It's probably the most important purchase you'll make in your life, but contrary to popular belief, buying a wedding dress does not have to be stressful - especially if you shop online!
So many savvy brides are skipping the stressful faff of traipsing around boutiques, and instead trying on dresses in the comfort of their own homes. There's so much available to choose from online, with affordable wedding dresses and designer bridal gowns both available. Just make sure your other half is out when you do your trying on session at home!
It's also a great way to get bridal gown inspiration, as you can see the sorts of dresses available within in your budget. You can always have a wedding dress bought online adjusted by a local tailor too, giving it a beautiful fit if needed.
Monsoon: Best for vintage-style wedding dresses and gorgeous details.
Phase Eight: Multiple styles - including wedding jumpsuits - to suit all tastes.
Whistles: For classic bridal gown styles bought up to date
John Lewis: Multiple big brands all in one place, including Ghost, Maids to Measure and more
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What are the benefits of buying a wedding dress online?
This approach has so many benefits - you can ship the dress to your home and take your time trying it on at your leisure without the pressure of salesperson, then you can return what doesn’t work and have a seamstress make any adjustments if necessary.
We spoke to Lauren Goodman, Wedding Expert and founder of Bluebird Creative and Bluebird Bride Academy for advice. She told us: “There are definite perks of purchasing a dress online - in terms of timing, it can be a lot quicker than utilising a bridal boutique, however, you may miss out on the 1-2-1 personal service.
“Alongside this, lots of brands are now carrying bridal collections so you will know your taste/sizing is being catered for by ordering from a brand you shop from on a day-to-day basis.
“For those brides who may feel nervous about an in real-life shopping experience or those who would like a more low-key dress selection process, online can also be a great place to start!”
What should brides look into before hitting 'add to basket'?
Bear in mind that this might be one of the most important purchases of your life, so proceed with caution - and make sure you do your own measurements and compare with their online size charts.
Lauren advises: “As these dresses aren’t made to measure in the same way a boutique would be, definitely ensure you are aware of a website's returns and refund policy - this way you will be covered in the eventuality that it doesn’t fit correctly.
“In addition, if you are ordering a dress close to the wedding, ensure you have read the delivery times - the last thing you want is to order something that won’t be on time!
“The other thing I would recommend is checking out the reviews of the online store - these often give details on the dress quality, delivery time and any other general feedback. More than anything, this can also help put your mind to rest.”
What are the best websites to check if you're looking to buy a wedding dress online?
Lauren says: “This would be purely dependent on your budget - there are some great bridal high street products coming out including Monsoon, ASOS and Chi Chi London.
“If you are looking for something more luxe, RIXO and Needle & Thread have a bridal collection which is a bit more pricy but has great variety and is a great place to start if you are already a brand fan!
“When looking more independent, we really love online stores such as Thread The Spool - Charlotte has a great collection of ready-to-wear dresses which can be personalised online but she offers a super personal service!”
Delivery time: 3-5 days (Next day available for £6.95)
Returns: Within 30 days
Monsoon caters for the classic bride who favours a vintage style. This gorgeous dress is made from ivory satin, with a v-neck and soft pleats that fall gently to the floor. There's also a very pretty optional corsage detail.
Delivery time: 3-5 days (Next day available for £6)
Returns: Within 28 days
Phase Eight has a beautiful range of wedding dresses in multiple styles, to suit all tastes. There are even some very chic jumpsuits in the mix. The dress that caught our eyes was a boho-style embroidered wedding dress - the style is one of the most searched by brides on the web and it features head-to-toe embroidery and lace. Modern mesh detailing on the neckline and a line of decorative fabric-covered buttons down the back are beautiful finishing touches.
3/11
Whistles Mia Square Neck Wedding Dress
Colour: Ivory
Style: Square neck wedding dress
Sizes: 6 to 18
Delivery cost: Free over £150
Delivery time: 5-7 days (Next day available for £6)
Returns: Within 28 days
Whistles know how to bring classic styles up to date, using luxurious lace and sultry silk to create the most gorgeous dresses. Consider a minimal maxi dress to look effortlessly chic on your big day - this dress looks just as beautiful from behind.
