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One of the biggest dreams that many women have is to get married in a beautiful dress, but finding a man to walk down the aisle with will only get them halfway. The next part is actually buying the dress, and they can be really expensive. In fact, the average wedding dress cost in the United States is $1,000. Not everyone can or wants to spend that much money on it. So they improvise. And to great success.

There's a subreddit called r/Weddingsunder10k and it's perfect for those who are planning their big day on a budget. Brides and grooms are sharing all kinds of tips and tricks that saved them a dollar or two. Or a couple of hundred! Some of the most popular posts are women sharing pictures of their stunning dresses, revealing they didn't have to spend a fortune on them. Clearly, more expensive doesn't always mean prettier.

Discover more in 30 Times Brides Found Their Wedding Dresses Without Breaking The Bank And Proved How Good They Look By Posting These Pics

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#1

I Went To Try On Dresses At A Boutique That Was Way Over My Price Range, When I Got There And Said My Absolute Maximum Budget Was $600, The Stylist Said That The Dresses On The Floor Start Around $1000, But She Was So Nice And Found Me A Beautiful Discontinued Dress In The Basement For 400$!

Bride wearing an elegant strapless wedding dress with floral embroidery, showcasing affordable wedding dress style ideas.

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Rosemarie, the writer behind the blog Busy Budgeter, said the dress was the only thing she didn't want to compromise when she was planning her wedding. "I really wanted an amazing wedding dress," she wrote. "But where can you find an any dress for the $200 I had budgeted, much less an amazing one? I went to Bridal Shops and tried on an array of dresses. They were beautiful, stunning, elegant, and they were also between $700-$1,500, way over my budget."

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    #2

    $30 Salvation Army Find! Fits Like A Glove, Already Altered To A 32” Rib Cage And Has The Breast Pads And Perfect Length. Either The Previous Bride Was My Exact Size Or This Was Made For Me Oh, And Pockets!!

    Bride wearing an elegant white wedding dress, showcasing affordable wedding dresses that look stunning without breaking the bank.

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    Rosemarie tried to shop online, but was worried. "It never looks as good on you as it does on the model. I looked for an alternative evening gown that I could wear as a wedding dress, but had no luck."

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    "So my mom, my 10 year old future step daughter and I drive to the location, which is open Saturdays from 10 am-12 pm. St Anthonys bridal is located in Maryland, and we find the place with no problem at all (thanks to GPS!) located inside an establishment called Dogtopia."

    As they walk inside, they immediately see dresses everywhere – hanging on racks sorted by sizes. "The woman at the front desk tells us that all dresses in the store are on sale for $150 plus when you purchase a dress you also receive a free veil. She gives us some direction as to the dressing area locations, and which type of dresses can be found in which areas and sends us into the adjoining rooms. The only request? If the dress is not for you- hang it up and return it to the rack that you found it on. Not a problem."


    #3

    Purchased My Dress From Salvation Army For $20 And It Turned Out Beautiful In The Pictures. Also Homemade Bouquet For About $3.

    Bride wearing an elegant lace wedding dress holding a floral wreath, showcasing affordable wedding dress style.

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    So they find Rosemarie's size and hit the dressing rooms with 2 dresses. 10 dresses later, the bride-to-be looked in the mirror and there it was, the dress! "It wasn’t until after I left that I noticed the designer name on the tags that were still flawlessly attached. So naturally I googled it."

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    It was a Demetrios designer dress. The online retail of these dresses are about $3,000.

    So what did Rosemarie had to suggest to others who find themselves in the need of a budget wedding dress? "Try heading over to Google, and typing in their state and “non profit wedding dress” to see if they have a similar store close to them."

    #4

    Got Married Yesterday. Waiting For The Professional Pics To Come In But In The Meantime Here Is My $92 Dress From Amazon And My Homemade Bouquet At Our Free Venue In Austin Texas

    Bride in an elegant wedding dress holding a bouquet, showcasing affordable wedding dresses and stylish bridal looks.

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    #5

    Dress Was $170 On Etsy, Cape Veil Was $170 On Etsy, Alterations Were $170! Very Excited For Our Small Airbnb Wedding (Hopefully It Won't Get Cancelled)

    Bride wearing a wedding dress with a floral embroidered veil in a bedroom, showcasing affordable wedding dress styles.

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    #6

    My $368 Wedding Dress From Etsy Came In Today And It Looks Exactly Like It Does In The Pictures!! (More Info In Comments)

    Elegant bridal gown with lace details and tulle skirt, showcasing affordable wedding dresses for budget-conscious brides.

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    #7

    Thought I Found My Dress Months Ago.. Then This One Came In The Mail. Finally, At 4’11 I Feel Bridal And Grown Up Lol. Price: $82

    Bride wearing an elegant white wedding dress, taking mirror selfies to showcase affordable bridal gown style.

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    #8

    My $70 Wedding Dress! (Thrift Shop Score)

    Bride wearing an elegant lace wedding dress at home, showcasing affordable wedding dresses without breaking the bank.

