What I’d Wear to My Wedding If I Could Do It Again

Let me preface this story by saying I absolutely loved my wedding dress. I designed it myself and had it custom made from French lace and silk. It was beautiful. But, if I could do it all over again, I would.

Why? Namely because I spent so much more on it than I had originally anticipated—cutting into our overall wedding budget like an unstoppable knife through butter.  And now, looking back, even though it was a stunning dress, I wore it for a grand total of six hours, and for the past two years, it has lived in a plastic bag in the back of my closet. Insert guilt-ridden face emoji here.

So I have one piece of advice for anyone who is starting the overwhelming yet exciting task of wedding dress shopping: Don’t try on dresses that are out of your budget. It’s a slippery slope! Nothing will compare to that high-priced dress. And you’ll want it. Bad. Trust me. If you have a wedding dress budget (which 99% of us do), then I encourage you to stay within it. And maybe even try to do save a few dollars. Of course, you want your dress to be memorable (and it will be!), but you don’t have to break the bank or endure added financial stress to look spectacular on your big day.

Luckily, there are so many beautiful wedding gowns out there at affordable price points. You will find the one—with a little perseverance… (and Prosecco.) Needless to say, if I hadn’t chosen my dress, I would have gone for one of these stunning options below, all priced at $1500 or less. Insert smiley emoji here!

For more wedding dress advice, check out these wedding dress silhouettes for every style.