If you've recently started your wedding dress search and you're trying to stick to a budget of $1,500 or less, we're here to help you find a variety of beautiful wedding dresses under $1,500.
Thankfully, affordable wedding dresses under $1,500 are available from several traditional boutique stores and online sources. We'll show some of our favorite affordable bridal gown styles, and where to shop for beautiful and affordable dresses for your big day.
The shopping sources in this post about wedding dresses under $1,500 use affiliate links, which means this site may earn a commission if you make a purchase from our links.
Wedding Dresses Under $1500
Image credits and shopping sources for these wedding gowns: 1.Anthropologie 2.Angellure Bridal on Etsy 3. Piol Dress Shop on Etsy 4. Sachin + Babi
The search for the perfect wedding dress shouldn't have to end in a depleted bank account and a lack of funds for the rest of your wedding budget. If money is no object, there are always some glorious designer wedding dresses to be had, but even if you had an unlimited budget we think many of us would still choose to wear one of these more affordable beauties! We're lucky to live in a day when many reputable online retailers offer wedding dresses for under $1,500, and some are even under $1,000, and $500 price points.
The Best Bridal Gowns for Less than $1500
$1,500 is a great budget for a wedding dress. If this is about what you'd like to spend you should be able to find plenty of options in all sorts of styles. To help, we've searched the top online retailers of wedding dresses under $1500 so that you don't have to and found what we think is a wonderful selection of bridal gowns that give you the biggest bang for your $1,500 budget. These are our current finds for favorite affordable wedding dresses.
As you can see, finding a relatively affordable wedding dress doesn't mean compromising on style or quality. Well-made and on-trend bridal gowns under $1500 are readily available, offering a wide range of options for brides who want to look stunning on their wedding day without breaking the bank.
Is Buying a Wedding Dress Online Safe?
While it used to be that wedding dress shopping was always an in-store and in-person purchase. The good news is that now, thanks to many trusted bridal boutiques, searching for and purchasing wedding dresses online is usually a safe option. Of course, like any online purchase, doing your due diligence is key. You'll want to read reviews and stick with trusted retailers that you have personally shopped through before, or those that have excellent reviews from verified customers. The advantage of shopping online for a wedding dress is the ability to quickly compare prices, styles, and designs and to visualize all of the possibilities quickly to narrow down your search for your dream dress.
Where to Finding Affordable Wedding Dresses Online
Most online wedding dress retailers often carry a variety of wedding styles, from classic and traditional to trendy and unique. Not only can you see reviews on these wedding dresses, but you can also look through best sellers for tried and true favorites. Many places like Anthropologie carry sought-after and reputable designers, like Jenny Yoo, Watters, Sachin + Babi and more allowing you to shop designer wedding dresses from the comfort of home. Places like Azazie and AW Bridal keep an eye on the newest bridal trends and create designs that give access to beautiful gowns at a fraction of the cost. Trusted luxury retailers like Revolve, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Net- A-Porter carry bridal styles from top designers that are always worth a look. You can also shop directly from Sachin + Babi or Mac Duggal for top-designer looks.
Tips for Getting the Perfect Fit When Considering Online Wedding Dress
One valid concern many express when purchasing bridal dresses online is the fear of not getting to try on the dress to ensure the perfect fit. Thankfully, some online retailers offer try-at-home programs or least offer returns in some cases. This allows you to have the try-on experience usually reserved for bridal boutiques from the comfort of your home. Not only can you order fabric swatches to get an idea of the quality, color, and pattern of the fabrics, many places will allow you to borrow a dress for a few days to do your own at-home try-on. We did this with Azazie and shared our experience if you'd like to read more! At the time of publication, AW Bridal offers try-ons only for bridesmaid dresses but if you order a wedding dress in a standard size, it is eligible for returns. For BHLDN and Anthropologie dresses, if you are lucky enough to live in an area near a store you can request an appointment, otherwise they will offer virtual appointment to help guide you through the process.
Buying online often allows you to purchase your actual dress size as you would normally order to get a much clearer idea of the fit. Retailers like AW Bridal and Azazie also custom sizing options to ensure that your dream dress fits you fairly well when you order it. Custom sizing allows brides to provide their exact measurements, resulting in a wedding gown that requires minimal alterations, if any.
In fact, the idea that getting the perfect fit is only something a bridal boutique can offer is a bit of a myth, since most bridal boutiques only offer one gown in a sample size. While bridal consultants are knowledgeable stylists, they will only be able to give you a general idea of how the gown will look by pinning and clamping the sample to fit you. They will also take accurate professional measurements to be sure that you are ordering the gown in the correct size, but you will have to use your imagination to envision yourself in the gown unless you are the sample size -- which most of us aren't. You will also usually have to have significant alterations done to the gown since the gown will come in a general size based on your measurements and will need to be tailored for the perfect fit.
