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Americans spend on average $33,391 on their wedding day. And while most lovebirds are willing to pay $540 on average for the cake, the wedding gown can set them back $1,509. If the pair are high spenders, the budget for the dress can soar up to $3,158, according to a study by The Knot.

No wonder so many brides these days are looking for smart alternatives when it comes to looking their best on the big day. Whether it’s due to saving some money or wanting to come up with their own dream design, some very talented women are taking the matter into their own hands.

From a $50 thrift store dress transformed into a jaw-dropping wedding gown to knitting their own dress on the bus on the way to work, these are some of the most inspiring looks from superwomen with mad arts and craft skills.

#1

I Knitted My Lace Wedding Dress On The Bus On The Way To Work. It Took 5 Months And Less Than $30 To Create This Beauty

I Knitted My Lace Wedding Dress On The Bus On The Way To Work. It Took 5 Months And Less Than $30 To Create This Beauty

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Boopie Dew
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow! That is absolutely lovely. I would never have thought of a knitted wedding dress. Turned out gorgeous 😍

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#2

I Made The Dress. I Did That From Scratch With Two Hands

I Made The Dress. I Did That From Scratch With Two Hands

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#3

Made A Non Conventional Wedding Dress! V9296

Made A Non Conventional Wedding Dress! V9296

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Making your very own wedding dress you’ve dreamed of is not for faint-hearted brides. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible. The sewing fanatic and blogger Charlie, who has done it, warned everyone that “All romance aside, it’s quite a tedious, sometimes boring, sometimes frustrating process.”

It turns out, the actual fun of seeing your dream dress come to reality was nowhere around until 3 months before the big day. “Imagine not having seen yourself in a dress and it’s already 8 weeks before the wedding,” Charlie recollected in her blog.

If you choose the path of DIY-ing your wedding gown, you may have to come to the understanding that you won’t get to see yourself in a dress for way longer than you’d like. And it can be nerve-wracking.

#4

I Fell In Love With A Dress, But It Cost $2,200, So I Decided To Make The Same One Myself. I Used Scotch Tape And A T-Shirt To Make A Mannequin, And Bought 26 Ft Of Silk And Lace. Here’s The Result

I Fell In Love With A Dress, But It Cost $2,200, So I Decided To Make The Same One Myself. I Used Scotch Tape And A T-Shirt To Make A Mannequin, And Bought 26 Ft Of Silk And Lace. Here’s The Result

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#5

I Just Love How My Dress Turned Out

I Just Love How My Dress Turned Out

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j carreon
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i really like this one, does anyone know where I can see the front? thanks!

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j carreon
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i really like this dress. does anyone know where can I see the front? thanks much!

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Ann Rii
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Would have been better to show the front side of the dress.

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#6

I Diyed My Wedding Dress From Olive-Nets

I Diyed My Wedding Dress From Olive-Nets

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Charlie suggests giving yourself a fair amount of extra time in case something goes wrong. Count all the unexpected breaks, mistakes, and moments you’ll need to slow down and give yourself a moment to think. Imagine facing multiple doubts, like pattern, decor, length, cleavage, texture, etc. and you’ll see that nothing goes according to plan, no matter how well prepared you are.

Another great tip is to “Decide on a design early on and try not to change your mind.” Sticking to what your gut is initially telling you may be key to actually accomplishing your goal.

Also, always think of buying extra fabric even if you’re sure you won’t need it. Miscalculations happen and it’s best to not try and avoid them, but be ready to tackle them with solutions.

#7

My DIY Thrift-Flipped Wedding Dress

My DIY Thrift-Flipped Wedding Dress

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#8

One Year Ago Today, I Got Wear This Beauty 🥰 It Took Me A Whole Week Of Sewing 12 Hours Per Day To Finish This One, But I Am So Glad I Took On This Challege

One Year Ago Today, I Got Wear This Beauty 🥰 It Took Me A Whole Week Of Sewing 12 Hours Per Day To Finish This One, But I Am So Glad I Took On This Challege

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The last tip from Charlie is to “stop comparing your dress to others once you start on your project.” Not only is it unhelpful, but those thoughts can become really draining, especially if you start thinking someone else’s dress is better than yours.

