There are so many more ways to shop for a wedding dress these days than just making an appointment at a bridal store. It’s no surprise that, given that you can buy everything online, there are so many great online stores where you can buy a wedding dress. No matter what style you’re looking for—voluminous or elegant, short or long, and whether you want a new, vintage, or used wedding dress—you can find it online. Here are some key things to consider when looking for an online store that sells your dream wedding dress.
Price:
Your budget will be one of the main factors to consider when shopping for a wedding dress. If you’re willing to pay full price for a designer wedding dress, shopping online opens up a wide range of beautiful gowns with the added advantage of instant availability. Net-a-Porter and Nordstrom offer designer dresses that cost less than $2,000, but they can easily top $10,000 for designers like Oscar de la Renta or Stella McCartney.
For brides looking for a dress on a budget, online shopping offers a wide range of affordable and elegant wedding dresses. You can choose from a variety of new wedding dresses at Reformation or ASOS for under $500, with gowns starting at just $100. Brands like J. Crew and Anthropologie’s BHLDN bridal line sell their dresses online for under $3,000, so keeping your budget under $100 doesn’t have to limit your options.
Style
One of the great advantages of shopping online is that you can search for all possible wedding dress styles without the hassle of going from store to store. It’s a good idea to do some research in physical stores first to see if sleeveless or capri styles suit you better, or if you prefer an A-line or sheath dress. Once you have a vision of your desired wedding dress style, the internet is your go-to place.
Boho brides will find boho-inspired, art deco, and vintage dresses at BHLDN, or the slightly more expensive and eccentric style of Stone Fox Bride, where you’ll find bell-shaped sleeves and long dresses with unique accents. If you’re looking for a classic wedding silhouette, you can’t beat J. Crew for elegant A-line and wrap dresses, or Nordstrom for soft, dreamy, and traditionally romantic dresses. Fashion-conscious brides looking for the latest trends can also find them at Net-a-Porter, which carries just about every designer from Self-Portrait to Stella McCartney.
If you’re looking for something a little different, Reformation specializes in eco-friendly fashion made from recycled and sometimes surprising materials. You can choose a classic ball gown or a flowy, eco-certified maxi dress to show off your eco-conscious style.
Buying Pre-Worn
In addition to finding new designer dresses at sites like Nordstrom and Net-a-Porter, the internet is also your largest catalog for vintage and used wedding dresses. Buying a used dress is a great way to save money. One of the benefits of buying a secondhand dress is that you can use the money you save to alter it for the perfect fit. PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com offers a wide range of over 20,000 used wedding dresses, all at a discount of at least 50%.
However, we’ve all heard horror stories about brides who were ripped off when the handmade vintage lace dress they were hoping for turned out to be a cheap, mass-produced item from China. While you can try your luck on sites like Craigslist or eBay, you’re much more likely to find your dream used dress on a site dedicated exclusively to reselling wedding dresses. That’s why Nearly Newlywed has a lengthy application process to verify that wedding dress sellers aren’t selling counterfeit goods, so you can be sure you’re getting what you paid for. Tradesy also offers a money-back guarantee if any wedding item isn’t authentic, so you can shop with confidence.
Sizes
One of the benefits of buying a pre-owned dress, like one of the 20,000 dresses available at PrewornWeddingDresses.com, is that you have a better chance of finding your size if you need a plus size or one designed for tall or petite brides. Someone else has already spent time finding a dress that fits your body type, and you can benefit from their efforts. You can also invest the money you save in customizing your dress. While many designer wedding dresses go up to a size 12, Stone Fox Bride dresses are available in sizes 0 to 24.
Personal Guidance
The only downside to online shopping is that sometimes you really need the personal opinion of a professional. Stone Fox Bride combines the convenience of online shopping with the dedicated support of a bridal boutique by offering Skype video consultations to help you choose your wedding dress. You can also get help over the phone from a BHLDN bridal consultant if you can’t visit their physical bridal boutique. Nordstrom’s free bridal stylist packing service is available both in-store and over the phone. So you won’t feel alone when shopping for your wedding dress online.
Returns Policy
When buying a wedding dress online, you want the peace of mind of knowing that you can return it if it’s not exactly what you had in mind when you receive it. While most used wedding dress websites, such as PreownedWeddingDresses.com, don’t offer free returns, you can be sure to get a full refund when you buy a new wedding dress from Net-a-Porter or BHLDN. You can also get a refund if you don’t like the look after you try it on at home.
Buy a Wedding Dress Online Today
Buying a wedding dress online allows you to choose from a wider range of styles in one place, save on your budget, or save time waiting for your dress to be ready. With so many new and used wedding dress websites available today, there’s nothing stopping you from finding your dream wedding dress online.
