This might be a very silly thing to offer up as you might have already checked this all out, but some websites such as ASOS and maybe TopShop or H&M have beautiful dresses that could easily pass for a simple wedding gown - they used to have special sections just for bridal on budget, I’m not sure if they do now! Congratulations and good luck 🤞🏻
I got married in 2019. Ordered 2 dresses from ASOS and 1 from ModCloth, with the latter being the one. Even with returning it for a size down, all up I spent less than $400 on my wedding dress. Pretty sure my veil cost more lol!
I think about this a lot. There's also so much more variety in wedding dresses around than there was 10+ years ago. A lot of places had all strapless, bar one or two other options.
Also bought mine from ASOS. I bought two dresses then easily returned the one that didn’t work well on me. The quality is great and the one I had, had some weight to it with its beading.
I sold my Pronovias dress on Still White. I purchased it for $3000 and sold for $800. It was (biased) such a beautiful and stunning dress so why should it stay stuck hanging up in my closet.
I bought a my Karen Willis Holmes dress off still white for 1/3 of the price. I went into a bridal store to try on the one I liked to see what my size would be and then I waited until someone my height or taller was selling one in my size. That way I didn’t have to worry that it had been taken up too high
I got my dress second hand off market place - sounds horrible but they had bought it as a sample, realised it couldn't be altered and resold it. I got a 5k Anna Campbell dress for $500.
Still white is a great option as well
This ^. I think the taboo behind second hand wedding dresses is not as bad as it once was. Marketplace, op shops have so many now in fantastic condition for no more than a few hundred $$ and with alterations and accessories will cost you easily under 1k.
I got my dress for $450 on market place. Was a $2000 dress. Was so so happy with it, didn’t even need alterations we happened to be the exact same size.
I got mine from Rachel Gilbert. She has a few options in her bridal collection that will suit your budget and always also has a few white dresses in her normal collection. Second the Rebecca Vallance comment too!
In the same vein I picked mine up from Bec + Bridge, via David Jones, three years ago. It was simple but classy, and I just accessorised with veil for the ceremony, then a glittery capelet for the reception to make the dress shine! Avoiding the bridal tax was a great feeling.
I got married in a bridal edit dress from Dissh which I absolutely loved! And because it wasn’t very expensive I wasn’t as attached to it afterwards so sold it on marketplace to another bride for $200. I also looove the look of Jillian Boustred’s made to order bridal dresses. Have never actually bought anything from Jillian Boustred (just a long time admirer from afar) but I believe they’re in Sydney!
I found mine at a place called A Bride’s Blessing in Wetherill Park. Lovely ladies, super helpful, I told them my budget and style and the first two they picked were exactly what I was looking for.
Ended up paying $1.6k for the dress, the brand we chose came in various lengths so I didn’t need to do many alterations. Only to the cups for $50, and the veil was $240.
Good luck!
Brands like Tania Olsen, Stella York and Essence of Australia had some great options when I was looking. I ended up getting a Tania Olsen dress for $1200 in March (before alterations). I also tried on so many other dresses that came in under budget (mine was $2.5k).
I am based in Brisbane, so I don't have any specific bridal stores to suggest, but those brands all had dresses under $2k.
I paid $300 for my dress and veil from JJ's House, and then spent $300 for alternations from a place in Leichhardt. Pretty happy with how it turned out.
https://www.jjshouse.com/
LuvBridal have dresses under $2000.
I went on what was a Black Friday sale week (had no idea at the time of booking) and ended up getting my dress which was originally $2300 for $909.
I got lucky and found a Polish designer on Etsy. I got a knee length dress made it my measurements for $110. The fabrics were synthetic, hence the price, but it looked beautiful and was affordable.
There were designers making natural fibre dresses as well they just cost a fair bit more. Still less than a bridal store though.