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In the end, it’s not really about the dress, but rather about the commitment you put into creating something as beautiful as your love you are going to marry. And this is the most precious thing you can think of.

#10

I Made My Wedding Dress. I Wanted Something Unique That Would Really Suit Me, And It Turned Out Great

I Made My Wedding Dress. I Wanted Something Unique That Would Really Suit Me, And It Turned Out Great

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#11

'celine' Wedding Gown With Built-In Corset

'celine' Wedding Gown With Built-In Corset

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#12

This Dress Is The Star 🌟 And She Did It Herself After Seeing It On Pinterest. Congrats

This Dress Is The Star 🌟 And She Did It Herself After Seeing It On Pinterest. Congrats

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Luna Lovegood
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This reminds me of the post a while ago about the lady who did this to her dress and sells dresses like it. I wonder if that's where she got the idea. It looks amazing!

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#13

The Biggest Project I've Ever Worked On In My Life, My Wedding Dress! This Dress Was The First Dress I've Ever Made And Was Constructed Over The Course Of 2 Years. It Has Around 60k To 70k Individually Hand Strung Sequins. I Hand Drew The Entire Dress Pattern. [self Drafted]

The Biggest Project I've Ever Worked On In My Life, My Wedding Dress! This Dress Was The First Dress I've Ever Made And Was Constructed Over The Course Of 2 Years. It Has Around 60k To 70k Individually Hand Strung Sequins. I Hand Drew The Entire Dress Pattern. [self Drafted]

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Midget
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

*trumpets cue up as she enters* All rise, the queen has arrived!

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#14

I Worked On My Outfit For 8 Months With The Help Of Online Courses. It Didn’t Work Out Perfectly, But I Did It, And This Is The Most Important Thing!

I Worked On My Outfit For 8 Months With The Help Of Online Courses. It Didn’t Work Out Perfectly, But I Did It, And This Is The Most Important Thing!

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#15

My Wedding Dress. Holy Moly This Is The Best Thing I’ve Ever Made. I Just Love It Beyond Words.

My Wedding Dress. Holy Moly This Is The Best Thing I’ve Ever Made. I Just Love It Beyond Words.

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#16

Handmade Wedding Dress

Handmade Wedding Dress

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Boopie Dew
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Omg!! That is beyond. If you're going to go with a non white gown, this is how you do it! My daughter actually wore a black gown for her wedding. Untraditional, but suited her so well.

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#17

Handmade Wedding Dress

Handmade Wedding Dress

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#18

Back In 2015 When I Was Making This DIY Wedding Dress Of Mine, Naked Lace Was (Or Was Becoming) A Thing

Back In 2015 When I Was Making This DIY Wedding Dress Of Mine, Naked Lace Was (Or Was Becoming) A Thing

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#19

This Beautiful Bride Made 👏🏼 Her 👏🏼 Own 👏🏼 Dress 👏🏼 And It Was Absolutely Gorgeous On Her!

This Beautiful Bride Made 👏🏼 Her 👏🏼 Own 👏🏼 Dress 👏🏼 And It Was Absolutely Gorgeous On Her!