Finding Dresses Under $1500 at a Bridal Boutique
While we think online shopping gives you access to a number of wedding dress options; bridal boutiques have long been the go-to destination for brides seeking their dream wedding dress. Being able to see and feel the fabric in person and the immediate fun of getting to try on several dresses at once is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and can't be replaced.
To make the most of your bridal shop experience, it's essential to communicate your price point upfront. When calling to make an appointment, you'll want to research the designers the boutique carries and inquire about how many dresses they'll have for you to choose from in the $1,500 range. Bridal consultants are trained to work within your budget while they pull potential dresses for you to try on while helping you find your ideal style and the perfect fit. Another benefit to in-store shopping is that if your local bridal boutique offers sales or discounts on samples may also be able to get a more expensive bridal gown for under $1500.
Keep in mind that if you have your heart set on a dress you've seen on Instagram from a specific designer, you'll have to find out which boutiques in your area carry that designer, and then check to make sure they offer the style you want and that the dress is in your budget. While it can be a time-consuming process, you'll have to do your research and find out which designers offer gowns in the under $1,500 price point, and then use the store locators on their websites to find a retailer near you.
Whether you prefer a traditional lace gown, are leaning towards a grand ball gown, or want the details of the dress to reflect the latest trends, bridal shops are likely to have options that fit your vision and price range.
Which Bridal Designers Offer Wedding Dresses Under $1500?
We've featured a few designers in the past known for offering a few gowns in their various collections that fall into the $1500 price range. However, pricing is usually dictated by the bridal boutique, so it is hard to get an idea of which styles and designers are in that exact range just by browsing collection photos online.
Of the collections we've featured, we know that labels and designers like Allure Bridals, Jenny Yoo, Madison James, Maggie Sottero, and Wtoo by Watters all offer wedding dress collections that include at least a few dresses with the $1500 price range in mind.
Tips for Getting Your Dream Wedding Dress on a Budget
Many budget-friendly bridal gowns incorporate the latest trends and stylish and cost-effective options. Here are a few ideas for how to get a high-end style for less.
- Buy a pre-owned wedding dress from a trusted retailer. Not only is buying second-hand a very sustainable approach, but it's also a great way to be able to get a gown that retails for much more for much less than a brand-new dress would cost. Stillwhite, Nearly Newlywed, and Borrowing Magnolia are some great spots to look for gowns that were worn once or dresses from past seasons at an affordable price.
- Choose timeless or minimalist styles. Clean lines and simple styles tend to be more affordable as well as more versatile. Clean lines and classic looks often cut down on the cost of production, and add to the ease of alterations because there's no lace of beading to work around. If you need more detail, purchasing a simple strapless or minimalist wedding gown and adding things like detachable skirts, illusion sleeves or even a caplet or topper gives a simple gown a very custom look.
- Buy a simple white dress and add to it. Even if you're not a minimalist bride, you may want to consider buying a simple white dress that isn't necessarily labeled as a wedding dress. Nordstrom, Lulus, Dessy, and Revolve are great places to look. Then, think about customizing that style with bridal separates to make a one-of-a-kind look for less. Etsy and Anthropologie are great resources for finding these elements that can transform a simple slip dress into a highly custom look for the modern bride.
- Be on the lookout for sales! When you're buying online from retailers like Lulus, Anthropologie, and others who may offer regular sales, there's a chance that some of those discounts may apply to the dress you're thinking of purchasing. Sometimes wedding dresses are excluded from promotions so always read the fine print! Your local bridal boutique may also offer discounts, especially at the need of the season when they might have sample sales of an existing designer sample gown to get ready for new dresses.
- Look at bridesmaid dresses. With the popularity of neutral wedding colors, some bridesmaid dresses are now offered in shades of white, ivory, and cream. These special occasion styles can be the perfect way to get a wedding gown look for less! Check out the offerings at AW Bridal, Birdy Grey, or Dessy
With the variety of styles, trendy details, and timeless designs available, you can confidently walk down the aisle on your big day, knowing that you've found the perfect gown that reflects your unique style and fits comfortably within your budget.
See More Wedding Style Ideas
All of our favorite Wedding Dresses You Can Shop Online
Hand-picked elegant and trending Bridal Accessories
Wedding + Bridal Clutches to complete your wedding day look
Browse Bridesmaid Dresses by Wedding Color Scheme
Our Top Picks for Wedding Shoes
Elegant Mother of the Bride Dresses
Past Features
This article was originally published on Oct 30, 2014 and updated most recently on December 18, 2023
These dresses and graphics were featured in earlier iterations of this article. We keep these image credits here for continuity in case you have reached this post from a pinned image or image search.
Sources: Top left Eye for Divine Gown from ModCloth | Top Right ASOS Trumpet Hem Bridal Gown | Bottom Left Heritage Gown from BHLDN | Bottom Right Melina Lace Gown from Dress the Population
Pictured gown: ASOS Trumpet Hem Bridal Gown Under $400.