Gorgeous and Affordable Wedding Dresses Under $500

A gorgeous wedding dress doesn't have to break the bank. There are plenty of places to buy an affordable wedding dress online, and many of them have wedding dresses under $500! In this ultimate guide to affordable dresses, we'll show you how to find the dress of your dreams, in your budget, without sacrificing your personal style.

Image credits and shopping sources: 1. Lulus 2. BWLDR Estrella Gown from Nordstrom 3. Athens Asymmetrical Gown with Cape Sleeve Drape 4. Andrea + Leo Lace Bridal Gown from Lady Black Tie

Gorgeous and Affordable Wedding Dresses Under $500

A wedding dress you love shouldn't be out of reach, no matter what your wedding budget. There are plenty of top places to buy a wedding dress online, and so many of them have wedding dresses under $500!

If spending thousands for a dress for your big day isn't your style, you're not alone. Many couples are choosing affordable, casual wedding attire, and retailers are listening. However, finding the perfect wedding style within your budget isn't always easy.

We're here to help you find your ideal wedding dress, no matter what your budget. If you're trying to stay in a price range under $500, here are our latest picks for bridal gowns under $500, from online retailers. One of the best parts of buying a wedding dress this way is that they usually ship more quickly than made-to-order gowns in boutiques.

Over 70 Affordable Wedding Dresses Under $500

Each one of these dresses was under $500 at the time of this post. In addition, these retailers are always a good place to look for affordable wedding dresses. We hope your dream dress is on this list.

If you're trying to stick to a budget in other areas of wedding attire, you'll want to check out our picks for bridal shoes under $100.

We have also found some details on where to shop for the best bridesmaid dresses under $100 for your wedding party. 

Our Favorite Bridal Gowns under $500

Here are the latest affordable gowns and wedding dresses we've found that are under $500. All prices are subject to change but were accurate at the time of publication. Your perfect dress might be one of these beauties!

Off-the-Shoulder Glitter Gown 

Leonora Dress from Lady Black Tie

This off the shoulder ball gown glitter style would be an amazing wedding dress for under $400. It's from Lady Black Tie. They offer so many gorgeous white dresses and bridal styles, and almost all of them are under $500. 

Lace and Tulle Low Back Mermaid Dress Under $450

The fitted mermaid silhouette, fishtail hem, and train look like gowns for much more than this price point. We love the spaghetti straps, the lacework at the bodice, and the tulle overlay. Lulus is one of the best places to look for affordable dresses in general, and they frequently have new arrivals and new styles each month. This stunning wedding dress, The Everlasting Affection Dress from Lulus, is $428

Affordable Lace Up Corset Wedding Dress under $250

If a more fitted silhouette is your style, then try this satin corset-style gown from Show Me Your Mumu. The adjustable lace-up back makes for a perfect fit, and at $228, it's a nice fit for most budgets as well!

White Tulle Maxi Wedding Dress Under $300

This dress is known as the Fairy Tale Maxi dress, and we can see why. The flirty tiered ruffles and layers of tulle make this dress a delicious confection! Show Me Your Mumu has a lot of maxi dresses in white wedding dress styles that are under $500.It retails for $298 at Show My Your Mumu.

Long Sleeve Lace Wedding Dress for Less than $500

This all-over lace long-sleeve bridal gown is from AW Bridal, one of the spots we're newly featuring! We love the detail of the all-over lace, which is an amazing level of craftsmanship at this price point of under $500! This looks like an ideal dress for a boho desert wedding or a chic beach wedding dress to us! This is the Regan Wedding Dress from AW Bridal - $469.

Boho Style Wedding Dress Under $400

Chic Column Bridal Gown with Back Detail Under $400

Anthropologie has an amazing collection of gorgeous wedding dresses, and some of our favorite wedding dresses that rival those of any in-store bridal salon. We particularly appreciate that they stock affordable options and sleek, ready-to-ship gowns like this one.  This style is under $400 and has an unmistakably modern, glamorous style. This is the Zuri Beaded Jersey Dress by Mac Duggal.

Off-the-Shoulder Wedding Gown with Deep V Under $400

For those who love an off-the-shoulder style, we think this one is exceptionally lovely! The sheer inserts a the neckline and sides are a designer-style feature at an affordable price. It retails for The Fairytale Love Story Dress is $329 at Lulus.