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#20

[vintage Simplicity 2442] My Wedding Dress

[vintage Simplicity 2442] My Wedding Dress

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#21

[self Drafted] Last Time I Shared My Wedding Dress, But I Added A Last Minute Touch! It Was Magical

[self Drafted] Last Time I Shared My Wedding Dress, But I Added A Last Minute Touch! It Was Magical

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#22

Finally - This Dress. I Am So Glad I Was Somehow *overly* Confident Enough To Make My Own Wedding Dress

Finally - This Dress. I Am So Glad I Was Somehow *overly* Confident Enough To Make My Own Wedding Dress

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#23

I Spent At Least 100 Hours Working On My Outfit And Felt Great In It! I Think My Husband And I Looked Fantastic

I Spent At Least 100 Hours Working On My Outfit And Felt Great In It! I Think My Husband And I Looked Fantastic

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#24

[self Drafted] I Made My Own Wedding Dress. It May Not Be Perfect But It Was Just What I Wanted

[self Drafted] I Made My Own Wedding Dress. It May Not Be Perfect But It Was Just What I Wanted

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#25

I Sewed A Wedding Dress With The Help Of Videos Online. There Is A Lot Of Handmade Work Here

I Sewed A Wedding Dress With The Help Of Videos Online. There Is A Lot Of Handmade Work Here

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#26

[fo] Wedding Dress (Loosely Based On By Hand London Kim Dress), Details In Comments

[fo] Wedding Dress (Loosely Based On By Hand London Kim Dress), Details In Comments

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#27

Making My Own Wedding Gown Was A Dream Come True For Me

Making My Own Wedding Gown Was A Dream Come True For Me

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Dorothy Parker
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Even without knowing her you can see it suits her perfectly. Fresh and pretty.

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#28

She Created Her 2020 Dress Masterpiece From Her Mother’s Wedding Dress

She Created Her 2020 Dress Masterpiece From Her Mother’s Wedding Dress

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Kimberly Young
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love the idea of paying tribute by using a family member's dress, but modernizing it for your own tastes! Lovely!

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#30

So My Sister Got Married This Weekend And I Designed/Made Her Gown🌚

So My Sister Got Married This Weekend And I Designed/Made Her Gown🌚

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#31

After Some Blood, Sweat, Burn Holes, Major Resizing, And A Million Other Little Sewing Snafus - I Made My Own Dress

After Some Blood, Sweat, Burn Holes, Major Resizing, And A Million Other Little Sewing Snafus - I Made My Own Dress

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#32

Still Soo In Love With My Selfsewn Wedding Dress

Still Soo In Love With My Selfsewn Wedding Dress

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Boopie Dew
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The backless edging and the straps are gorgeous . I'd like to see it from the front.

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#33

Synne With Her Elegant And Down-To-Earth Wedding Dress That She Made Herself With The Help Of Her Mother-In-Law

Synne With Her Elegant And Down-To-Earth Wedding Dress That She Made Herself With The Help Of Her Mother-In-Law

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#35

I Made Myself Both A Wedding Dress And An Outfit For My Husband. We Wanted A Celebration With Forest Fairy Aesthetics. And This Is What We Got

I Made Myself Both A Wedding Dress And An Outfit For My Husband. We Wanted A Celebration With Forest Fairy Aesthetics. And This Is What We Got

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Nicola Roberts
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love that they love it, but the water is making me very uncomfortable. It's getting WET!

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#36

One Year Ago Already! I Sewed My Own Wedding Dress...and It Almost Made Me Crazy!

One Year Ago Already! I Sewed My Own Wedding Dress...and It Almost Made Me Crazy!

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#38

Sirja Made Herself A Wonderful Wedding Dress That Charms With Her Personality

Sirja Made Herself A Wonderful Wedding Dress That Charms With Her Personality

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Hilary Mol
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, no, she made a romper. Or possibly a two-piece. But it suits her all the same!

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#39

Finally Pictures Of My DIY Wedding Dress

Finally Pictures Of My DIY Wedding Dress

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Petra, princess of Brigid
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's amazing! I love how much it matches with EVERYTHING! The flowers, the background, your hair!

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#40

Updated A $25 1986 Wedding Dress To My Dream Dress. Details In Comments.

Updated A $25 1986 Wedding Dress To My Dream Dress. Details In Comments.

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Remi Flynne
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

100% improvement - this kind of thing I really admire. I could follow a pattern and pick out nice fabric but I couldn't in a million years see how to turn something like the left into the right. Nice one.

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