Alternative to a Wedding Dress?

I think that dress is beautiful! Especially for a winter wedding when you might expect warmer colours (and warmer clothes too!)

You definitely shouldn't feel bound to a wedding dress. Lots of people marry in high street dresses or something a little bit different. Websites like off-beat brides (a bit american) and rock and roll bride often feature 'real weddings' with weding dress alternatives. Coast has some beautiful dresses - they're out of my price budget for a regular 'going out' dress but substantially cheaper than a wedding dress!

What annoys me is, the same dress, in Ivory colours, with "wedding dress" in the description, is £295............................how does that happen?! lol

I'm not going to be wearing a full on 'wedding dress' from a bridal store, they seem very expensive and formal - not very me. Also the whole bridal shop experience sounds pretty ghastly from reading threads on here. ?

So, I am on the look out for a high street dress - I'm thinking BHLDN, Phase Eight, Ted Baker, Project D, Coast, John Lewis, J Crew - or a second hand/outlet designer evening gown - I would absolutely love a Temperley London dress if I can find one in budget. The Outnet is a good place to look, if only for inspiration!

The Phase Eight dress you have linked to is lovely.

Sadly as soon as you say wedding the price seems to double ? That dress is lovely though and much cheaper than a traditional wedding dress my dress is from coast (so I maybe biased here) who do some nice dresses as do do monsoon not in their wedding range. As red kite said they tend to be a bit more expensive than regular going out dresses (for me anyway) but cheaper then wedding dresses. Also there are LOTS available on Ebay both second hand and brand new (with the tags still on) if you don't mind spending the time trawling through for them. I got mine for £14.75 with postage and I can wear it again bargain of the wedding I think!

Also bridesmaids dresses are considerably cheaper than wedding dresses and come in a range of colours up to and including white if you want to stay traditional. Personally I think the coloured dresses are lovely still not sure how I ended up with ivory, but I do like my dress.

I have seen plenty of "non" wedding dresses. There is no such thing - its a wedding dress if you wear it to your wedding, and once you add a hair piece or even a veil and a bouquet -shoes the whole package will look fantastic. I have some here for you to give you an idea of real life weddings, also just the fact that you are standing next to your man who is wedding'nd up adds to your dress also.

The first one has a facinator and also a veil.The last one burgendy was made for her which could be another option if you canot find what you want, may not be any cheeper but could be used again, also the last one was a Christmas time wedding so the colour worked well.

This was my mum's wedding dress two years ago and she looked beautiful

I really like the Phase eight dress you have linked to, and would wear something similar to a winter wedding....which is the problem I think. It is what a guest would wear. A wedding is a big deal: you are making a big commitment and by having a wedding are choosing to make that commitment in front of others. I think that you need to stand out a bit more than in the blue dress (although it is lovely).

I think this is the worry/problem that I have? OTOH, I don't like to stand out, be centre of attention! OK, maybe I can wear it to my Sister's wedding in October lol!

I will keep on looking on the suggested sites ?

So, when you walk down the aisle to your OH on your wedding day, do you want him to look at you as if to say 'you look lovely, take my arm and lets go out' or do you want him to look at you as if he is so mesmerised that his heart has stopped? It's not about being the centre of attention, just about knocking his socks off.

Neither is the right answer (only you will know) but decide on the reaction you want and pick based on that....

p.s. I'm 45 too ?

Coast has some beautiful dresses - they're out of my price budget for a regular 'going out' dress but substantially cheaper than a wedding dress!

He looks at me like this all the time anyway lol

It is actually possible to look nice in a non-wedding dress you know! I am sure Mr Foo will think I look lovely whatever I wear.

Well then you can save yourself a fortune and turn up in your pyjamas ?

Https://www.johnlewis.com/phase-eight-embellished-elspeth-wedding-dress-ivory/p319456

This is the "wedding" dress I might have chosen

I didn't have a wedding dress. I got mine from House of Fraser, £140 off the peg. It was gorgeous.

Wear whatever makes you feel special and fabulous. I originally bought a proper long champagne glitzy dress with full train, put it on and decided it was too much. I then saw this and fell in love.http://www.berketexbride.com/Products/MC01118/kelly

Its more me and I will be teaming it up with these shoes as these suit my quirky style /. I'm 42 and my wedding is on 28th December. I will be wearing a long fur ivory cape as well

I haven't gone for a full on wedding dress either. At nearly 37 when I get married with 3 children it just didn't seem "necessary". I looked at the phase eight dresses as well as other stores but eventually opted for a bridesmaids dress in ivory for fear of, as other people have mentioned, guests turning up in the same dress.

Well thank you for all your comments ideas ?

The thing is, I don't see it as a wedding, it's a marriage ceremony followed by a really lovely sit down meal, lots of wine ? with our immediate family, we're not having any more than 15-20 guests, it's a late afternoon ceremony @ 5p.m and I begrudge spending lots of money on a dress that will never be worn again, and yet..........there's that little girly part of me that does want to get dressed up, hair done etc as I know I won't get the chance to do it again, well hopefully not! ?

This was mine. £140. Any excuse to flash it. And I am in my 40s too.

And you look every inch a bride in it ? ........I'm not gonna look like a bride in Sapphire Blue lol x

That second phase eight dress you've flashed is gorgeous!

I can completely understand you not wanting to go down the traditional route and as nice as the navy dress is personally I don't think its quite special enough if you see what I mean.

I would also worry about a guest turning up in it too!

That second phase eight dress you've flashed is gorgeous!

I can completely understand you not wanting to go down the traditional route and as nice as the navy dress is personally I don't think its quite special enough if you see what I mean.

I would also worry about a guest turning up in it too!

I was 45 when I got married, almost 2 years ago. We had lots of vintage retro things at our wedding. I designed my dress and had it made.

Lovely picture LoveSka :-)

Haven't booked anywhere but found a dress by Red Herring from Debenham's. Cost less than £40 with a discount.

I've tried a few traditional dresses on since but they haven't felt right.

I'm so glad I asked the original Q...........

I think I've changed my mine regarding a non-wedding dress, I'm going to look out for something rather more special.......as had been said, I'd look more like a guest than the bride in the original dress link posted and we can't have that lol ?

I struggled to find a dress as its just the two of us getting married in Greece and I didn't want a heavy formal gown. First and only bridal shop I went to I had a panic attack and walked out. I didn't want off the peg so instead I bought a dress off Ebay, brand new with tags which was bought as a second dress to wear in the evening which she never wore. I am having it altered slightly so it's custom made to fit me and adding some pearls as I will be wearing my belated mums pearl engagement ring.

Therefore i feel it isn't quite off the peg but isn't a wedding dress either. Cost me £40 including delivery and its 100% silk. Have a look there are loads of new dresses on there at reasonable prices and you can try them on in the comfort of your own home.

As long as you feel special in your dress and comfortable and it's 'you' that's all that matters.

Haha! I think I'm heading in the same direction with where money will now get spent compared to 3 weeks ago!

Well she looks lovely, & I'd have never guessed about being pregnant!

Now to wait for the 20% discount that Phase Eight were offering a few weeks back lol

I tried on this dress! Agree it's lovely!

My god, this is stunning. Good job I am already married or I would have had the serious hump I hadn't seen this dress before buying the one I bougth. You look AMAZING.

Well fate has played it's hand, the blue dress was a bit frumpy, so it's been returned lol off to look round the shops now for something more suitable