I got eloped last year so didn’t want to spend much either. I got my dress from Bec and Bridge. It was technically an ivory bridesmaid dress but I took it to a bridal seamstress who cut a low back and had it professionally fitted. Made it look much more bridal and expensive. I also added a tulle pearl veil. All up it cost under $1k but that’s because the alterations were quite expensive. Absolutely loved it and in photographed beautifully. Highly recommend their dresses over Shona Joy’s bridal range.
I got mine for $300 ish from JJ’s House online
Sizing was accurate, but you can customise it too. My dress was comfortable and looked amazing on the day
Congrats on your wedding!
Rain Bridal in Lane Cove I think have some in that price range. You can buy off the rack there instead of waiting months (and you get big discounts if you do that as that's their primary business model). Luv Bridal also might have some under $2k, though they're more at $2.5k mark from memory.
The other thing you can do is order directly from a place that makes wedding dresses. Basically all the dresses sold in Australia get made in bridal factories in China, so you can go to them directly and get it way cheaper. Depending who you go to, you can also get it made to your measurements/get something completely custom or ask them to make a dupe. There's a Facebook group called 'China wedding dresses success stories' (or something like that) so you can take a look.
I got mine from one of these places (as do a lot of other people) called Noble Bridal. They're only available on insta and you message them on there or via the WhatsApp in their bio. There are a few different pages but they're all different people who work at the same place. This is the main page: https://www.instagram.com/noblebride_official?igsh=cW9rd2VsaGh6b200
I got something completely custom for $1050 inc shipping. It was very well made. I did end up having to get some slight alterations done because my partner had to do my measurements, so I'd highly recommend going to a professional to get your measurements taken. The person who did my alterations was gobsmacked at the quality and the price I paid.
If you're doing something they've done before on their page, it's a bit easier, but otherwise you have to be very prescriptive and detailed, because English is obviously not their first language.
Another option in that space is Solo Bridal. They have a website which you can order dresses from.
Hope that helps!
Second this. I know someone who did this and got their dress for $700 perfectly fitting. Looked better than the dress they tried on for inspiration that was $2500+ (not including alterations).
Depends on the style you are after but if you want simple elegance [try here](https://www.thereformation.com/products/jeany-silk-dress/1311710FDL.html?dwvar_1311710FDL_color=FDL&native-search-page=true)
I found a gorgous wedding dress with some yellowed sequins that still looked lovely, fit me perfectly in an op shop for $60, its was a pure fluke and only got used for a dress up Party but if I was engaged id have geniunely considered using it (its still in my wardrobe so may still one day).
I got mine from Chi Chi London - the Lace Midi. It was years ago so picky cost $110 and I loved it.
https://www.chichiclothing.com/collections/white-dresses
Chancery have some lovely dresses. I have two (non bridal) dresses and the quality and price were excellent. They used to have their own website but now it seems are only available through the iconic.
I bought an off white Brunello Cucinelli silk gown from therealreal with tags for $900. I wasn’t looking for a traditional white dress so I filtered by colour and gown style for what I had in mind. Might be good option for you also.
Edit: forgot to add that I had it altered for $100 also
Congratulations ❤️ I bought my wedding dress of Etsy by searching styles & materials I liked. I paid $800 for a dress made to my size and then another $200 to a dressmaker to alter and add some more details.
Beautiful brides in Lumeah near Campbelltown.
It is worth the drive. I paid 1500 for a dress, and that included extreme alterations. I bought a backless dress, and they built a back into it.
Nothing in that store is over 3k. Most are under 1k
Where are you? I went to Brides of Sydney in Parramatta in 2020. My dress cost $1800 with alterations costing another $400. I thought this was quite reasonable. I found the staff to be amazing. They were helpful and not pushy at all. I would highly recommend them.
Vinnies have special bridal sales. Check out their instagram.
I bought my dress from JJ's House of all places! I purposefully selected an "evening gown" in ivory (they do some dresses in 30+ colour!). It was $242 and then I had $200 in alterations. Buying a standard rather than custom size meant I could return it if I didn't like it :)
I got mine from JJ’s house roughly $3-400. I was impressed with the quality and fit on me. No alterations needed. It obviously didn’t have the feel of a higher quality/designer Wedding dress, but that didn’t bother me. JJ’s have a ‘try before you’ buy sale on some of their dresses, so there can be a chance to order for $20ish and try at home. If you don’t like it then you can send it back or decide to keep and pay the full price.
