My $118 Wedding Dress: What I Learned Buying Online

I did not expect my wedding dress to cost $118. I expected it to cost much more, mostly because that was what the bridal salon had taught me to expect.

I wasn't looking for a bargain.
I was looking for my dress.

Somewhere between the salon appointments and the endless scrolling online, I realized what I actually wanted. I wanted a wedding dress that felt like a dress, not a costume.

Then I found a short lace wedding dress online for $118.

My sister looked at it and simply said, “That’s cute.” Honestly, that was enough to make me stop scrolling.

The short length mattered because I wanted to dance. I did not want to spend my reception lifting a train, stepping around layers of fabric or worrying about someone standing on my dress. The cap sleeves mattered too. I wasn't especially confident about my upper arms, and I liked having that little bit of coverage without feeling covered up.

Most importantly, it had a lace-up back. Zippers make me nervous. A lace-up back felt much more forgiving because I could tighten or loosen it instead of hoping a fixed zipper would fit perfectly.

2.5 weeks later, a box appeared on my kitchen floor.

I measured myself carefully and ordered a size 16 based on the size chart. Then I waited about two and a half weeks.

Opening it felt much less dramatic than opening an $800 gown probably would have felt. It was just a package on the kitchen floor.

The fabric smelled new. The lace was soft, with floral patterns that looked prettier in person than they had on my screen. The hem had a scalloped edge, and the dress had a decent lining underneath.

There were a few faint pencil marks on parts of the fabric. They looked more alarming before I steamed the dress than they did afterward. Most of them disappeared, and honestly, it wasn't enough to make me regret the purchase.

The back was the part I trusted most.

When I tried it on, the lace-up back immediately made sense. I could tighten it where I wanted and loosen it where I needed more room. There was no wrestling with a zipper or wondering whether the dress would suddenly feel too tight after dinner.

I kept everything else easy.

The dress already had enough personality in the lace, so I did not want to build a complicated bridal look around it.

My shoes were white sandals with a small block heel that cost about $25 from Target. I wanted to walk, stand and dance without sinking into grass or worrying about a thin heel.

My husband wore a grey windowpane suit with a bow tie and boutonnière, which kept his look polished without making mine feel overly formal.

A friend did my hair the morning of the wedding. She came over, we drank mimosas, and she gave me a soft updo with a braid. I wore a simple veil for the ceremony and took it off for the reception.

The dress finally had to prove itself.

We took photos at Union Station in Toronto, where the columns gave the lace a beautiful background. The natural light caught the floral texture without making the dress look overly decorated.

And that was exactly where the short length started to feel like the right decision.

Three hours of dancing told me everything.

I walked. I sat down. I danced for three hours straight. I hugged people. I went to the bathroom alone. I never had to ask someone to step on my train or hold my skirt out of the way.

At one point I was sitting on a curb eating pizza because the venue ran out of the main course.

The dress survived that too.

Lace looked better in the light.

We photographed around the columns at Union Station in Toronto, and the lace became one of the details I noticed most in the finished photographs.

My favorite photograph is the one where I am leaning against a column.

I spent more time worrying about the dress than wearing it.

Before the wedding, I kept wondering whether the dress would fit properly, whether it would look cheap, and whether I would regret not spending more.

On the actual wedding day, I barely thought about it.

That may have been the best review the dress could have received.

The $118 part became the story.

People complimented the dress throughout the night. More than one person asked where I bought it. When I told them it was $118, they were genuinely surprised.

My cousin is getting married next year and asked me for the link. Then she asked again because she had forgotten where she saved it.

My mom cried when she first saw me in the dress. I cried too. Not because it was expensive. Because it looked like me.

My $118 dress came with a few lessons.

Short Lace Wedding Dress FAQ

Is a short wedding dress practical for the reception?

For me, absolutely. The above-knee length made walking, sitting, using the bathroom and dancing much easier than a long train would have been. I danced for about three hours without having to manage the skirt.

Is a lace-up wedding dress back easier to fit?

A lace-up back can be more forgiving because it allows some adjustment after you put the dress on. I liked being able to tighten or loosen mine instead of relying on a fixed zipper.

Can an inexpensive wedding dress still photograph well?

Mine did. The floral lace texture photographed especially well around the stone columns at Union Station in Toronto. Natural light helped show the lace without making the dress look overly busy.

What should I check when ordering a wedding dress online?

Measure yourself carefully, compare those measurements with the seller's size chart, read reviews, allow plenty of delivery time and inspect the dress as soon as it arrives. Steaming is also worth doing before judging the final appearance.

Are short lace wedding dresses suitable for dancing?

A short lace dress can be a particularly comfortable choice if dancing is important to you. Without a long train or heavy skirt around your feet, movement becomes much less complicated.

How early should I order an inexpensive wedding dress online?

I would order earlier than you think you need it. Mine took about two and a half weeks to arrive, and having extra time gives you a chance to check the fit, steam the fabric and handle any unexpected issue before the wedding.

Was buying a $118 wedding dress online worth it?

For me, yes. The dress fit comfortably, survived a full wedding day, photographed beautifully, allowed me to dance and received compliments all night. More importantly, I felt like myself in it.