Heavy may receive a commission if you purchase a product through a link on this page.

50 Wedding Dresses Under 500 Dollars You’ll Love

The average cost of a wedding in 2020 is $33,900 which doesn’t include the cost of a honeymoon. The average amount spent on a wedding dress in 2020 is $1,700 – and that’s without shoes or accessories. When you think about the overall cost of a wedding, your dress seems like a wise place to scale back (that is, if you can do it without sacrificing style).

Find 50 wedding dresses under $500 for some huge savings without sacrificing style with our ultimate list below:

Price: $ – $
50 Listed Items

Even though price is important when looking for a cheap wedding dress, quality is key. You’d like to save some money, but you don’t want to sacrifice a dress that’s made with integrity and attention to detail. If you’re worried about purchasing a dress online or from an overseas vendor, thousands of reviews confirm that it’s a safe investment and can result in a custom wedding dress for less than you would ever find at a bridal shop or a department store. Concerned about people asking about where you purchased your dress? That’s easy – just say “online” or “from a custom dress designer.” No one will ever be the wiser.

The average cost of a wedding in 2016 is $26,645, which doesn’t include the cost of a honeymoon. The average amount spent on a wedding dress in 2016 is $1,469, without shoes or accessories. This amount is a pretty high percentage of your entire wedding budget, especially when you will only wear it once and there are inexpensive options. When you think in these terms, it seems like a wise place to save.

One reason to purchase an inexpensive dress online is to avoid the stress that comes with shopping at boutique bridal shops. As dramatic as it sounds, they’ll basically ask you to sign an in depth contract that holds you to the full price purchase of the dress. You'll agree to the size of the dress and not to augment the size of your body in any way. Some of these contracts can be a bit intense, especially when you’re forking over thousands of dollars and making a difficult decision. Simply put, there are no returns. Even if you decide down the road that this dress isn’t for you, you’re stuck with it. Luckily, that’s not the case with many online shops.

Secondly, the cost doesn’t stop at the price tag attached to your dress. Dresses are often displayed in the shop with accessories such as belts, sashes, and veils – none of which are actually included in the initial price. Of course, bridal retailers typically don’t share this tidbit until they’ve already sold you on it.

Lastly, dress retailers will tell you to size up - which is a wise idea since it’s easier to alter a dress to make it smaller than it is to take it out. What they might not share is that alterations can cost anywhere from $200 - $500, and tend to be higher when they involve beading, lace, layering, and other expensive fabrics.

With all this being said, there are great, custom made, inexpensive options that are actually returnable, so you can avoid so much of the stress and anxiety that comes with choosing “the one”. Here’s a great video that has a few tips on choosing the best style for your body type. Keep these tips in mind as you browse the below list.

One last piece of advice - always set your budget BEFORE shopping. Try to skip the looks you can’t afford and only consider options that are actually within your budget. We find it helpful to write this number down and keep it top of mind as you shop.