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Before we get any further, let's get a truth out of the way: a wedding dress that costs under $120 is not going to be the same caliber of quality as a custom-made dress. If you're looking for fit and quality, you probably want one of the amazing dressmakers from the Offbeat Bride Vendor Guide.
Here's the deal, though: we know that for some of you working with micro-budgets, your entire wedding day is going to cost as much as some custom dresses do. (Custom dresses cost that much for a reason — they take an enormous amount of time and skill to create!) So for those of you working with a smaller budget, here are 12 affordable wedding dresses under $120. No, they might not be ethically made or lined with organic silk… but sometimes you have to do what you can with the budget you've got.
If anyone has moderate crochet skills, I was able to make my dress in a month and a half for about $35 for pattern and materials using a fantastic pattern. It was written by an architect and is overall very easy to read and follow. I had to buy a slip for underneath (no sewing skills), and adding a belt brings the total to about $80! http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/chrysanthemum-gown
Valerie, I am currently working on my own wedding dress, using this exact same pattern! It’s definitely the most complicated (and intimidating) piece I’ve ever crocheted, but I agree that the instructions are impeccably detailed, and I gave myself a looooong lead time to work on it. So far, so good. I think I’m going to take a stab at the long train addition, too!
The pattern makes for such a forgiving fabric that I think it will look great even if my body changes a little between now and my wedding (in May). I’m going to do the same as you and just buy a simple slip for underneath. I love the idea of crocheting my own dress and getting to interact with it over the course of many months, rather than just buying something I’m going to try on a couple times and then wear once and never again.
Yay dress twins! The top is definitely more difficult, once you get through that the skirt is a breeze! I actually found making the swatch to be the most difficult part of the whole pattern, I had no idea what was going on!
The dress is definitely very form-fitting, good underwear is a must.
And my other bit of advice – I had a surprisingly difficult time finding a long simple slip for it, I finally found one by searching for “bridal lingerie.” Good luck!
I loveloveloveloveLOVE the Lindy Bop Ophelia dress (also goes by the name “Aisle be there” on Modcloth). I had it down to two dresses and that was one of them. It’s just so darn flattering!
The dresses are really awesome! I just got down after seeing these. Will surely opt for one to match up my precious accessories to the best dress ever!
Another affordable option is to find a local costumer. I had my dress made by a local woman who does a lot of costuming for local theaters and she charged me $150 for her time and labor plus the cost of materials. The total was $198 and I could not have asked for a more perfect dress!
I love this dress: http://www.amazon.com/Lindy-Bop-Classy-Vintage-Simpson/dp/B00H1QLWB2/ref=sr_1_164?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1450720933&sr=1-164&nodeID=1045024&refinements=p_89%3ALindy+Bop
It’s vintage style (1920s-40s or possibly earlier depending on your accessories/hair), it’s available from sizes XS-3X, it’s conservative (actual sleeves?! gasp!) but also sexy (hello hips, hello wiggle), and best of all: it’s (currently) $26.99 with free amazon prime shipping.
I also love the Lindy Bop one, and own one of the non-wedding dress versions in a floral print. I would have been totally happy wearing it on my wedding day. Honestly if my mother hadn’t cared about made to measure and insisted on paying for it, I would have chosen a simple budget dress. I literally just picked up my wedding dress from the dry cleaners today and it’s been so much faff getting it professionally cleaned and boxed- would have made way more sense to have bought something I could wear again.
This isn’t under $120, but it is under $200.
http://www.dressale.com/airy-straps-empire-chiffon-bridal-gown-featuring-delicate-applique-and-fancy-court-train-p-76659.html