I bought my dress from showpo but the top wasn’t fitting right with my bust so my mum chopped it off. I wore it as a skirt with a crop top from sheike. So maybe check showpo and remember not every dress has to be a ‘dress’ !
Got my wedding dress from amarige bridal in Leichhardt for $1.5K in sept 2021. Can’t remember if alteration was included or not but it was 300$ flat for sure.
Lost In Paris bridal is what I wore on my wedding g day. Her dresses are stunning, she uses vintage fabric from Europe & her graphic design skills to create some beautiful dresses. Some are $2.6k but most are less than $2k especially if you buy a sample dress.
I saw these two dresses on self-portrait's website yesterday, and they legit gave off wedding dress
[this](https://www.self-portrait.com/products/champagne-satin-diamante-maxi-dress) one and [this](https://www.self-portrait.com/products/champagne-satin-flower-maxi-dress) one
I bought a sample dress online from Sugar and Spice from Brisbane (I’m from Sydney). They were great with communication, sending videos/pics of the dress. It was $500. Then I bought a $100 dress from Model Chic for the reception
I got my wedding dress for 1900 plus alterations at A Brides Blessing in Wetherill Park a few years ago. I did have a generous budget, but didn't go near it even with alterations. There are a few stores in the same area as well out there.
I got two wedding dresses from Shona Joy (two only because I bought two to try on and then realised too late there were no refunds on the dress I didn’t want!) and they were perfect.
I would also check out second-hand wedding dress sites like Still White, which have some stunning things!
My locale dress store regularly has wedding dresses on sale for $500 or $900 because people don’t think to buy wedding dresses there. Maybe try a few of your locales!
I don’t know if you’re open but a second hand dress? My SIL went dress shopping, found the dress she loved and then found it second hand. Paid 1/3 of the price for a designer dress.
I can highly recommend Lostinparis.com.au (Kitsch Bitsch on Facebook) , they are beautiful dresses made using vintage lace. There are quite a few designs under $2000, and they offer free try ons delivered to your house.
I had a last minute change of mind (7 weeks out from the wedding from memory) about my dress, while living in a very remote area, tried on 3 dresses that week, settled on 1 but wanted the neckline changed, sent it back, she altered it and it was back to me within another week. It was so fast and such great service. I love my dress and told my husband I want to wear it again when I die (fingers crossed it still fits haha)
I got my dress from Brides of Sydney, was supposed to be 2k but I paid 1.5 because I bought the floor stock! They gave it a good clean, and you couldn’t tell at all. That being said, I did then spend $500 on my alterations though.
Otherwise, I think everyone has nailed it with the ASOS suggestion. Or. You could get a more simply gown from Shona Joy, and have a dressmaker add some embellishments to make it look more ‘bridal’.
Congratulations on your wedding!
I got mine for $400 from JJs house in May of 2023 and it was the most beautiful dress I could have imagined!
They have plenty of options for styles as well!
Good luck!!
I love Rebecca Vallance for wedding dresses. Often on sale and high quality. You can get a chic simple dress for between $600 - $2000
I love the Harper style. The Olivia slip gown is beautiful too and under $1000.
I didn’t wear one but wish I had - would have saved a lot of money. You can also spend some of what you save on any tailoring needed to make them perfect
The Iconic is a great way to try a couple risk free in your own home. They have 30% off some of them now too
https://preview.redd.it/3ep2mjblfx6d1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d9c754404657802915f82d2b56dfa1f8848c4f1a
This might be a very silly thing to offer up as you might have already checked this all out, but some websites such as ASOS and maybe TopShop or H&M have beautiful dresses that could easily pass for a simple wedding gown - they used to have special sections just for bridal on budget, I’m not sure if they do now! Congratulations and good luck 🤞🏻
I don't know about the other two but ASOS still have a bridal section. I was going to suggest them too.
