Long gone are the days of having to traipse around various wedding dress shops to buy your wedding dress from. These days, savvy, time poor brides are buying their wedding dress online, with affordable wedding dresses and designer bridal gowns both available. And the beauty of your wedding dress online is that you can try it on in the comfort of your own home - just make sure you hide it from your other half.
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 tailored by a local tailor too, giving it a beautiful fit if needed.
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 be 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!”
Best wedding dress websites to browse in 2024
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Monsoon Wedding Dresses
Monsoon Simone Bridal Maxi Dress Ivory
- Colour: Ivory
- Style: Vintage style wedding dress
- Sizes: 6 to 22
- Delivery cost: Free over £50
- Delivery time: 3-5 days (Next day available for £6.95)
- Returns: Within 30 days
From luxurious lace to beautiful beads, Monsoon bridal styles are all about those gorgeous details – and we’ve been swooning over this floral beaded number.
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Phase Eight Wedding Dresses
Phase Eight Ariel Fit And Flare Wedding Dress
- Colour: Ivory
- Style: 50s style wedding dress
- Sizes: 6 to 20
- Delivery cost: Free over £150
- 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 50s-style fit and flare wedding dress - the style is one of the most searched by brides on the web and it features a plunging neckline with seam detailing along the bodice, feminine floral applique at the waistband and falls to a pretty pleated a-line skirt.
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Whistles Wedding Dresses
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, and this one is under £500!
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ASOS Wedding Dresses
ASOS X Y.A.S Bridal One Shoulder Pleated Wedding Dress
- Colour: Star White
- Style: One shoulder wedding dress
- Sizes: 6 to 16
- Delivery cost: Free over £40
- 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. Check out swiftly to bag this stunning, standout number that we bet nobody would be able to guess costs £100!
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John Lewis Wedding Dresses
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.
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Nadine Merabi Wedding Dresses
Nadine Merabi 'Kimberley' White Wedding Dress
- Colour: White
- Style: Square neck embellished mini dress
- Sizes: XS - M
- 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 features iconic styles, but it's the Kimberley dress that stood out. The structured, embellished neckline adds a touch of sparkle to the sharp, short dress that's ideal for modern brides who are looking for non-lacy, non-romantic style wedding dresses.
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Coast Wedding Dresses
Coast Halterneck Contour Pearl Embellished Fishtail Wedding Dress
- Colour: Ivory
- Style: Embellished halterneck 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 halterneck is both elegant and flattering - the contour silhouette beautifully accentuates the figure.
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Needle & Thread Wedding Dresses
Needle & Thread Confetti Gown
- Colour: Champagne
- 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.
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NETAPORTER Wedding Dresses
Jenny Packham Cape-effect Embellished Tulle and Crepe Gown
- Colour: Ivory
- Style: Cape-effect embellished tulle and crepe wedding dress
- Sizes: 6 to 18
- Delivery cost: Free over £300
- Delivery time: 3 days (same day available for £15)
- Returns: Within 28 days
A world of choice from all of your favourite brands, NETAPORTER is a one-stop-shop to find your dream dress. For a statement look, how about this gorgeous Jenny Packham gown with a fabulous caped feature - simply stunning.
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THE OUTNET Wedding Dresses
Badgley Mischka One-shoulder belted crepe gown
- Colour: Ivory
- Style: One-shoulder crepe wedding dress
- Sizes: 8 to 16
- Delivery cost: £7
- Delivery time: 7 days (next day available for £12)
- Returns: Within 28 days
The place to go to bag yourself a designer dress at a fraction of the price, and there are new lines added all of the time on THE OUTNET! This gorgeous Badgley Mischka one-shouldered gown is sophisticated and timeless.
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MYTHERESA Wedding Dresses
Galvan Bridal Cova Satin Midi Dress
- Colour: Ivory
- Style: Halter neck satin wedding dress
- Sizes: 8 to 16
- Delivery cost: £8
- Delivery time: 2-3 days (1-2 days available for £14)
- Returns: Within 30 days
MyTheresa is perfect for brides who want to tear up the rule book and look seriously cool on their wedding day. This stunning Galvan midi dress for example is not only reminiscent of Meghan Markle's divine second wedding gown but is just an effortlessly cool, chic take on the typical wedding dress.
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Reformation Wedding Dresses
Reformation Ronda Silk Dress
- Colour: Ivory, Dried Herbs, Serene
- Style: 1920s style wedding dress
- Sizes: 4 to 16
- Delivery cost: Free over £100
- Delivery time: 2-5 days
- Returns: Within 30 days
If romantic, girlie styles are right up your street, you’ll love the bridal gowns at Reformation - plus, they are made from sustainable fabrics. This stunning, silk dress epitomises timeless, old-school glamour and would be perfect for your special day
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LK Bennett Wedding Dresses
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.
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Rixo wedding dresses
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.
