marketplace for girls selling their dresses near you at great bargains. You may be able to try it on before you buy too!

4. If you buy a dress online, ALWAYS BUY BIGGER SIZES and preferably unaltered. Seamstresses can always take in dresses, but it trickier and harder to let them out. I have DD's a learned this the hard way.

5. For online dresses, stick with simpler designs and silhouettes. The more beading, frill, etc., the more complicated and expensive alterations will be (and you'll probably need them.)

6. REMEMBER AN ACCESSORY BUDGET! I bought a simple, romantic gown with the intent to personalize and glam it up with alternations, a beaded belt, gorgeous veil, etc. Reality is, each of those things add up! If you buy a simple (usually more affordable gown), you'll probably spend at least $100 on accessories. (Etsy has gorgeous options that are a fraction of the store prices and you support small businesses.) It may be easier in the long run to spend more upfront on a more ornate gown that doesn't need accessories, than to put the time, money, and energy into looking for the perfect, affordable add ons.

8. Don't rule out 2 pieces. You can buy beautiful, unique formal skirts on Etsy for less than $100 then spend ~$50 for a formal white top or used dress that you can wear as separates or get altered into one dress.

9. Set your intentions. Yes, I could send $1000+ on my dream dress, but I'll literally wear it for 8 hours and never again. Go for a more conservative dress budget and treat yourself to more cash for the honeymoon, a dream sundress or outfit that you can wear every day, more flowers, upgrade a vendor, or a gift to you and your FH.

10. Don't rush. Sales cycle and there will always be more options out there. Take time to try on styles and clarify what you really want.

11. DIY something else. I considered hand sewing, dyeing, gold flecking, and all sorts of non-sense I have no experience with. Leave alterations to a seamstress (or skilled family/friend you trust). Don't plan to drastically modify your dress unless you have skills and a lot of time. Save DIY for flowers and decor.

Here's my story: I started by researching all of the online options which led me to Goodwill's wedding dress auction. I ended up buying 4 dresses over time! They are gorgeous and I never paid more than $30 for each of them! 2 have tags and were never worn. But - none of them fit right or felt right. I kept telling myself I could sell them on Facebook or Craigslist for $50-$500, so it wasn't a problem, but now all of those dresses are still in my closet.

Some of these dresses were intended for up-cycling. I love that idea. I wanted to dip dye them or add gorgeous floral embroidery to the skirts. I went to 7 specialty fabric stores (including ones in NYC and SF) looking for the perfect embroidered fabric. Every time I found it, it was way out of my budget. The cheapest, ideal embroidered fabric I found was $75/yard and I'd want 2-3 yards to be safe, then I'd need to sew it myself (which I am a novice) or pay seamstress to add the skirt to the dress. I realized my cute up-cycle dress would really cost me at least $300. I could have just bought a new or more ornate dress and saved myself a lot of time!

So, I panicked and saw a sale at David's Bridal. I went with my FILs who surprised me by saying they were willing to pay up to $800 for a dress for me. They really can't afford that, but the gesture meant a lot. I asked the stylist to bring me a mix of dresses - the pricey ones and the sale ones. I ended up falling in love with a dress that was $99 without realizing it was that price. It was marked down from $500 only because the designer was releasing an updated version of the dress that is identical except for different lace. Since it was a sample, I could walk out the store with it and they made some changes to the clasp, etc. that were damaged. It's a simple design, so I need to buy accessories and make a couple to make it more "me."

I love the dress I bought, but I have spent a lot of time looking at fabrics, considering accessories, tracking sales, and over-analyzing. Avoid that if you can! I've decided to go for an intricate, beaded belt, simple veil, and a colorful flower crown (which I'll DIY). It looks like I'll spend ~$100 on accessories + under garments + shoes + alterations on top of that.

You don't have to buy a $1K+ dress to be happy, but it takes work to find a dress you love for under $300 total. Figure out what works best for you and have fun with it!