Your wedding is one of the happiest and most important days of your life. Naturally, you want it to be perfect. It’s the one day you really want to look amazing, and looking for affordable wedding dresses might be low on your list of priorities.

That’s because, in all the excitement, it’s sometimes easy to lose sight of the more practical considerations – like money. It’s understandable, but there’s no denying that weddings are expensive. The Knot 2017 Real Wedding Study surveyed almost 13,000 US couples that got married in 2017 and found that the average cost of a wedding was $33,391. And that’s before the honeymoon! And the average spent on the wedding dress? A whopping $1509.

If you’re trying not to break the bank, you should be thinking about ways to save on your wedding dress. The good news is you don’t have to spend a fortune to look stunning on your big day. We’ve done the research for you and put together this list of retailers that sell beautiful and cheap wedding dresses. You’re welcome.

Where to Find Affordable Wedding Dresses

There tends to be this perception that the only place to buy a wedding dress is from a bridal shop. Nothing against bridal specialty stores, but this view is incredibly limiting. The truth is, you can find beautiful and much more affordable wedding dresses at some of the same stores you buy “regular” dresses.

• H&M recently launched a wedding collection featuring bridal dresses for as low as $49. And options aren’t limited to just shorter, more casual wedding dresses. We love this floor-length lace dress priced at just $129 and this Kate Middleton-inspired gown on sale for $149.

• Le Chateau sells a bridal line featuring tea length, sheath, A-line, mermaid, and ball gown styles. Prices start at $89.95 and range to $695 for the most elaborate gowns.
  This long-sleeved, high-necked keyhole dress ($350) would be an elegant choice for a winter wedding.

Buy Affordable Wedding Dresses Online

It’s easier to shop online these days than ever. While you likely embrace online shopping for your day-to-day fashion needs, you may not have considered finding the perfect wedding dress online. With many retailers offering free shipping and easy returns, there’s no risk in broadening your search to include online stores that offer attractive and inexpensive options.

• Asos has 24 different wedding dress styles available, including this open back beauty priced at an unbelievable $91.
• Lulus has a wide selection of wedding dresses, including a white sequin midi dress on sale for $38! None of their current selection is priced over $300, so everything on the site is exceptional value.

• Shopbop’s wedding boutique is a great source for more than 100 unique wedding dresses starting at $152. Shopbop offers a wide variety, including designer gowns, so some are more affordable than others. Filter your search from low to high to scour the best deals.
• Revolve has more than 30 wedding styles available priced from $188 to $1150. This Jamie Gown ($228) is a daring choice if you’re looking for something a little bit sexy.
• The Outnet features a wedding boutique with bridal dresses selling at deep discounts starting at $85. Their shop includes dresses from designers like Calvin Klein and Stella McCartney selling for a fraction of the regular price.
• Modcloth currently has more than 30 lovely vintage-inspired affordable wedding dresses available starting at only $62. We’re crushing on the lace bodice and full skirt on this tea-colored gem priced at $300.

• TD Dress currently has more than 1200 budget-friendly wedding dresses for sale. Prices range from $48 to $648. With a selection like that, you’re bound to find something that works for you. Want something really unique? Check out this red and white ball gown – $170.99 for a stock size or $190.98 for your custom measurements.
• Dorothy Perkins has over 100 affordable wedding dresses selling for under $250. For something simple and timeless, we adore this off-the-shoulder Valentina maxi dress ($248).

Rent Wedding Dresses for Less

Renting the dress of your dreams is such a cool concept. Most women purchase a wedding gown with an expensive price tag, wear it for one day, and then relegate it to their closet. But what if you could pay a fraction of the retail cost to rent an expensive dress for your wedding and return it after your big day?

Well, you can! Rent the Runway offers this exact service. While they’re not advertising wedding dresses specifically, just search dresses and filter by the color you want and you’re in business. We love this strapless Allison Parris dress renting for $50-$85.

Find Affordable Bridal Dresses at Specialty Stores

While you’ll definitely find expensive dresses at bridal specialty stores, you can also find some great deals. Tips include looking at last season’s dresses, buying off the rack, and of course, looking for markdowns.

• BHLDN is a bridal specialty store with a brick and mortar and online presence. They have some high-price designer items, but they also have some very affordable yet classy buys. We love the billowy sleeves and the chiffon skirt on this Nova dress selling for just $240.

• David’s Bridal has a similar setup to BHLDN and is also home to some incredible deals. They have about two dozen options available for $100 or less, including this lace dress.
• Dorris Wedding is an online-only bridal store with a wide selection of more than 2400 wedding dresses starting at just under $100. For something airy and light for a summer wedding, check out this chiffon dress, on sale for $99.99.
• Adrianna Papell offers a broad range of wedding attire both in-store and online. Their online store currently features 25 dresses under $500, including this strapless column gown for $189.

Shop for Affordable Wedding Dresses at Thrift Stores

If you enjoy the thrill of a lucky thrift store find, you should consider checking out local thrift stores and consignment shops. You never know what kind of under-priced gems you might discover!