Costs of dresses!

Hi Rachael! You are going to get different answers here so please go with your gut. This is my thoughts and opinions.


I went to a boutique because I discussed budget with My Mum. I wanted the whole experience and luckily the shop I have passed on weekends away For years had plenty of dresses in my mums budget so it worked. They ranged from £1500-£7000 I think. That was the most expensive I had seen on their website. This also is the same in my home town. They stuck to my budget and never pressured. It was the best experience.
Personally, I’ve thought about this more the last few days. I’m not saying you can’t get good quality online, but I would suggest if you are going to buy online I wouldn’t go to a boutique to try on. I may be wrong but I personally don’t think you would be able to get the quality you get in a bridal boutique and if you’ve tried those dresses on it may play on your mind if you’re comparing an online order to a boutique?
That is just my thoughts. Other people may have got the best quality online so I’m sure they’ll let you know. Phone the place you’ve seen the dresses on and ask their ranges and say I’ve seen this dress would you be able to tell me how much?
Have you tried wed2be? Their dresses are beautiful. £699? Some may be less and some are more.
It will all come together nicely so don’t get stressed. Look at online reviews for quality aswell if that’s what you go for. it’s the most special thing, enjoy it all and you will find the most amazing dress in your budget but do look for those sample sales. Good luck.

Maybe see if there is a Bridal Reloved store near you? They have really good quality second hand dresses and will likely have some within your budget.

Wed2B do dresses which cost up to £700. It's a walk in basis and queue up when you arrive when it's busy. Good to try on a few dresses to check your style and silhouette. Otherwise Monsoon and Phase 8 have a bridal selection for about £500.

I got my dress from a warehouse store and they started at £299. It's definitely possible to get a beautiful dress for less than £500, recycle my wedding has some pre-loved and there's also Oxfam Bridal. Just be clear about what your budget is becoming it's easy to get carried away once you start trying on. Also remembering that alterations can really add to the total price of the dress. Good luck, O hope you enjoy the experience!

Monsoon and coast do wedding dresses. All online. Some lovely styles ❤️

I went to a boutique bridal store purely down to the fact it was small and i attended an open day and the lady who owned the shop was amazing. I paid a lot of my dress (more than expected) but i love it. She does often have sales at the end of seasons or to get more stock in and she brings the prices right down! If your local(ish) to Nottingham, its Ashleigh Richard bridal - or maybe worth keeping an eye on small shops if you have the time

Are there any second-hand stores near you? Sometimes charities set up specific wedding shops during the summer months, so it might be worth checking these out if they are near you.

It would also be worth contacting a few boutiques to see how many styles they have in your price range, and be firm that you don't want to be shown anything that is over budget. I went to a shop in Bristol that had about 7 designs under £500, but they also had a number of bridesmaids' dresses which could be ordered in shades of white and ivory.

I would encourage you to consider online shopping though - at the lower end of the budget, you are more likely to get good quality. The dress I ordered online was was under £300, yet was much better quality than the £500 dresses I'd tried on in the boutique. Some of the high street stores have wedding dress sections, so you could also try those - Monsoon, Phase Eight etc.

I can second wed2b. My colleague got her wedding dress from there and it was beautiful at a fraction of the usual dress price. She said the staff were absolutely lovely and she actually felt more comfortable there than at some of the more expensive bridal boutiques!

They have shops all over the country, so hopefully there's one near to you.

Definitely keep your budget in mind and go with what feels right for you - good luck with the search! x

Have a look at Wed2Be website they have stores all over uk. Very reasonable prices and dresses are beautiful. I have visit one of they store last week. Amazing customer service

We are all different. I’m marrying for the third time in 15 weeks - I wanted simple. As an older bride I know what suits me and knew look I wanted. I bought my dress from Coast - online and for £180. Unfortunately being organised wasn’t necessarily the best move - 3 months later the dress was £67 in their sale !!! 😩. However I’m happy I have something perfect for my shape and the sort of wedding we’re having. I think there’s good deals to be had from online retailers and for reasonable cost.

Hey - I went round shops like wed2be and eleganza...fell in love with an £1800 dress. Sourced one by the same designer and style on vinted for £400. it needs a couple buttons replaced but otherwise magic.

Best of luck and try and enjoy what you can of the whirlwind!

Wed2Be do beautiful budget dresses. Also have a look on StillWhite x

Hi Rachel,


I actually bought my wedding dress from wed2b last year, but I've since bought a second wedding dress as I think I peaked too soon and bought a dress that doesn't suit my current body anymore... I'm selling this for £400, no alterations have been done, it's currently neatly hanging up in a dress bag waiting to be sold. Size 12 however I was a size 14/16 wearing this at the time.

Agree on Wed2B, they seem to have a range of styles for a few hundred quid, the only downside being you'd need to decide then and there if you loved it as it may not be there when you return.

I went to a small business near my Mum in lincolnshire (Blush Bridal in Bourne) and she had a great selection - some on sale for as low as £500, going up to the higher end ones you'd have to order in. So try your small businesses, the north/more rural you go the more reasonable the costs.

Hi there!


Congratulations first of all - how exciting you’re looking for a dress!
From personal experience, wedding boutiques are expensive and I found the range typically between £1,000-3000. But I think this may depend where you are looking.
I’ve heard fantastic things about places like Wed2B and Wed4Less, definitely worth a look! Just be mindful these places require you to pay for a seamstress elsewhere which could possibly be around £300 for alterations, depending how much you need and where about in the world you are! X

Hey Rachael!

I was passing David's Bridal Stratford and realised that they have a final reductions sale. You can get bridal gowns for as little as £25. It would be worthwhile popping down there. They close at the end of this month so the sooner you get down to them the better. I hope this helps. Here is a picture of their prices at the moment xx

I would try Preloved bridal. Coast and Monsoon. Also Vinted and some charity shops have a special bridal shop. Remember dresses are just worn once. Do look at prom dresses too. I would go to a boutique and get advice on the style then you know what you are looking for. .