Sheer Floral Lace Corset Gown Under $400

This romantic number is from Anthropologie. The sheer floral lace makes this an ideal wedding dress for an elopement, a beach wedding, or especially a garden wedding. This is the Annabelle Dress from Anthropologie - $328

Bias Cut Satin Designer Bridal Gown

Revolve has so many designer gowns in white and ivory that make gorgeous modern wedding dresses in a variety of silhouettes. This one by For Love and Lemons is a sought-after designer, but for under $500! See more of the wedding dress styles we love by Revolve.  Pearl Dress from Revolve - $489

Classic Strapless Wedding Gown under 500

Dessy has a classic line-up of ready-to-ship wedding dresses, including this classic strapless wedding gown. This one will never go out of style! Shop this Dress at Dessy - $388

Romantic Vintage Look Bridal Gown Under $500

This gown shows some of the incredible craftsmanship available from the makers at Etsy. This short sleeve wedding dress is by Blush Fashion on Etsy, an Etsy which has many excellent reviews. We absolutely love the vintage look of the deep v-back and lace-trimmed short sleeves. Blush Fashion on Etsy $404 on sale, regularly $506.

 

Tips When Looking For Affordable Wedding Dresses

1. Everlasting Affection Dress from Lulus 2. Clarrisa Dress from Show Me Your Mumu 3. Dress the Population Annabelle Dress from Anthropologie 4 Dessy Sweetheart Strapless Gown

While we're on the topic of finding some wedding dress bargains, we'd like to say a few words about purchasing wedding dresses online and the deals you may see. All the dresses we've shown here are from reputable online retailers with good reviews.

Being able to get cheap wedding dresses online is a great innovation in the wedding world and an ideal option if you don't have a long engagement, or are having a small ceremony or destination wedding. You can buy these wedding dresses without a long ordering lead time,  you can try them at home, and often return them if need be. 

However, if you see a high-end couture or designer wedding gown being sold online for a price that sounds too good to be true -- it probably is!  (For instance, a new Monique Lhuillier couture wedding gown will not be under $500). Usually, designer wedding dresses can only be purchased through an atelier or bridal boutique that has been certified by the designer and found on that designer's website.

Aside from these good guys, there are some less-than-reputable companies that simply steal images of designer gowns, put them on their sites, and then say they'll create the same one for you at crazy prices. We can assure you it's not the quality you are hoping for.  Some of the telltale signs are sites that seem a little off, such as the description of the dress being strangely worded, there being no contact information, the "reviews" sounding a little phony, and the site itself not seeming secure. Unless it's a store or brand you know, stay cautious. And always Google and search for reviews!

Where To Shop Online for Wedding Dresses Under $500

Lulus

Lulus is one of the first places we look for affordable wedding attire of any type. They have gorgeous bridesmaid dresses under $100, amazing wedding guest dresses, formal dresses, and they have so many wedding dresses all under $500. Their new line of Luxe Bridal dresses are simply beautiful and look like gowns that cost hundreds more. They also have so many long white dresses that are around $100 that make for elegant and simple wedding gowns.

See More Wedding Dresses at Lulus

Revolve

Think you can't get a designer wedding dress for under $500? Usually, you'd be right to be wary of such a proposition, but Revolve carries some amazing designers and their offerings for white dresses will make amazing wedding dresses. There are even more dresses outside the $500 range, but for under $500 you can get stunning bridal gowns like the one pictured above.

Shop for Dresses at Revolve

Anthropologie

Anthropologie's former wedding website, BHLDN, is now back under the Anthropologie shop and brand name, and all the elegant wedding dresses have gone along for the ride! Anthropologie weddings mostly have dresses in the under $1,500 range, but there are a few beauties under $500.

See More Dresses from Anthropologie

Dessy

Dessy's been a reliable name in bridal for decades, and their selection of wedding dresses under $500 offers top-quality fabrics and styling. Some of these gowns have a bit of a wait time associated, but it's worth the 6-week lead time! The dress we have pictured above even has pockets, as do several other styles!

See More from Dessy

Etsy

Etsy is one spot where you'll need to read each individual seller's reviews very carefully. But once you do, and you find a winner, you can get an exquisitely handcrafted and often one-of-a-kind gown. 

See more Wedding Dresses from Etsy

Show Me Your Mumu

Always the spot to look for fun beachy and whimsical bridesmaid dresses, Show Me Your Mumu's collection of white dresses can work for bridal showers, and rehearsal dinners, but many of the styles -like the one above - are fantastic as wedding dresses!

See More from Show Me Your Mumu

More Ways to Look For An Affordable Wedding Dress

Be sure to check out all of our Wedding Dress Collections for the latest designer wedding dresses. We also have wedding dresses of all prices in our Wedding Dress Shop, and Wedding Dresses Under $1,000 and wedding dresses under $1500 as well!  We also have selected over 50 white dresses for your bridal shower, engagement party and wedding rehearsal that are under $100!

Originally published November 2013, most recently updated June 2023, with a minor update on October 20, 2023