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.
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9 responses to “12 offbeat affordable wedding dresses under $120”
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