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    #9

    My Vintage 1950s Wedding Dress (Purchased From Etsy For $170 Total) Arrived Today! Nothing Extra Was Added For All This Amazing Skirt Volume

    Bride wearing a long-sleeve lace wedding dress, taking a mirror selfie showing affordable wedding dress style.

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    #10

    Found Dream Dress For $200

    Bride wearing an affordable wedding dress with layered tulle skirt and beaded belt, showcasing budget-friendly bridal fashion.

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    #11

    I Found My Reception Dress For $25 At Goodwill

    Bride and groom walking hand in hand, bride wearing an elegant wedding dress found without breaking the bank.

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    #12

    Got This Beautiful Dress For My Halloween Wedding Handmade On Etsy For $311 With Rush Shipping Included.

    Bride wearing a lace wedding dress and crown, holding a bouquet, surrounded by greenery in an outdoor garden setting.

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    #13

    I Said Yes To A Hail Mary Of A Dress After Almost Losing Hope, And I Love It! 99 Dollars.

    Bride wearing a textured dark blue wedding dress taking a mirror selfie, showcasing an affordable bridal look.

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    #14

    As A Plus Sized Bride, I Never Thought I'd Find A Dress I Could Feel Pretty In. Took A Chance On This Beauty For $250. Floral Print!

    Bride wearing a floral wedding dress taking a mirror selfie, showcasing affordable wedding dresses without breaking the bank.

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    #15

    An Asos Wedding Dress For £300... I Love It!

    Bride wearing an elegant affordable wedding dress with floral details, posing in front of a window in a bright room.

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    #16

    Brides, Don't Rule Out Second Hand Dresses - I Saved 1k On This Dress, And Saved £50 For Each Bridesmaid Dress So Far!

    Bride wearing an elegant lace wedding dress, showcasing affordable wedding dresses and how good they look in photos.

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    #17

    Found My Beautiful Dreas For Only $25. Couldn't Be Happier

    Bride wearing an elegant wedding dress sitting on a white chair, showcasing budget-friendly bridal gown style and fit.

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    #18

    Bought A Dress For $94 On Amazon... Comparable To David's

    Bride wearing an elegant wedding dress at home, showcasing affordable wedding dress style and fit.

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    #19

    $200, Thrifted/Vintage, And Fits Perfectly! Couldn’t Have Designed A More “Me” Dress!

    Bride wearing elegant satin wedding dress with a low back, surrounded by wedding dresses in a bridal shop fitting room.

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    #20

    Dress From Amazon $100, Veil Also From Amazon $10, Earrings From Walmart $2, Flowers From Albertsons $25. I Think I Pulled It Off Well!!

    Bride in an elegant wedding dress holding a bouquet outdoors, showcasing affordable wedding dresses with beautiful looks.

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    #21

    My 300€ Asos Wedding Dress! Better Than Any Designer Dress I Have Tried On

    Bride wearing an elegant affordable wedding dress with lace details and tulle skirt, showcasing budget-friendly bridal style.

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    #22

    If You’re Looking For A Really Inexpensive Dress, Mine Turned Out Great!

    Bride wearing an elegant affordable wedding dress with lace details, showcasing budget-friendly bridal fashion ideas.

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    #23

    So I’m Having A Courthouse Wedding And I Wasn’t Gonna Go For Anything Big But You Know What. You Only Get One Wedding! So I Went To Local Stores To Look For Something Nice But Affordable And I Found This Gem For $53 It’s So Beautiful And I’m So Happy About It!!

    Bride wearing an elegant white wedding dress with a thigh-high slit, showing how good affordable wedding dresses look.

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    #24

    Can't Help But Share My Excitement Over My Dress. It Is A New Martina Liana (#942) In Champagne And Ivory That I Found Via Poshmark For $500 Total (3k Retail). Could Not Have Asked For More. I Am In Love With It!

    Bride taking a mirror selfie wearing an elegant beaded wedding dress, showcasing affordable wedding dress style.

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    #25

    $90 Dress, $7 Veil, And Dollar Store Bouquet. I Don't Want To Take Them Off!

    Bride wearing a lace wedding dress and veil, holding a bouquet, showcasing affordable wedding dress success.

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    #26

    Yayayayayay! (My Dress Just Came In And I Got It $100 Off On Poshmark!)

    Bride taking a mirror selfie wearing an elegant affordable wedding dress with delicate floral embroidery details.

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    #27

    I Think I Found The One For Only $500! It Fit Me Like A Glove, I Just Have To Show It To My Mom And Sister In Person For The Final Approval. Perfect For My Beach Wedding!

    Bride wearing a fitted lace wedding dress with intricate patterns, showcasing a stylish and affordable bridal look.

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    #28

    Found My Dream Dress For Only $285! Need Some Ideas For Jewelry And Shoes.

    Bride trying on a simple white wedding dress in a boutique, showcasing affordable wedding dress styles without breaking the bank.

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    #29

    $100 Asos Dress, $20 Alterations, $40 Veil From Another Reddit User. First Full Try On!

    Bride in affordable embellished wedding dress posing happily in a simple kitchen, showcasing budget-friendly bridal fashion.

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