These 28 Affordable Wedding Dresses Look Just as Good as Designer Ones
I know from my own experience that planning a wedding can take months. You spend endless hours deciding what your guests are going to eat, what booze they're going to drink and even which napkins they'll wipe their mouths on. While this is all important stuff, it doesn't really compare to deciding on which outfit you're going to wear.
The high-street is full of beautiful wedding dresses at the moment.
Of course, the last couple of years had different plans for those who had their weddings coming up, and plenty of nuptials had to be cancelled as a result of the pandemic. But there's one silver lining I hope I can provide for you. If you're planning on getting married at some point, then you have more time to decide what you're going to wear. And if budgets are smaller than you had previously hoped for, then I have good news: High-street wedding dresses look as good as designer ones.
With a rise in the market for well-priced bridal gowns and jumpsuits, there's zero shame attached to spending less on your gown. In fact, affordable can be incredibly chic. Brands like Reformation and Rixo offer chic but inexpensive bridalwear, and the Who What Wear team includes huge fans of their interesting and fun takes.
There are other brands that also stock affordable dresses. Whistles' wedding dress collection continues to be one of my favourites, with all pieces under £700, and one of my affordable red carpet go-to's, Self-Portrait, also offers a drop-dead-gorgeous wedding range. If you still want to invest in something a bit more high-end, Net-A-Porter has a tempting selection of white and ivory gowns and dresses that are in the hundreds, rather than thousands, with a wide mix of styles to suit a city town hall wedding or a dramatic countryside event.
If you want some inspiration for shopping affordable wedding outfits, just take a look at my pick of the expensive-looking options that will cost you a fraction of the price of a traditional frock. I've picked out a selection of dresses from some of our favourite stores that can totally be worn for your big day. While what one person deems as "affordable” can differ greatly for another, considering many wedding dresses cost in the thousands, I’ve kept my edit below the £1,000 threshold. If that still seems expensive to you (it is a considerable amount of money, after all), rest assured there are plenty of dresses that come in way under this. Keep scrolling to shop the specialised wedding dress collections from Reformation, Whistles and so many more.
Shop the Best High-Street Wedding Dresses:
1. Whistles
This would be perfect for an evening wedding—add a faux fur coat for a cold weather affair.
I can't believe this beautifully-detailed dress is a high street find.
2. Rixo
If you're looking to swap out of your gown into a dancefloor ready dress, this is a great option.
3. ASOS Design
I'm a big fan of a mesh, it just looks so elegant.
I love the structure of this mini number, perfect for the modern bride.
The sleeves on this dress really elevates the look.
4. Reformation
This off-white slip dress is gorgeous if you don't want to wear bright, brilliant white.
5. Galvan
Galvan dresses are the perfect balance between classic and contemporary.
This silky number boasts a twisted halterneck, a statement open-back and a gorgeous train.
A lovely long-sleeved bridal dress if you're looking for something a bit more modest.
6. Self-Portrait
A pretty, floral gown for a fraction of the price you'd expect.
Shop Other Affordable Wedding Dresses:
Coast dresses are just reliably good, whether for bridesmaids or brides.
I'm such a fan of Norma Kamali's dresses—the draping is always so good.
This slightly shorter style is perfect for an outdoor wedding.
Going for a high street dress doesn't mean you have to miss out on a train.
This story was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
Hannah Almassi is the Editor in Chief of Who What Wear UK. Hannah has been part of the the Who What Wear brand since 2015, when she was headhunted to launch the UK sister site and social channels, implement a localised content strategy and build out the editorial team. She joined following a seven-year tenure at Grazia magazine, where she led front-of-book news, fashion features and shopping specials as fashion news and features editor. With experience in both print and digital across fashion and beauty, Hannah has over 16 years in the field as a journalist, editor, content strategist and brand consultant. Hannah has interviewed industry heavyweights such as designers including Marc Jacobs and Jonathan Anderson through to arbiters of taste including Katie Grand and Anna Dello Russo. A skilled moderator and lecturer specialising in the shift to digital media and e-commerce, Hannah’s opinion and work has been sought by the likes of CNBC, BBC, The Sunday Times Style, The Times, The Telegraph and MatchesFashion.com, among many others. Hannah is often called upon for her take on trends, becoming known as a person with their finger of the pulse of what’s happening in the fashion space for stylish Brits. Hannah currently resides in Eastbourne with her photographer husband, incredibly busy son and highly Instagrammable cat.
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