Planning your wedding is an exciting time in your life, but you shouldn’t have to take out a loan to buy a beautiful wedding dress! One of the biggest expenses is the wedding dress and, if you’re on a strict budget, chances are you want to find a beautiful, affordable wedding dress that won’t break the bank.

In this blog post, I’ll show you exactly what to look for when searching for an affordable dress including one particular shop that offers options to save you money in the process.

With the help of these smart shopping tips, you’ll find the perfect wedding dress to look beautiful on your special day without costing an arm and a leg.

First, let’s talk about where to shop for cheap wedding dresses. The problem with the term cheap is many people correlate it to quality, but that is NOT the case with these dresses. Meet designer, Orit Barzelai, one of the most sought-after Etsy wedding dress makers! Her shop — Barzelai — offers premium quality wedding dresses at a fraction of the cost.

She offers dresses in the range of $300 upwards to $950, with so many unique styles, silhouettes, and fabrics from which to choose.

In this blog post, we’ll show you proof that you can buy an affordable dress for your wedding backed by a plethora of fantastic customer reviews who rave about how comfortable the dresses are, how it is a “perfect fit”, and how terrific the communication and shopping process was with the designer.

Love all of that!

Where to Look for Affordable Wedding Dresses

You can start your search in the shop at Barzelai. There are many designers online that offer cheap wedding dresses, but this is one of the few shops I’d recommend to my own friends and family without hesitation.

I’ve had the opportunity to get to know Orit over the years and she is amazing at her craft, as well as passionate about what she does. She really pours her heart into her gowns and it shows!

Cut Your Budget in Half

What is your wedding dress budget?

Typically, you’ll spend around $1600 to $2500 on average. Some brides splurge and spend thousands more.

► Can you spend a lot on an expensive wedding dress? Absolutely.

► Do you have to spend an arm and a leg on a beautiful dress? No, not unless you want to.

Here are some tips to stay on budget when shopping for a wedding dress.

If your wedding dress budget is $1000, don’t look to the top of your budget for the dress alone. Instead, set your sights on capping your budget at $300 to $700 so you’ll have a beautiful dress with money left over for any extras: a sash, a jacket or bridal sweater, shipping costs, and of course, bridal gown alterations if needed.

Those extras can add up!

And don’t forget to spend good money on the most comfortable wedding shoes you can. That’s priceless, IMO. :)

How to Search High and Low for the Perfect Dress

When you’re ready to search high and low for the perfect dress, here’s a tip: browse the shop and click on the right side where it says “Sort”. Then, choose “Sort: By Price”. Choose “low to high” and begin your search there.

Here’s a screenshot:

The cheapest wedding dress is a short-length dress for $300 shown here:

Choose a Timeless Style

If you prefer a longer length, the price is only $340 for this timeless style. Here are three examples of this dress:

For $350, this beautiful cap sleeve wedding dress will look elegant all day long! It’s available here.

For $360 — and with an exceptionally lovely long length and long sleeves — this dress is it! It’s also bump-friendly.

Here’s another long sleeve option but with a plunging v-neckline that features elegant embroidered lace. Lovely! Price: $360.

When you want boho style with a timeless silhouette, choose this simple lace wedding dress. It is priced at $410 and is an Etsy top pick!

One of my favorite budget wedding dresses is this style that features a decorated neckline with lace and a flowy maxi skirt. It is priced right at $410.

Check out the back!

Crave a long sleeve and lots of lace? Get this flowy wedding dress priced at only $420.

Planning a beach wedding? This is a comfortable and chic option for your attire that has a nice off-the-shoulder neckline and an airy skirt, priced at $450.

For only $500, this comfortable and chic wedding dress has the bohemian sleeves you want in lovely layers of lace and a long flowy skirt.

Looking to spend $540? This butterfly sleeve has an effortless, casual style.

At $550, this unique fit-and-flare dress offers a cute midi length and layers of whimsical tulle!

Going for a non-traditional look? Take the plunge in this one-shoulder tulle wedding dress — priced at $630 — that looks like a lot of fun to wear down the aisle.

Want to increase your budget just a bit more? For $690, you can get this dress featuring delicate details: an elegant v-neckline dress, and check out that embroidered floral bodice! Lovely.

This is another gorgeous option for an affordable wedding dress under $700: it’s priced at $690 and offers a chic cut-out style, long sleeves made of lace, and a long skirt.

This is one of my favorite affordable wedding dress options for 2023: a bohemian lace gown with floral lace! It’s priced at $730 and looks glamorous.

Here’s another gown priced at an amazing $730: it features floral beading for a unique bodice.

Get a fairytale wedding dress for less! This dress costs $730 and is every bit of a dream come true.

This long sleeve mock neck lace dress is gorgeous, priced at only $750.

This absolutely gorgeous boho style dress is $830 and has the most intricate lace design.

I could go on and on — but you get the idea! You really can find low-cost wedding dresses that look elegant and sophisticated when you know where to shop: Barzelai!

Relax: Here’s How to Feel Good Shopping Online

Nervous about shopping for a wedding dress online? Don’t worry: here are some helpful tips to keep your stress level at bay. I only recommend shops I would suggest to my own friends and family, and this shop has been around for many years and boasts amazing customer feedback. You can rest assured: ask Orit any questions you have before you order and read reviews here.

With a little time and patience — and knowing where to look — shopping for an affordable wedding dress is easy. Be sure to look around and research your options to save you time and money. If you choose a timeless style, like most of the classic bridal gowns shown in this blog post, you’ll be on your way to finding the perfect wedding dress for big day.

→ Start shopping for your dress today! Don’t sacrifice quality… you got this!

Barzelai is a Featured Artist at Emmaline Bride.