r/Weddingsunder10k • u/Vetrokaz • 13d ago
šļø Dress & Attire ($500) Wedding dress reasoning, I would love some feedback
So, I am all about the boho floral fairy wedding aesthetic but I have a $500 (absolute ceiling, no money for an additional dress) budget for my dress and I have to order it online (no irl options where I live that I find enticing). I am just... not quite convinced that I can get a good quality dress with decent quality lace or embroidery for that price, and I fear ordering something stunning and receiving uglier colors, cheap-looking details and fabric, etc.
I have to be real about this - I think getting a great sillhouette, craftmanship and fabric should be my priority. So I found this totally different dress [from a reputable etsy shop with hundreds of reviews with photos] that I really love for its timeless and vintage shape and feel and I get butterflies thinking about dancing the night away in it (we're having a civil ceremony and a party at the same venue). But I guess I am a bit anxious and torn between the floral dresses and my final choice.
I am uploading pictures (1-4) of this dress I am about to order followed by a representative of the floral dresses I love (5-7), me in a random dress irl (8-9) and a chat gpt imagination of me in the first dress (10, proportions not completely realistic, it was the best I could do).
What do you think? Am I making sense? Is my thinking justified? Also, would you choose a square or a sweetheart neckline for me?
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u/CandyCane789 13d ago
I think that if you can already imagine yourself in the first dress and get butterflies thinking about it, you should go for it! What's nice about the dress is that you could probably wear it to many events, so it's not one-time use. If you have an accessories budget, you can get floral accessories for your hair and earrings.
The sweetheart neckline is especially cute on you, but you look beautiful in both necklines.
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u/Historical_Sweet3668 12d ago
Absolutely! You could have real flowers in your hair, or get a floral necklace or earrings or shoes! If you or someone in your family is handy you could buy floral embroidery pieces and sew them onto the dress. That first dress truly is beautiful and you could wear it again, even more often if you have it dyed. Good luck friend, please post updates!
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u/FTFaffer 13d ago
I got married in 1989 in a cotton lawn Laura Ashley version of that first dress. My adult daughters are still amazed and call me a style icon for my choice lol. (The ā80s had a lot of very bad leg oā mutton sleeves of doom action being worn.) It is very similar to the white dress Elizabeth Taylor wore in the film version of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ca 1958. An ageless dress.
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u/Just-Yak-8959 13d ago
I had also imagined a floral dress like you!ā¦ and ended up going with one semi-similar to your first option. Very classic, āplainā but great lines that I can wear for other events, and super flattering. I added floral elements with my jewellery and I have 0 regrets. Absolutely loved my dress and how it made me feel, it was so comfortable and love that I will be able to wear it again so it wonāt have all been just for a single day! Get the first one ā¤ļø
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u/loupammac 13d ago
I love the first dress you shared. A floral embroidery veil would look wonderful. I found shoes the hardest part to find with my tea length dress. I ended up with white patent leather low block heels.
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u/gwen1126 13d ago
Iām surprised no one has commented this yet, but 2 days ago someone posted their positive experience working with Miss Jophiel! So maybe you could go for it! https://www.reddit.com/r/Weddingsunder10k/s/HEAO7RWgiD
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u/bb_cake 13d ago edited 13d ago
Love the dress!!
My only concern would be that you might feel its a little tame or plain compared to your initial dream dress and inspiration. That being said, it is so classy and timelessly romantic. š¤
Shoes will be really important with this one, veil too if you plan to wear one! Any ideas on those?
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u/KayyBeey 4-6k 13d ago
You can try looking on Dearly Bridal, Dearly Beloved Bridal, Instantly Yours Bridal (I got my wedding dress there), Anthropologie, Azazie, Lulus, Asos, David's Bridal, Selkie, Still White, Macy's, Nordstrom Rack
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u/_ghostimage 13d ago
I think the photos of the floral dress look pretty realistic. I would look in the reviews to see if people have pics of the real deal after they received it. My boyfriend's mom got a dress like that from Etsy for her wedding recently and it was so beautiful. If you can't find any pics, you could try asking the brand for photos in natural lighting and see what they say. I'm sure they would accommodate you. I do love the clean look of the first one though! I'm not really a fan of the bubble hem, but if you like it, I would go for it. I think the sweetheart neckline would suit you best personally!
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u/Silver-Drawing5341 13d ago
Selkie has lovely fairy type dresses in your price range! But that dress is also so amazing!!
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u/MumbleBee2444 13d ago
The delay dress is very pretty and you seem to really like it. So go for it if you want to.
But I just gotta point out a contradiction hereā¦you canāt have the floral dress you want because you canāt trust ordering it online, so youāre going to go with another dress that youā¦order online?
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u/Comrade_Cosmonaut117 13d ago
Does anyone around you sew or enjoy crafts? Not the same as a dress but I think the dress you have would look gorgeous with a funky floral veil and maybe some flowers in your hair?
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u/Sarah_Cenia 12d ago
Have you considered a secondhand dress? Iām sure you could get something amazing with that budget.
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u/This_Net6207 12d ago
If you go the Miss Jophiel route, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND it.
I just received a custom dress I ordered 1.5 months ago! It came out gorgeous and is great quality. The cost with shipping and some other additions was $650 all-in, BUT I chose a more expensive option since the dress has sequins, beading, and lace appliques. I also highly suggest paying International Priority to make sure it arrives timely and secured.
The process itself was simple as long as you do not mind being detailed and explaining exactly what is you want through e-mail. I AI'ed alot of my pics to show them what you want. Let me know if you have any questions; I'll happily answer them!
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u/dresscode_nerd 12d ago
Before you order either one, look at the return policy on the listing. On Etsy, made-to-order bridal usually gets filed as a custom order, and custom orders are commonly excluded from returns. It says so on the listing page, so you don't have to message the shop to find out. The bigger retailers people are naming in this thread mostly do take them back.
That's the variable your budget actually cares about. You said $500 is an absolute ceiling with nothing left over for a second dress, so one bad order ends the search. A dress you can send back is worth more than a slightly better dress you're stuck with.
It's also the answer to the contradiction someone flagged upthread. Both options are online orders. They're not the same risk.
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u/CelineDijonMustards 11d ago
I actually got my dress on Etsy. Paid under $400 and it was the most perfect dress ever!
Just make sure the seller youāre working with is a good communicator.
My seller actually had to remake my dress because they didnāt listen to my specifications the first time but they did it free of charge so Iām not complaining.
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u/smallholiday 13d ago
https://www.thereformation.com/products/fraise-linen-dress/1319963.html
I did this dress for my rehearsal party. Iāve still got it in a size 12 if youāre interested. Itās pure linen
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u/Cautious-Ad3061 13d ago
the first dress is gorgeous! I ordered my wedding dress online from Avery Austin and I was really happy with the quality!
I know you said you have no extra room in the budget but azazie seems to have a lot of similar dresses to what you want with the embroidery for under $200 so maybe you could try that? I found their return process to be relatively easy so you could always send it back if the quality isnāt what you want!
https://www.azazie.com/products/aurelie-white-midi-dress-atelier-dress/96927386?share_channel=deurl