Attire & Accessories Forum

Help - Buying a wedding dress online

Hi Guys,

I got engaged last October, our wedding is next March and I'm just starting to look for the dress - I have my first appointment for a fitting this weekend.
I'm looking for people who bought their wedding dresses online - I'm hoping to find the dress I want (the style, colour etc) and then buy it online - either in US or Overseas. My fiancee and I don't want to spend a lot of money on the wedding and I just can't justify to myself spending upto $2,500 or so for a dress!
Does anyone have advice about where to buy online, or where not to buy? Your help would be very appreciated. I always come on and read the forums, but this is my first post!
ThanksLaughing

Re: Help - Buying a wedding dress online

  • A lot of the sites that sell dresses overseas are knock-offs and are usually really cheap quality and poor construction. Some ladies on these boards have had no problems, others have had lots of issues. Generally speaking, buying a dress from overseas (China) is not recommended.

    There are some legitmate sites here in the US: jaysbridal.com and pearlsplace.com

    However, whoever you decide to buy from, I would not buy the dress without trying it on first.
  • I used Jay's Bridal and they have free shipping if purchased out of Florida.  Also they have periodic deals for a certain percentage off and sometimes a free veil or shoes.
    Ignorance is a poor defense. Image and video hosting by TinyPic
  • First off, you have so many options for much, much less than $2500. Most bridal designers sell well under this price range, so I'd encourage you to first support your local businesses. It really sucks when people treat bridal salons like fitting rooms, and then take their business elsewhere. It's caused many salons to increase their prices or close their doors for good. Be upfront about your budget, and you'll be shown plenty of beautiful dresses within your price range.

    If you do want to save some cash, your next best bet is to buy preowned. There are tons of gown consignment sites out there, and many of the dresses haven't even been worn--they were just purchased by brides whose plans or tastes changed. Some websites: oncewed.com, preownedweddingdresses.com, bravobride.com, and bridepower.com (which specializes in designer samples).

    If you're unable to find a dress you want within your budget, THEN try going online for an authentic gown. I would not ever suggest buying a knockoff from overseas. You just don't know what you're going to get. Many of those dresses end up being totally unwearable.
  • I have heard horror stories about a place called Light in the Box, and I would be really careful about ordering from an online only store with the time frame you have (you said next March, right?).  There are many salons that carry great deals on gowns, especially this time of year and into early next year, when the new lines are coming out. You should be able to land a good deal on a discontinued dress or try a consignment shop as some have suggested.

    I see listings all the time on Craigslist, and another good place would be woreitonce.com for pre-owned gowns.

    Good Luck in your search for your dress!
    Anniversary
  • I found the wedding dress that I wanted at a bridal shop, but I didn't want to spend that much money.  Fortunately, the sample dress fit me perfectly so I knew exactly what size I needed.  Then, searched the internet (Google!) for that exact dress, and found many people selling it pre-owned for half the price, or less.  The seller I found actually lived across the country, but her mom lived in my area.  So, she shipped the dress to her mom's house and let me try it on before I purchased it!  I also bought a pre-owned veil!
  • I bought my dress from David's Bridal online. I would be very cautious of buying overseas. I was looking at a website that I thought had beautiful dresses for cheap, but when I searched for reviews they were all horrible. My wedding is also in March and David's Bridal has a wonderful selection and a great sale. I got my dress for less than $200 ($100 off the price) plus free shipping! It also only took a week to reach my house and I can go to a store location for a free steam and press along with alterations that I need. Hope this helps!!!
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