So your budget won’t allow for a couture dress and a designer gown is also just a dream so what are your options? There are loads of ways you can look gorgeous without spending thousands on a wedding dress. Here are our top tips for bridal gowns from under £100 to £1000, according to your budget.
1. Up to £1000: Designer sample sales
Designer wedding dresses range from around £500 to £2000 (with couture gowns generally costing in excess of this figure). If you’ve got your heart set on a fabulous designer dress made of duchess satin with hand-sewn beading and sparkles but don’t can’t spend a cool grand on a gown then check out designer sample sales where you could pick up a bargain from last season’s collection for a snippet of its original price! Look out for sample sales on designer websites such as Benjamin Roberts and right here on Confetti in January sales, early springtime and late autumn.
2. Up to £750: Second hand
‘Preloved’ gowns are now more popular than ever in this age of recycling and eco-awareness and you can pick up a beautiful designer dress for less than half of its original price if you’re lucky. Be careful when buying online, though, as it’s often prudent to try on a dress (and check the hem for dirt and damage) before parting with your hard-earned cash. Beware also of designer copies which are illegal and often cheaply made and very disappointing.
3. Up to £500: High street
If your dress budget is around the £100-300 mark then the high street is the best place to start looking. There are some lovely wedding dresses in independent bridal boutiques, Debenhams, Monsoon and BHS to name just a few. These dresses are not made of duchess satin and will not be hand-stitched but with some of them you’d never know.
4. Up to £200: Charity shops
Charity shops are like magical emporiums of uniqueness. You never know what you might find! Filled with vintage and designer cast-offs it’s worth a rummage in a few charity shops, particularly in wealthy or fashionable areas where there are likely to be a better quality of clothing available. You could pick up the bargain of the century if you’re in the right shop at the right time. Go for it!
5. Up to £100: Make it yourself
If you’ve got £100 for material and are handy with a sewing machine then it’s worth trying the charity shops first for a gown you can alter or buy some pretty material that you can make your own wedding from. How wonderful to say you made your own dress!
Get even more inspiration on our Fashion pages!
