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You don’t have to spend thousands on the perfect wedding dress
Choosing what to wear on your wedding day is one of the biggest decisions a bride-to-be has to make. Whether you’ve dreamed of wearing a traditional ball gown since you were a little girl, or you’d prefer to walk down the aisle in something figure-hugging and modern, choosing the “perfect” wedding dress can feel overwhelming.
This is especially true when you’re battling between other people’s opinions (yes, we’re looking at you, mother-of-the-bride) and navigating all the different styles, fabrics and designers to choose from.
There are two main routes you can go down when it comes to picking “the one”; made-to-measure wedding dresses or off-the-rack wedding dresses. Which avenue you choose is usually dictated by time and money.
For made-to-measure wedding dresses, which are custom-made to fit the individual bride’s measurements, you tend to need between nine to 12 months to try on different styles, request alterations and ship the custom-made dresses. These dresses, which are specifically made for the bride, can cost anything between £1,500 to £10,000 (or more).
If time is short and you’re getting married in less than eight months’ time – or your budget is significantly lower – then off-the-rack high-street wedding dresses are a great option. Available in standard sizing and with prices starting from about £85, loads of amazing high-street brands now have bridal collections with chic, modern wedding dresses.
From modern and minimal to romantic and boho, we’ve rounded up some of the most covetable off-the-rail wedding dresses for brides who want to shop on the high street. Considering the quality, fit and wearability, these dresses are markedly cheaper than anything made-to-measure you’ll find in a boutique wedding dress shop – and suitable for all types of weddings, from low-key registry office nuptials to grander stately home affairs (and everything in between).
Like with many pieces of clothing you can buy online, the limit on how many you can add to your cart will depend on the brand or retailer that you are shopping with. Some brands such as Rixo, Reformation and will set a limit on the number of dresses you can buy in one go.
As is the case with anything you order online from clothing stores and retailers, the likelihood is that they will offer next day delivery – or at least for the next business day (Monday to Friday) – with an additional charge.
For instance, place an order from Ghost before 12pm and you can receive the dress the next working day with a £7 delivery charge instead of the standard £4.95. That being said, if you are ordering internationally then it may take longer. Delivery for Reformation for instance, will take around three to eight working days.
If you’re looking for floral detailing then consider this Monsoon’s Kate beaded floral bridal dress, which is now on sale with 30 per cent off (was £499, now £349.30, Monsoon.co.uk). The dress features pretty pleating with floral beaded embellishments and a mesh skirt flowing form a fitted bodice complete with a traditional bridal train. Meanwhile, for a low-back design with embroidered detailing, you can buy Asos’s Eugenie beaded lace plunge wedding dress with a saving of 40 per cent (was £425, now £255, Asos.com).
Out of all the dresses we tried on, the most flattering was Rixo’s vintage-inspired Jodie ivory dress. It’s the perfect dress if you are a bride-to-be who’s never really dreamt of wearing a meringue princess dress on your big day. We also adored Reformation’s butterfly dress (which we’ll be keeping for our own wedding celebrations). A great understated option for a low-key ceremony, or, indeed, for one of the many other occasions a bride needs to wear white in the run-up to the wedding.
Find the perfect party dress in our roundup of the best, from slip styles to velvet minis