Buying dresses on the cheap!?

I never bought mine online but i got 25% off by buying it off the peg rather than ordering one in

x

I've ordered my dress from Millybridal which is also in China. They have a shop on Ebay called Cinderella Brides (or something like that!). There is also Landybridal, ebay shop name Ebsaysomething.

Check out this thread on Moneysavingexpert weddings forum http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1230785

The best thing is to really do your research. If it is on Ebay, check their feedback. Ask if you can contact any previous buyers and ask to see photos of dresses they have actually made. The pictures they use to advertise are usually not the dresses they have actually made. They are in effect copies of designer dresses and whilst they are usually very good quality, they will not be exactly the same as they would be breaching copyright.

Word of warning - just don't fall in love with the original!!

Don't disregard the high st - monsoon, debenhams and coast (for shorter dresses) all do bridal dresses for £200 ish. also read in a wedding mag that phase eight are also going to be doing a bridal range.

Also look at littlewoods catalogue on line as they've got some gorgoues wedding dresses all between £150-350.

Another thing i've realised is that many dresses from bridal shops which are classed as bridesmaid dresses, also come in ivory and therefore would be fine as a wedding dress. I didnt want a big skirt/long train style dress, just something simpler and not as "puffy" and the dress i think i'm going to get is actually a BM dress but in ivory looks perfect as a wedding dress, and costs a fraction of the price of the "proper" wedding dresses :-)

Another vote for monsoon here!

I got mine from there and it was only £200.

I would say though that if you want the "bigger" sort of dress then you're probably better off with a more traditional retailer.

Did someone say dress flash???

Sorry - any excuse!!!

Have you thought about getting a dress made for you by a local dress maker? All the dressed that I tried on and love were costing between £1500 - £1800 which was way over budget so I visited a local dressmaker and she is taking elements of 3 dresses that I loved and making one dress that is going to be unique to me for £1100 so quite a big saving. My particular dress maker starts wedding dress from around £450.

Bhs are doing a lovely bridal range this year and they are not all strapless A line numbers! In the brochure I have they are all under £500.

I'm getting married in April next year and went out and bought my dress last week when the sales were still on.

I got a discontinued Ronald Joyce dress which cost over £1000 for £492 which was well within my budget.

I have looked in Monsoon and Debenhams and their dresses are lovely - just depends what you are looking for really.

G

I've not bougth one,but what about a pre-owned dress (not necessarily second hand as it might not have been worn). There are a couple of lovely dresses on the forsale section at the moment.

https://www.hitched.co.uk/Chat/forums/31.aspx

HTH

Sx

Thanks for all your feedback!

Good point anout falling in love with the original! I've foud an outlet in my area that has a certain Maggie Sottero dress in stock that i want to try, so if i tried it and loved it, then ordered it from the ebay shop i'd prob be dissappointed hey?!

My mum thinks its too early to look for dresses (getting married 28th Aug 2010) and has kind of burst my dress bubble of excitment by saying if i look too early i'll just change my mind or the fashions will change!

How far ahead are people looking?

Hi

Hi Becky,

Im Using my other halfs sign in name as he happened to be logged in.

I am getting married in May 2009, we have been planning for 18 months and i went dress shopping almost straight away, i already knew that i didnt want a traditional dress and wanted something that was black and ivory, due to a lack of dresses in the shops that i was looking for, and the fact that i am a big girl and felt totally humiliated by dresses not fitting and huge plates being put in the back so i could get some idea of what they looked like (most of the time making me look like a fairy godmother ready for a pantomime, or a drag queen!!!), i started looking on the internet.

In haste bought one from e-bay from China made to measure, it cost me about £150 it was ok but didnt fit right and the material was not good quality, i wasnt happy with it!

I then took several months looking for my perfect dresson the internet, and again found it on e-bay, however this time it was from a lady in Durham, the cost was about £190, the dress was again made to measure and i must say it is absolutely gourgous, it did take over a month to arrive (unlike the first that i recieved in under two weeks, which says something really!!), but it is a perfect fit the material is lovely the dress is almost as the picture showed it, and i am really happy.

I was expecting to have to have it altered as i know someone who does this, but as i only have 3 months to go and it still fits perfectly im soo happy, i now only have to worry if i manage to loose loads of weight before my big day!! (which i doubt!!)

If you would like the user name of the lady i bought mine from i am sure i can find it just let me know, she has quite a few designs and is always changing them with the seasons.

Hope this is helpful

Helen

Hi Helen!

Yes if you've got the website handy that would be great! Glad you've found the perfect dress, thanks for your advice

Hi,

They dont have a website as such they are on e-bay, the user name is enchanteddreams08, i typed it in on google and it came up, then clicked on their items for sale.

The dresses change as i said before cause mine is no longer on there.

Hope this is helpful.

Helen

Hi Becky

I bought my mother's outfit, my two bridesmaid dresses and my UK wedding dress on EBay. I did a lot of research and read just about ALL the feedback on both suppliers before I placed my orders. And I have to say I have been nothing short of impressed. As with anything online, it's research research research. My SA wedding dress was also bought online but the dressmaker is in South Africa so won't see that dress until I get there. However, once again, I researched her to the nines and even managed to communicate directly with happy customers. It's a big risk to take, but I have found that it's well worth it.

Hope you find what you're looking for.

I bought my alfred angelo dress off an american site, im dress size 28 and found one a bit bigger but its an original, i rang and spoke to them and paid over the phone, within 3 weeks it was at the collections office. I paid £300 and that included shipping and excise duty to royal maill.

Its beautiful and retails at £950+ here.

my dream wedding bargain!!

Dont be afraid to buy from america it couldnt have been easier x x x