When you want to really make an entrance on your wedding day, some brides look for that fabulously quirky wedding dress! But unfortunately, more often that not, it never goes much further than looking. Alternative wedding dresses that aren't designed specifically for you seem to be so few and far between that I have even struggled finding suppliers as a wedding planner.
I was one of those brides. When I was planning my own wedding, I saw the most amazing dress on Pinterest that was covered head to toe in handmade fabric flowers and I fell in love. I knew I wanted a different dress as the 'big white dress look' just didn't suit my personality. Sadly, my budget would not stretch to a bespoke dress and I couldn't find any reasonably priced alternative dresses. I considered buying a plain white dress and just sticking flowers all over it but I knew that that would turn into a disaster very quickly! So I went for the traditional white dress. I had some bespoke lace sleeves made to make it a bit more 'me' and don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVED my dress. But did it really show my personality? I don't think so. Here's a shot of my super awesome sleeves made by the fabulous Toni at the Silver Thimble Alterations...
So, in an attempt to prove that there are alternative wedding dresses out there, I have scoured the nation to help make the lives of all those quirky brides out there a little easier. So here goes! This collection features dresses that aren't necessarily advertised as wedding dresses as well so their prices are incredibly reasonable! And don't forget to let me know if any of you lovely brides say 'yes' to any of these dresses!
The Dip Dyed One
If you are a lover of all things ombre then Lucy Can't Dance is the bridal designer for you. With base dresses, jumpsuits and skirts available for you to mix with numerous different types of tops and dip dye in any colour you wish, you can truly create the dress that is completely bespoke to you without having to sit down with a designer and try to explain what you mean. What I love about their dresses are that they still look bridal and not like a costume which I find can be a problem when looking for a coloured dress. As a guide, their 'Pulp Fiction' dress will set you back between £2550-£2700 depending on your requirements.
The Budget One
Let's face it, we all love a bargain! But at a mere £63.75, this Everly Bridal Gown from the super stylish Collectif Clothing is FAB-U-LOUS! Just look at that beautiful cascade of floral embellishments! And this moody grey colour is every alternative bride's dream. Being a fan of all things in the vintage style, I have a few Collectif dresses in my wardrobe and the quality is truly top notch!
The Rainbow One
You'll be flying high over the rainbow in this super fun gown from Anna Prom Dress featuring layers and layers of rainbow tulle, lace and floral embellishments. It's literally like someone took all the things I love and threw them onto a dress! This stunner will set you back $390 which is around £320 in the current market. This makes me think of weddings featuring unicorns, rainbow colours and bouncy castles - if this is your wedding please can I have an invitation? P.S yes, you really can hire unicorns for weddings, I'm not lying!
The Kick-Ass Corseted One
Mermaids unite! The corset of this dress from the incredibly talented Powdered and Waisted Corsetry is adorned with scales to create a wedding dress fit for a real life mermaid. This STUNNING corset costs £1000 and wouldn't it be worth every single penny?! You could even mix and match it with an ombre skirt from Lucy Can't Dance (above) or even a local Kentish bridal store Matchimony who I love working with!
On a side note, I am actually doing a styled shoot with Powdered and Waisted next month and I can't wait! Stay tuned for the photos!
The Gothic Sexy Black One
Black wedding dresses are becoming so much more popular as brides become more empowered to wear what reflects their personality on their big day so I just had to include a black dress in this list. When Pin Up Girl Clothing released their Gothic Glamour Collection, this little beauty screamed gothic wedding to me! With slits up both thighs, this dress is not for a church wedding or the faint-hearted (or those with faint-hearted mothers like mine!) but it's sure to get your husband-to-be's heart racing when you walk down that aisle. And at the bargain price of £140, can you really afford not to buy it? - I might just buy one for every day use - those sleeves would make dusting the house a breeze!
The Tea Length One
Tea length doesn't have to mean simple! And how adorable is this little number from the lovely Bexbrides? I love the little intricate details and the purple ombre on the lace! This dress really is one-of-a-kind - I'm serious, there is only one! It's a size 8-10 and you can snap it up on Etsy for £389!
So there you have it, just a little handful of the quirky dresses that caught my eye! If you are truly determined to have an alternative wedding dress then don't give up looking - keep going until you find 'the one.' What I will say though is be careful of ordering bespoke dresses from China. Some are great and reliable but some are not and there is just no way of you knowing before parting with your cash! Some of them also rip off designs from actual wedding dress designers and do it poorly (I've seen some horror stories) so don't be fooled by a great price - do your research and most importantly, read reviews!
Happy shopping lovely brides!
Lily x