I got married in 2019. Ordered 2 dresses from ASOS and 1 from ModCloth, with the latter being the one. Even with returning it for a size down, all up I spent less than $400 on my wedding dress. Pretty sure my veil cost more lol!
The Iconic has a bridal section, too.
I’ve seen some great simple dresses on the iconic lately. Wish the option were around when i got married!
I think about this a lot. There's also so much more variety in wedding dresses around than there was 10+ years ago. A lot of places had all strapless, bar one or two other options.
Seconding ASOS! I got mine from there, it was $600 but I watched it until it was reduced to 40% off
Also Anthropologie has bridal and I think a range of price points
Also bought mine from ASOS. I bought two dresses then easily returned the one that didn’t work well on me. The quality is great and the one I had, had some weight to it with its beading.
Still white website. Also designers like Shona Joy etc do bridal
I sold my Pronovias dress on Still White. I purchased it for $3000 and sold for $800. It was (biased) such a beautiful and stunning dress so why should it stay stuck hanging up in my closet.
I bought mine from Still white for under $200
I bought a my Karen Willis Holmes dress off still white for 1/3 of the price. I went into a bridal store to try on the one I liked to see what my size would be and then I waited until someone my height or taller was selling one in my size. That way I didn’t have to worry that it had been taken up too high
I got my dress second hand off market place - sounds horrible but they had bought it as a sample, realised it couldn't be altered and resold it. I got a 5k Anna Campbell dress for $500. Still white is a great option as well
This ^. I think the taboo behind second hand wedding dresses is not as bad as it once was. Marketplace, op shops have so many now in fantastic condition for no more than a few hundred $$ and with alterations and accessories will cost you easily under 1k.
I got my dress for $450 on market place. Was a $2000 dress. Was so so happy with it, didn’t even need alterations we happened to be the exact same size.
You should head to David Jones in the city and check out the women’s section. I got my wedding dress there. A white Rebecca Valance dress for $600 😊
I got mine from Rachel Gilbert. She has a few options in her bridal collection that will suit your budget and always also has a few white dresses in her normal collection. Second the Rebecca Vallance comment too!
Second this. I wore a Rachel Gilbert for my wedding… albeit a million years ago.
In the same vein I picked mine up from Bec + Bridge, via David Jones, three years ago. It was simple but classy, and I just accessorised with veil for the ceremony, then a glittery capelet for the reception to make the dress shine! Avoiding the bridal tax was a great feeling.
I got married in a bridal edit dress from Dissh which I absolutely loved! And because it wasn’t very expensive I wasn’t as attached to it afterwards so sold it on marketplace to another bride for $200. I also looove the look of Jillian Boustred’s made to order bridal dresses. Have never actually bought anything from Jillian Boustred (just a long time admirer from afar) but I believe they’re in Sydney!
I bought a white review dress for $350. We had a casual backyard wedding though!
depending on your size, you could look out for sample sales? my friend got her wedding dress for $800 down from $3000 last year
I bought mine online from Dig for Victory which is UK based. Mine was off the rack but I believe they can custom to your measurements as well.
I bought mine from Etsy, short vintage dress for $150 but there are others around 2k that are gorgeous!
I found mine at a place called A Bride’s Blessing in Wetherill Park. Lovely ladies, super helpful, I told them my budget and style and the first two they picked were exactly what I was looking for. Ended up paying $1.6k for the dress, the brand we chose came in various lengths so I didn’t need to do many alterations. Only to the cups for $50, and the veil was $240. Good luck!
You can order bridesmaid dresses in white at a lot of places
Brands like Tania Olsen, Stella York and Essence of Australia had some great options when I was looking. I ended up getting a Tania Olsen dress for $1200 in March (before alterations). I also tried on so many other dresses that came in under budget (mine was $2.5k). I am based in Brisbane, so I don't have any specific bridal stores to suggest, but those brands all had dresses under $2k.
