Finding the perfect wedding dress can be hard enough as it is, but most couples that are eloping usually picture their ceremony being in front of snow capped peaks, or glacier lakes. Making it incredibly important that you're comfortable on your wedding day!   There are about a million and one reasons why couples choose to elope over having the big traditional day and 99% of the time it has nothing to do with budget, but it never hurts to save a little money when it comes to your wedding expenses!

As an adventure elopement photographer in the PNW, many of the couples that decide to elope love to include the epic scenery that the pacific northwest has to offer. So when it comes to wedding day attire, for some, spending $1500+ on a dress to hike in, can seem thrilling but also can be hard to pull the trigger especially if the 'wedding attire' doesn't hold as heavy meaning as some of the other aspects of your big day

 

For brides that prefer a more affordable or simpler route, I've put together a list of some of my favorite dresses for an elopement. So whether you're on the hunt for a dress, suit, jumper, or whatever your vibe is--here's a few of my favorite spots to shop if you're looking for something simple for your adventurous elopement or you just love a damn good deal.

Top 4 places to get a wedding dress on a budget

Lulu's

Lulu's is one of the top retailers to purchase a beautiful, simple and budget friendly dress from. 99%  of their dresses are $300 and under, with a good variety even $160 and under.  Oh and they carry bridal shower, bridesmaid dresses and jumpers. They also offer sizing from xxs to  plus size *HELL YEAH*! 

Amazon dresses

Okay so this one might seem pretty random, but don't you know that you can literally buy anything off of Amazon? Since Amazon is a hub for not only amazon brand products but also individual sellers, there are many sellers and businesses that carry formal wear as well as bridal wear. Most of the attire takes 4-8 weeks for delivery since a bulk of it is being shipped from China, but if you want something beautiful and elegant; Amazon has some damn good options. Oh and a majority of the sellers will make the dress custom to your measurements without an extra charge.

Etsy

So Etsy is well known for crafty and handmade stuff. Literally think of a craft or an item and chances are someone is creating and selling it on Etsy. The cool thing is that you can probably put on an entire wedding  just by shopping on Etsy (no joke). Another cool thing that most people don't know is that Etsy also sells vintage items, so if finding the perfect vintage suit is your jam, its right up your alley. Etsy is the best spot for unique and boho wedding and elopement dresses.

Poshmark

Poshmark is a freaking great resource for folks that are totally down with considering buying secondhand. Poshmark is a user-based entity where users create listings in their "closet". What started out as a platform of used merchandise has grown to include items that may be new with tags, wholesale, and more. This is a great site to check out if you are down with looking for the perfect dress.

The only downside to purchasing on Poshmark is that you cannot do returns. So it's important to make sure that you ask the seller for measurements in order to make sure the item(s) will fit. Poshmark does have payment protection and if you find yourself with an item that has damages that were not included in the listing, the measurements are different than what was listed or anything along these lines (even if the item is dirty); you can open a case and request a return and refund.