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winelover23

winelover23

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
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Anyone buy a budget dress? And when I say budget I mean $500 or less. This is my second marriage so while I''m elated to FINALLY marry the perfect man I''m having a hard time wanting to spend a ton on a second dress. Please post pics and brands if you have them. Also did anyone buy a replica dress and what was your experience? FYI I''m getting married at a winery and want something fairly simple.
 
Check out preownedweddingdresses.com and samples of some lower priced lines (dresses that normall sell for 800-1100). Places like David''s Bridal have some dresses on sale for that amount as well.
 
Mine was Mon Cheri and $541 including tax.

It is a bit big for a winery wedding, but still very simple.

aaamyweddingdressmoncheri.jpg
 
Date: 12/3/2009 2:13:25 PM
Author: meresal

Mine was Mon Cheri and $541 including tax.

It is a bit big for a winery wedding, but still very simple.
Click to expand...
Meresal - Where did you purchase your dress?
 
Try looking at Mori Lee''s Blu collection- most of them are around $500.
 
I got it on a Clearance rack at a bridal salon close to my parents house.

They dicontinued the style so it was marked to half-off.
 
Yes, I've just bought mine for £175, which is about $280. It is preowned but by a two-dress bride, so she never actually wore it except to try on. It fitted perfectly with no alterations. I found in on a UK site called Preloved, I'm sure there's a US equivalent. I really recommend looking at preowned dresses - many have never been worn or if worn, professionally cleaned and pristine. And you can expect to save 60-70% on the cost new (at least, the ones I shortlisted were), and I'm pretty sure no-one will ever know the difference. Here it is on me:

LilyWed5.jpg
 
Date: 12/3/2009 2:29:47 PM
Author: LilyKat
Yes, I''ve just bought mine for £175, which is about $280. It is preowned but by a two-dress bride, so she never actually wore it except to try on. It fitted perfectly with no alterations. I found in on a UK site called Preloved, I''m sure there''s a US equivalent. I really recommend looking at preowned dresses - many have never been worn or if worn, professionally cleaned and pristine. And you can expect to save 60-70% on the cost new (at least, the ones I shortlisted were), and I''m pretty sure no-one will ever know the difference. Here it is on me:
Click to expand...
OMG gorgeous! Thanks for the story and info
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oncewed.com in addition to the site Miya suggested.

Get yourself on the mailing list for some area salons to find out when they have sample sales.

I would go try on stuff at a salon first to see what style and shape you want. Then it will make shopping a little easier, IMO.

Good luck! I look forward to watching your wedding plans unfold. I lurk over in LIW and on Small Talk quite a bit so I''ve been following your story.
 
Thank you winelover!
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Another plus point for preowned dresses and off-the-rack or sample dresses - you can see exactly what it's going to look like on you, straight away. It can be hard to judge from trying a sample in a different size, and there are enough horror stories floating around here about bad alterations/dresses looking completely different when ordered in, that it's very reassuring to know that what you see is exactly what you're getting. Also, you don't have to wait months to have it in your possession - perfect for impatient people like me
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If you have a Filene''s Basement near you, you can get a dress during their annual Running of The Brides Sale.

Most stores have a sale each year. Filene''s normally doesn''t sell wedding dresses, but they get samples and runway models, so they are brand new dresses for either $249, $499, or $799. I got my dress for $249 in 2008.

Unfortunately, I can''t find a stock picture of my dress anymore!
 
I bought the Avery dress from Jcrew for $425 and I love it.
 
Mine was originally $900 at Bloomingdale''s and Neiman Marcus, was on Bluefly for $550, and I bought it for $450 with an awesome coupon.

I''d say, hit up J Crew, high end department stores, Bluefly, Hautelook, Gilt Groupe, Gilt Fuse, Ruelala and all of the super sale sites. I think Bia bought a Nicole Miller wedding dress on Ruelala for under $500...

If I were wearing white I would have gone to Neiman Marcus, Nordstroms, Barney''s, Bloomingdales, etc and checked out their white dresses.

Good luck hon, I can''t wait to see what you end up with!
 
WL, I would have worn any number of Bari Jay BM dresses as a wedding dress. They're so fricking adorable.

www.barijay.com

ETA: They have a white section now too!!
 
Winelover... I totally forgot about using BM dresses!

When I was looking for my BM dresses I came across these GORGEOUS dresses by a desinger named Jenny Yoo. You can order her dresses in all types of fabrics, and there is one dress that I SWOONED over, as in, if I have a vow renewal, I WILL WEAR THIS DRESS.

Here is the link. You can get it in Ivory and it is one of the most flattering dresses I have EVER tried on in my life!

My favorite of her fabric is Silk Shantung, and it is fabulous! The style is called Kayla, and I think this runs about $360-$400.

http://www.jennyyoo.com/shangtung12.html

(trying to find a pic on google that is in Ivory)
 
Kayla...

The flap in the back can be shortened by pulling down on the train part. It is all connected. When you do that it makes a train for the ceremony, and then you pull it up like it is in the picutre for afterwards, so that you don't have fabric following you around the entire night.

jeenyyookayla1001.jpg
 
http://www.bestbridalprices.com/
They have lots of dresses in that budget, and customer service is excellent too!
 
WL-I think you should wear a dress made out of wine boxes...its cheap and you''ll have a fun time making the dress!!!


hehehehe...sorry couldn''t resist! You know I adore you though.


Before my mom so generously offered to buy my dress I was considering a few Maggie Sottero dresses. Her stuff ranges in price, but start around $300. And the fact that this is your second wedding means nothing. Unless you''re 40+ and looking at big white princess ballgowns, you can wear whatever your pretty little heart desires...
 
Thanks so much ladies! Lots of great info!

