Should you buy your wedding dress on the high street?

More and more high street retailers and online stores are dipping their toes in the bridal market, either simply selling stunning dresses perfect for wedding guests and even bridesmaids, or creating actual wedding ranges with gowns for the bride to wear at a fraction of the cost of a bridal shop.2016 is definitely the year for brands expanding their ranges with everyone, from ASOS and Missguided, to Needle and Thread and Ted Baker, putting out ranges for brides to pick and choose from. There has, of course, always been budget high street ranges. BHS and Monsoon are good examples of this, but they weren’t always the on-trend designs brides are looking for.

Should you buy your wedding dress on the high street? Here are some pros and cons to help you decide:

Pros
Price – it’s safe to say a dress bought from a high street store is going to be much cheaper than one you’ve selected from the racks in a bridal wear shop. Most are retailing from around the £70-250 mark, which for many brides-to-be means they can spend more on the food or the photographer.

On-trend designs – if you want your wedding dress to reflect the latest trends (Bardot dresses are very popular at the moment, for example) then the high street might be the best place to shop. As well as dresses, jumpsuits are also proving popular for brides, who are looking for a more casual look on their big day. Enormous skirts and figure-hugging bodices aren’t for everyone!

Ready to wear – dresses from high street retailers are created to fit regular UK sizes. However, it’s a good idea to order a couple of sizes and see what fits best before you commit.

Cons
Fit – while we’ve noted these dresses are usually made in UK sizes and are ready to wear, you may need to get them altered to fit perfectly on your big day – for example, the length of the skirt or fit around the chest are common alterations required on dresses. This could cost more than the price of the dress itself!

Watch out for knock offs – if you decide to deviate from the high street and perhaps start browsing the realms of eBay, be careful! There are some companies based abroad that attempt to replicate those stunning designs you see on Pinterest, without much success. Save yourself the heartache – and the cash – and only buy directly from a reputable brand.
When it comes to buying your wedding dress, the high street is definitely a great option if you are trying to create your big day on a smaller budget or really want to wear an on-trend style – take a look at what they have to offer before committing to a bridal wear shop.

You might be surprised at what you find!