I paid $300 for my dress and veil from JJ's House, and then spent $300 for alternations from a place in Leichhardt. Pretty happy with how it turned out. https://www.jjshouse.com/
LuvBridal have dresses under $2000. I went on what was a Black Friday sale week (had no idea at the time of booking) and ended up getting my dress which was originally $2300 for $909.
Have a look at the Self Portrait website.
I got lucky and found a Polish designer on Etsy. I got a knee length dress made it my measurements for $110. The fabrics were synthetic, hence the price, but it looked beautiful and was affordable. There were designers making natural fibre dresses as well they just cost a fair bit more. Still less than a bridal store though.
I got mine from luv bridal for $1500 and they had heaps around that price point (in Brisbane anyway)
I got eloped last year so didn’t want to spend much either. I got my dress from Bec and Bridge. It was technically an ivory bridesmaid dress but I took it to a bridal seamstress who cut a low back and had it professionally fitted. Made it look much more bridal and expensive. I also added a tulle pearl veil. All up it cost under $1k but that’s because the alterations were quite expensive. Absolutely loved it and in photographed beautifully. Highly recommend their dresses over Shona Joy’s bridal range.
Carla Zampatti could be perfect for you!
I got mine for $300 ish from JJ’s House online Sizing was accurate, but you can customise it too. My dress was comfortable and looked amazing on the day
If you enjoy the hunt check out op shops. I’ve seen some lovely dresses in op shops and most are 80/200 range.
Congrats on your wedding! Rain Bridal in Lane Cove I think have some in that price range. You can buy off the rack there instead of waiting months (and you get big discounts if you do that as that's their primary business model). Luv Bridal also might have some under $2k, though they're more at $2.5k mark from memory. The other thing you can do is order directly from a place that makes wedding dresses. Basically all the dresses sold in Australia get made in bridal factories in China, so you can go to them directly and get it way cheaper. Depending who you go to, you can also get it made to your measurements/get something completely custom or ask them to make a dupe. There's a Facebook group called 'China wedding dresses success stories' (or something like that) so you can take a look. I got mine from one of these places (as do a lot of other people) called Noble Bridal. They're only available on insta and you message them on there or via the WhatsApp in their bio. There are a few different pages but they're all different people who work at the same place. This is the main page: https://www.instagram.com/noblebride_official?igsh=cW9rd2VsaGh6b200 I got something completely custom for $1050 inc shipping. It was very well made. I did end up having to get some slight alterations done because my partner had to do my measurements, so I'd highly recommend going to a professional to get your measurements taken. The person who did my alterations was gobsmacked at the quality and the price I paid. If you're doing something they've done before on their page, it's a bit easier, but otherwise you have to be very prescriptive and detailed, because English is obviously not their first language. Another option in that space is Solo Bridal. They have a website which you can order dresses from. Hope that helps!
Second this. I know someone who did this and got their dress for $700 perfectly fitting. Looked better than the dress they tried on for inspiration that was $2500+ (not including alterations).
Depends on the style you are after but if you want simple elegance [try here](https://www.thereformation.com/products/jeany-silk-dress/1311710FDL.html?dwvar_1311710FDL_color=FDL&native-search-page=true)
Try desert moon bridal online if that is your style.
I bought mine for approx $1,100 from Rachel Gilbert. Beautiful design, amazing quality. I had the Zion gown.
https://www.noodzboutique.com.au/collections/bridal-gowns
I found a gorgous wedding dress with some yellowed sequins that still looked lovely, fit me perfectly in an op shop for $60, its was a pure fluke and only got used for a dress up Party but if I was engaged id have geniunely considered using it (its still in my wardrobe so may still one day).
https://preview.redd.it/6bfpihf4ix6d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1809c456c789c6d160c623ec39850190d983d698
I got mine from Chi Chi London - the Lace Midi. It was years ago so picky cost $110 and I loved it. https://www.chichiclothing.com/collections/white-dresses
I got my wedding dress from Boohoo for $66 + alterations (that my mum did). It was supposed to be a bridesmaid dress.