Meresal - I adore that dress! I have no clue about the difference between each fabric...

Sunny - Good site, I''m on it!
 
Date: 12/3/2009 4:55:49 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
WL-I think you should wear a dress made out of wine boxes...its cheap and you''ll have a fun time making the dress!!!


hehehehe...sorry couldn''t resist! You know I adore you though.


Before my mom so generously offered to buy my dress I was considering a few Maggie Sottero dresses. Her stuff ranges in price, but start around $300. And the fact that this is your second wedding means nothing. Unless you''re 40+ and looking at big white princess ballgowns, you can wear whatever your pretty little heart desires...
Click to expand...
This is the kind of creativity I''m looking for! Think of all the other things I could do inside those boxes...
 
HAHAHA! Don''t you dare! That''s not allowed at a wedding WL!!! Don''t make me put you in depends, I don''t think they''ll fit under those dresses
3.gif


Seriously though, you could plan a green theme around recycling those boxes. You could make your invitations out of them, place settings, etc...
 
Date: 12/3/2009 4:55:49 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
WL-I think you should wear a dress made out of wine boxes...its cheap and you''ll have a fun time making the dress!!!


hehehehe...sorry couldn''t resist! You know I adore you though.


Before my mom so generously offered to buy my dress I was considering a few Maggie Sottero dresses. Her stuff ranges in price, but start around $300. And the fact that this is your second wedding means nothing. Unless you''re 40+ and looking at big white princess ballgowns, you can wear whatever your pretty little heart desires...
Click to expand...
Not related to the topic, but saw this and had to share. One of the salons I went to, halfway through my appointment another woman came in for her final fitting. She was (looked to be) about 55 and she had a big tulle corseted princess ballgown and a cathedral-length multitiered veil with a glittery tiara. I''m all about "whatever works" normally but it just kind of looked...well, let me put it this way, she was NOT working it.
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On the off chance that you''re in the Philadelphia area, there''s a great bridal consignment shop that has some gowns for under $500. I think they also ship gowns if you live outside of the area, so that''s an option too. Here''s the website (note: there are three pages of bridal gowns on the site, but they have more in the store): http://www.sabrinaann.com/423333.html

I almost bought my gown at this consignment shop, buit then found it even cheaper as a sample at a bridal salon that was going out of business (I found it by googling the name of the gown- the salon I bought it from was out of state). So, if you have a certain gown in mind, try googling the name to see if anyone is seling it for cheap. My gown was originally $3,000 and I got it for $400!
 
I''m going to second the Nordstrom recommendation. They have many bridal options, most under $400. Best, you could likely try it on in your size (or closest too) in store and take home same day...

Link
 
The Silk Shantung is a beautiful silk fabric, that has a bit more substance than a regualr silk fabric you would think of. It also has a thick lining underneath that gives it more weight. If you order one of her dresses for a wedding dress, you would definitely want to use this fabric.

Where are you located? I can look and see if there are any salons around your area that carry her line. I found her dresses at a place called Bella Bridesmaid. It is specifically a Bridesmaid dress boutique (personally owned but they are all over the US), but the woman that owned the one I went to, told me that many destination brides order this dress because of the fabric, style, and simplicity.

Bella Bridesmaid Locations: http://www.bellabridesmaid.com/ (You can find her at other salons though. After raving about her dresses a few months ago, another bride on here went out and ordered her BM dresses at a different salon in NYC)

My only issue with Nordstrom dresses, is that most of them are very thin. My sister ended up ordering hers from Nordstrom, but she definitely said afterwards, that it didn''t truely "feel" like a wedding dress. More of a long flowy dress that was white.
 
I got my dress from Moonlight Bridals...they have an entire collection of less-formal (read:no train) dresses that I think look really nice for around $500. Check out their website! I got a lot of compliments on my dress. Good luck!
 
I love the new style of the POB bridesmaid dresses. I know you can order these dresses in a white and ivory color. That would be my suggestion.
 
i originally looked at Aria Dresses, and really liked their choices, but you cannot try them on here (in WA)
7.gif

Aria dresses

Also, WL, the bridal show is coming up in january and they sell gowns atdeep discounts at the show!
 
Date: 12/3/2009 6:58:25 PM
Author: meresal
The Silk Shantung is a beautiful silk fabric, that has a bit more substance than a regualr silk fabric you would think of. It also has a thick lining underneath that gives it more weight. If you order one of her dresses for a wedding dress, you would definitely want to use this fabric.

Where are you located? I can look and see if there are any salons around your area that carry her line. I found her dresses at a place called Bella Bridesmaid. It is specifically a Bridesmaid dress boutique (personally owned but they are all over the US), but the woman that owned the one I went to, told me that many destination brides order this dress because of the fabric, style, and simplicity.

Bella Bridesmaid Locations: http://www.bellabridesmaid.com/ (You can find her at other salons though. After raving about her dresses a few months ago, another bride on here went out and ordered her BM dresses at a different salon in NYC)

My only issue with Nordstrom dresses, is that most of them are very thin. My sister ended up ordering hers from Nordstrom, but she definitely said afterwards, that it didn''t truely ''feel'' like a wedding dress. More of a long flowy dress that was white.
Click to expand...
I''m in Seattle and I found a few locations I think I would be able to try it on. From what I see it''s $735 which is more than I want to spend but I''m thinking everything is negotiable plus there are sales etc. I have a couple dresses in mind but this one is topping my list right now!
 
Date: 12/4/2009 9:53:20 AM
Author: jcarlylew
i originally looked at Aria Dresses, and really liked their choices, but you cannot try them on here (in WA)
7.gif

Aria dresses

Also, WL, the bridal show is coming up in january and they sell gowns atdeep discounts at the show!
Click to expand...
JCar- Are you going? I''m still contemplating...
 
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