Dress Budget

I think $400 is a great budget. Are there any styles in particular you like?

i spent $1600 on my dress, but it’s a princess ball gown with tons of tiers and layers. No regrets haha!

Consider looking on Azazie.com. They have really lovely wedding dresses at reasonable prices. Custom-size orders cost the same as standard sizes, which can help with the cost of needed alterations. And, they are super reputable (not the case of all online retailers...). You can also order sample dresses to try on at a pretty nominal cost. Good luck in your search!

My budget is $400/500 as well. I'm checking out rack/sample sales and David's bridal. You can also find dresses that are more of an evening gown that look very nice in that price range too. Rack sales usually have sizes 8-16 (factor in these aren't normal dress sizes, they're usually cut small), so if you're a street size zero or more than an 18 they probably won't be an option because dresses can typically only be altered +/- 2 sizes. Definitely check David's bridal though since they have so many cheap options. I'm starting my search next month, already have my appointments booked!

View Quoted Comment

I thought I liked the mermaid.... until I tried it on.... which is why I tried it on.... Still something similar but not a dramatic cut. I am leaning towards something with a unique back.

View Quoted Comment

I am between a 14 and 16 and trying to lose weight.... I also dont wanna search too early... my wedding is 20 months away (that seems so far from now I choose it ... next june seemed way too soon) I have another appt with Davids bridal in Dec

I spent $500 on mine (all lace from a boutique). I would figure try stuff on at boutiques and see if you could find them online. My friend bought hers for $100 when she got married. Nowadays, anything is possible.

I second checking out Azazie! Most of their dresses are under $400 or $500. I just ordered a sample dress from them a week ago and loved it! You pay $15 and it's shipped to your house for you to try on and keep for up to a week before sending back (shipping covered both ways). If you do decide to order your dress from there, they have free custom sizing so you probably wouldn't have to get alterations

My budget was $500. I ended up spending $599 at davids bridal. They had lots of options in my price range!

Be on the lookout for the big sales at Davids Bridal! Do not try on a dress over your budget unless you're prepared to buy it. My budget for dress and alterations was $1500. I ended up paying $1800 for just the dress. We were able to shave $400 off the floral budget so it will all work out in the end but boy was I mad when I found out the bridal consultant put me in a dress over my budget.

$400 seems fine. Especially if you go a nontraditional route you could save even more

Check out cocomelody

I don't think that is unreasonable, just depends on the bridal studio you go to and if there is a certain designer you want. I went to a studio that started at $1,000 and mine was $1,400.

Also, if you find a dress you love and it is a bit over budget, you can go onto a preowned site and usually find it for less (if you don't mind the dress being preowned)

I agree that $400 is a great budget, because that is my budget as well! I have tried on about 20ish dresses that were all beautiful in that price range, just not "the one." David's Bridal and second hand shops have been my places of interest.

In that price range and that budget - have a blast and try non-traditional bridal stores. Like Macys - they have fitted lace dresses with cutaway backs etc. This may only work if you don't want white, but it would be amazing! Let us know what you find!!

If you're open to it maybe consider secondhand dresses. I know there are a lot of websites, and even some boutiques, out there where you can buy secondhand dresses for a lot cheaper and they have a diverse collection. I got mine from https://www.preownedweddingdresses.com/ and saved over $200. https://www.stillwhite.com/ is another that has some great options.

I think you can find a dress to meet your budget needs. There are so many different options and choices nowadays. There are dresses that can meet your budget, layaway, and after pay or quad pay. So, go for it. Mine is $600 and I barely want to pay that much. I hate wedding dresses actually. Anyway, I wish you the best!

I think you can! I spent $600 on mine at David's Bridal (it was on sale). They had plenty of options in my price range, and also had a sale rack. DB sells petite & plus-size dresses at the same price points as the "regular" versions. This was a lifesaver for me (I'm pretty short at 5'0"). Alterations can add up, so be cautious about that. I only had a bustle put in my dress, so we got away with just $25 in alterations.

View Quoted Comment 20 months is probably too far out if you plan on losing weight. A silhouette that might not look good now could look different after weightloss. But it's good you could fit into the sample sizes so you can check them out! If you're trying to hide a tummy, I'd definitely recommend looking at A-lines. They aren't as poofy as ball gowns, but are flattering on everyone. As another person mentioned, secondhand dresses are a great option too. Look for boutiques near you to see if any do second hand. As for the sample sale, you just have to call each place and ask when they do theirs.

I make good money, so my original wedding gown budget was $5000. I ended up paying only $300 for my gown, a Tadashi Shoji from BHLDN :-D They actually have some pretty good sales online, and if you wait for an extra % off sale, the savings can be tremendous.

That said, the alterations for that dress (take in the chest, waist, and arms) ended up being $275.

Another great online resource I'd recommend is Lulus. And ASOS!