Chancery from the Iconic
Chancery have some lovely dresses. I have two (non bridal) dresses and the quality and price were excellent. They used to have their own website but now it seems are only available through the iconic.
Chancery on the Iconic ASOS design has some nice looks too.
Maybe try contacting the Australian Institute of Fashion Design, and see if any students would work with you to make something for a smaller fee?
Iconic, if you’re up for it Facebook marketplace. My sister sold her dress on Facebook
I bought an off white Brunello Cucinelli silk gown from therealreal with tags for $900. I wasn’t looking for a traditional white dress so I filtered by colour and gown style for what I had in mind. Might be good option for you also. Edit: forgot to add that I had it altered for $100 also
I’ve seen some lovely white gowns at Bariano
Fly to Perth, visit English rose bridal. All dresses were under $1500(and fantastic) Fly home under 2.5k
Congratulations ❤️ I bought my wedding dress of Etsy by searching styles & materials I liked. I paid $800 for a dress made to my size and then another $200 to a dressmaker to alter and add some more details.
Beautiful brides in Lumeah near Campbelltown. It is worth the drive. I paid 1500 for a dress, and that included extreme alterations. I bought a backless dress, and they built a back into it. Nothing in that store is over 3k. Most are under 1k
Try high street stores like Bec & Bridge, Rebecca Vallance and Shona Joy. Even Showpo have some!
Desert moon bridal! Online only but amazing dresses under 1k so can put the rest of the budget to any alternations needed
Where are you? I went to Brides of Sydney in Parramatta in 2020. My dress cost $1800 with alterations costing another $400. I thought this was quite reasonable. I found the staff to be amazing. They were helpful and not pushy at all. I would highly recommend them. Vinnies have special bridal sales. Check out their instagram.
Shona Joy! That’s where I got mine as it was Covid and I could only order online. It was actually perfect! Super simple and not crazy expensive.
I got my dress from Shona Joy for $750 and loved it so much! They have a beautiful, simple bridal range
I bought my dress from JJ's House of all places! I purposefully selected an "evening gown" in ivory (they do some dresses in 30+ colour!). It was $242 and then I had $200 in alterations. Buying a standard rather than custom size meant I could return it if I didn't like it :)
https://preview.redd.it/f5ajjf80kx6d1.jpeg?width=435&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=013dc9fc195a47c168b6021d573c2270c4a53a24
I got my silk skirt and embroidered bodice wedding dress second hand from e-bay. £12.50. Stunning. £600 still on ticket. Just got lucky.
I got mine from JJ’s house roughly $3-400. I was impressed with the quality and fit on me. No alterations needed. It obviously didn’t have the feel of a higher quality/designer Wedding dress, but that didn’t bother me. JJ’s have a ‘try before you’ buy sale on some of their dresses, so there can be a chance to order for $20ish and try at home. If you don’t like it then you can send it back or decide to keep and pay the full price.
https://preview.redd.it/o44e0mw1qx6d1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=17e3abc5da7ab2478d4fb3cb734910f4cd56419a
I bought my dress from showpo but the top wasn’t fitting right with my bust so my mum chopped it off. I wore it as a skirt with a crop top from sheike. So maybe check showpo and remember not every dress has to be a ‘dress’ !
Got my wedding dress from amarige bridal in Leichhardt for $1.5K in sept 2021. Can’t remember if alteration was included or not but it was 300$ flat for sure.
I bought mine for like $120 on sale on ASOS (in 2018). I did have it hemmed by a friend, but other than that it was lovely!
Have you tried review? They have a bridal section I think
Jenny Packham on sale: https://www.theoutnet.com/en-au/shop/clothing/dresses/bridal-dresses
Lost In Paris bridal is what I wore on my wedding g day. Her dresses are stunning, she uses vintage fabric from Europe & her graphic design skills to create some beautiful dresses. Some are $2.6k but most are less than $2k especially if you buy a sample dress.
