Shopping for a NOT WHITE WEDDING DRESS!

dayoanderson

Hey Everyone!

I'm getting married in late summer/early fall of 2016. I'm looking for a gown and venue first, but have one big problem: I DON'T WANT A WHITE GOWN. And I have NO IDEA how to shop for it.

Anybody have any advice? I live in Seattle, Washington. I am going to Nordstrom and they know I don't want a white gown. The thing is? It's not that I want a wedding dress that's dyed a different color, I want an evening gown. A beautiful piece of art that happens to be a dress. The only couture place here in town (Luly Yang) was fantastic... but every dress I liked couldn't be made in my size for a price that was reasonable.

Any pointers, tips, or clues would be much welcomed! 

Thanks so much!

aggiespartan

Oh man.  There is a designer in Seattle that may be great for you.  Is something like this too much?  http://vendors.offbeatbride.com/listing/wai-ching    I have no idea what her pricing is like.  

There is also a guy in Portland (where I live and got my dress) that may be able to accommodate something like you are looking for if you are able to make it down here a couple times.  He is very reasonably priced.   The store is called Cocoon Silk.  

doeydo

Just some possible suggestions:

Downtown or Grand Palais: http://carol-hannah.com/collections/ss-2013/

http://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_tulle-ball-gown-with-pick-up-skirt-emilia_sale-wedding-dresses

http://www.verawang.com/EN/wedding/bridal-collection/fall-2015/2587-look-13-and-14-21

http://www.atelieraimeebridalcouture.com/wedding-dresses-gowns-collections/black-and-white-bride.html

http://watters.com/Product/WattersBrides/5098B

http://watters.com/Product/WtooBrides/17732/

https://www.macduggal.com/Collections

hellohkb

I would look at different department stores, especially Neiman Marcus and Saks. You are likely to find more unique looking gowns that are not wedding or bridesmaid dresses. I think anything from a traditional wedding designer will be to plain for you.

Would you consider Rent the Runway?

CrazyCatLady3

What is your budget?  We can offer better suggestions if we know that.

PrincessOfHavoc

Try looking around prom season also might help.

lovesclimbing

Try looking for formal gowns instead of wedding dresses.

emmyg65

Nordstrom carries a lot of really pretty evening dresses. My wedding dress was a Wtoo bridesmaids dress. Evening gowns, bridesmaids dresses, prom dresses, and even some mother of the bride dresses are also good options.

atlastmrsg

Look on Gilt group.  You can buy Marchesa, Carolina Herrera, Elie Saab, and other couture designers for discounts.  Granted, these evening gowns will run from $500-$5,000 depending on what you want.  

Also, consider pageant gowns.  Not all pageant gowns are crazy embellished.  Designers like Tarik Ediz are doing more red carpet ready looks.  Try Tarik Ediz, Jovani, Sherri Hill, Tony Bowls, and MacDuggal websites if you want an evening gown, but don't want to pay for couture like Marchesa.  You can find styles you like, then search for them online or call authorized retailers.  

Michael's/Sarah Moses, La Casa Hermosa and Serendipity Prom websites can show you a little more of these designers and what's in stock at the stores.  

I love this Sherri Hill (it's red carpet line, there are other less expensive Sherri Hill lines):

http://shop.thepageantshop.com/products/Light-Blue-Strapless-Sherri-Hill-Evening-Gown.html

Many of the Tarik Ediz gowns have great details on the back, example:

http://d5yjppyekae0b.cloudfront.net/regular/Prom-Dresses-Tarik-Ediz-92105-CELINE-BACK.jpg

http://d5yjppyekae0b.cloudfront.net/regular/Prom-Dresses-Tarik-Ediz-92188-HARLEAN...jpg

badbnagdway

We need your budget to get a better idea. If I wanted nontraditional and had a very big budget I'd go Carolina Herrara: 

http://www.preownedweddingdresses.com/blog/shing-hwa-andy-carolina-herrera-wedding-from-andria-lo-photography

http://elizabethuss.com/carolina-herrera-springsummer-2015-a-floral-fantasy/

For a more reasonable budget, I ordered this Watters dress to try on as a bridal gown. It ran really really small (at least on me) and was a little too not white for me, but was very bridal in a not white way: 

http://www.bhldn.com/product/lucca-maxi

[Deleted User]

Check out vera wang collection at David's Bridal. Look online first to see if anything catches your eyes.

theartistformerlyknownas

hellohkb said:

I would look at different department stores, especially Neiman Marcus and Saks. You are likely to find more unique looking gowns that are not wedding or bridesmaid dresses. I think anything from a traditional wedding designer will be to plain for you.

Would you consider Rent the Runway?

Ditto both of these. You're looking for an evening gown, not a "wedding dress that doesn't look like a wedding dress," so you should shop as if you're going to a schmancy black tie event rather than a wedding. I don't think you're likely to find many "works of art" among bridesmaid or prom dresses. Something like this though... swoon-worthy. (Glisten Up gown by Badgley Mischka at RTR) You could even do a super long champagne colored veil tucked up under a sleek chignon...

ETA or blue... Marchesa Notte Luisa

weddingcactus

As previous posters suggested, Nordstrom has a lot of gorgeous evening gowns. 

JCrew has some really pretty full length bridesmaid dresses that come in a great variety of colors. 

Neiman Marcus also has a lot of gorgeous evening gowns. 

And don't forget Saks Fifth Avenue as well for evening gowns. 

Some wedding dress designers also have evening gown collections: Liancarlo, Nicole Miller.

Ok, now I just want to find an event where I need a full length evening gown. There are some gorgeous gowns out there!