4/11
ASOS Design Isabelle Sequin Cutwork Bodice Maxi Wedding Dress
Delivery time: 2-3 days (Next day available for £5.95)
Returns: Within 28 days
With a diverse range of styles to suit every type of bride, ASOS will leave you spoilt for choice - and you can rest easy knowing that your dream dress won’t break the bank. You should add swiftly to basket this stunning, standout number - we bet nobody would be able to guess the price!
5/11
Monsoon Maddie Lace Bardot Maxi Dress, Ivory
Colour: Ivory
Style: Bardot maxi
Sizes: 6 - 18
Delivery cost: Free over £50
Delivery time: 2-5 days (Next day available for £7.50)
Returns: Within 30 days
With a selection of brands under stocked, you've got the likes of Whistles, Ghost, Maids to Measure and more brands to choose from. John Lewis is a great place to start when it comes to choosing from a selection of bridal styles. Our favourite? This timeless option for a traditional bride.
Style: Short wedding dress with square embelished neckline
Sizes: XS - XXL
Delivery cost: Free over £350
Delivery time: 5 days (1-2 days available for extra)
Returns: Within 14 days
The new bridal collection at Nadine Merabi caters for modern brides who are looking for non-lacy, non-romantic style wedding dresses. Their most popular styles frequently sell out but the currently in-stock dress that stood out is the Kimberly. A thigh-skimming, white crepe dress with a jewel-embellished square neckline, shoulder pads and structured bodice, it's an absolute show-stopper!
7/11
Coast Premium Lace Overlay Handstitched Long Sleeve Wedding Dress
Colour: Ivory
Style: Embellished long-sleeve wedding dress
Sizes: 8 to 18
Delivery cost: Free with Coast Unlimited for £9.50 a year or from £2.95
Delivery time: Next day free with Coast Unlimited
Returns: Within 28 days
You can rely on Coast for classic wedding dresses with a modern twist. This vintage style long-sleeved gown is both elegant and flattering - the contour silhouette beautifully accentuates the figure.
Style: Off-the-shoulder wedding dress with sequin embellishment
Sizes: 8 to 18
Delivery cost: Free
Delivery time: 2-3 days
Returns: Within 14 days
With whimsical patterns and oodles of tulle, Needle & Thread is the destination for fairytale brides. Calling all frill-seeking ladies - this beauty is for you! With ruffles, off-shoulder style and sequin floral embellishment, it is romance in a dress.
If you're looking for something timeless and elegant you’ll love the bridal gowns atReformation - plus, they are made from sustainable fabrics. This column dress is definitely one for the bride who wants something a bit different - plus the relaxed fit would be so comfortable to wear on the big day.
10/11
LK Bennet Lovette Cream Devoré Long Wedding Dress
Colour: Ivory
Style: 30s style wedding dress
Sizes: 6 to 18
Delivery cost: Free over £300
Delivery time: 5 days (1-2 days available for £6.95)
Returns: Within 28 days
Why not turn to one of the Duchess of Cambridge's go-to designers? LK Bennett has some gorgeous vintage-style wedding dresses, shoes and hair accessories to choose from, including this off-white high-neck silk number.
11/11
Rixo Coco Sequin Midi dress
Colour: Ivory
Style: Vintage style wedding dress
Sizes: 6 to 20
Delivery cost: £5
Delivery time: 1-3 days (next-day available for £8)
Returns: Within 28 days
Rixo's bridal collection is the choice for brides looking for something with a vintage touch but with modern flair. There are a wide range of styles up for grabs, including mini dresses, jumpsuits and separates as well as gorgeous bridal gowns - like this ivory sequinned beauty.
Meet the expert
Lauren Goodman is the founder and creative director of Bluebird Creative and Bluebird Bride Academy. With a wealth of experience in her field, Lauren is well-versed in all things wedding planning, from table styling and creating the perfect mood board to tips on calming nerves and coordinating the logistics for the big day.
The mission of Bluebird Bride Academy is to make wedding planning accessible to couples across the world via Youtube and digital downloads. Bluebird Creative is the full, luxury wedding planning/coordination arm of the business in which Lauren and the team work hands-on with couples through the process of planning/executing their special day!
Through both tailor-made wedding planning services as well as the library of downloadable resources, Lauren’s goal is to make the wedding planning process enjoyable so that couples can enjoy their big day from start to finish.
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