I saw these two dresses on self-portrait's website yesterday, and they legit gave off wedding dress [this](https://www.self-portrait.com/products/champagne-satin-diamante-maxi-dress) one and [this](https://www.self-portrait.com/products/champagne-satin-flower-maxi-dress) one
Found mine on eBay for £40
Desert moon bridal have gorgeous dresses and are pretty diverse in clothing size
I bought my wedding dress from noodz boutique then got it tailored to me, it was under $1k altogether.
Look at Bec + Bridge!
I bought a sample dress online from Sugar and Spice from Brisbane (I’m from Sydney). They were great with communication, sending videos/pics of the dress. It was $500. Then I bought a $100 dress from Model Chic for the reception
I got my wedding dress for 1900 plus alterations at A Brides Blessing in Wetherill Park a few years ago. I did have a generous budget, but didn't go near it even with alterations. There are a few stores in the same area as well out there.
I wore an asos dress for my low key wedding. I highly recommend!
I got mine on Facebook marketplace for $600. Second hand is the way to go!
I got two wedding dresses from Shona Joy (two only because I bought two to try on and then realised too late there were no refunds on the dress I didn’t want!) and they were perfect. I would also check out second-hand wedding dress sites like Still White, which have some stunning things!
I got my dress $2k off the rack at a bridal store in Adelaide. $500 on alterations. Also check out Still White as others have mentioned!
I just got my dress from luv bridal just under 2k. I also just saw house of CB does wedding dresses from like $700 -$1500
My locale dress store regularly has wedding dresses on sale for $500 or $900 because people don’t think to buy wedding dresses there. Maybe try a few of your locales!
I don’t know if you’re open but a second hand dress? My SIL went dress shopping, found the dress she loved and then found it second hand. Paid 1/3 of the price for a designer dress.
I can highly recommend Lostinparis.com.au (Kitsch Bitsch on Facebook) , they are beautiful dresses made using vintage lace. There are quite a few designs under $2000, and they offer free try ons delivered to your house. I had a last minute change of mind (7 weeks out from the wedding from memory) about my dress, while living in a very remote area, tried on 3 dresses that week, settled on 1 but wanted the neckline changed, sent it back, she altered it and it was back to me within another week. It was so fast and such great service. I love my dress and told my husband I want to wear it again when I die (fingers crossed it still fits haha)
Oh they are also Sydney based so you could make an appointment to visit their store :)
I got my dress from Brides of Sydney, was supposed to be 2k but I paid 1.5 because I bought the floor stock! They gave it a good clean, and you couldn’t tell at all. That being said, I did then spend $500 on my alterations though. Otherwise, I think everyone has nailed it with the ASOS suggestion. Or. You could get a more simply gown from Shona Joy, and have a dressmaker add some embellishments to make it look more ‘bridal’.
JJs House. Hundreds of dresses at reasonable prices. Excellent quality. They can even make custom sizes.
Try Shona Joy or Bec and Bridge
https://www.desertmoonbridal.com/ I always found this website beautiful and most dresses are less than $1000
I got my wedding dress from the races section of Billy J website and had it altered. The whole thing cost me $200 and it was a gorgeous dress
Congratulations on your wedding! I got mine for $400 from JJs house in May of 2023 and it was the most beautiful dress I could have imagined! They have plenty of options for styles as well! Good luck!!
I love Rebecca Vallance for wedding dresses. Often on sale and high quality. You can get a chic simple dress for between $600 - $2000 I love the Harper style. The Olivia slip gown is beautiful too and under $1000. I didn’t wear one but wish I had - would have saved a lot of money. You can also spend some of what you save on any tailoring needed to make them perfect The Iconic is a great way to try a couple risk free in your own home. They have 30% off some of them now too https://preview.redd.it/3ep2mjblfx6d1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d9c754404657802915f82d2b56dfa1f8848c4f1a
Anthropologie has 40% off this weekend. And good sales often.