
A lot has changed in the bridal fashion market since I got married in 2017. At that time the options for a fashion-forward dress on a tight budget were very limited, and I knew definitively that I didn’t want to go down the traditional route of meringues and fittings and remortgaging the house to secure “the one”. So, I ended up buying an off-the-peg monochrome Proenza Schouler dress on a whim whilst in Harvey Nichols for a press event. No friends or family were with me, there were no happy tears and it couldn’t have been less of a “moment” but I was so happy with the result.
The fact is, for many brides-to-be, the idea of putting aside £20k for a gown that you wear once and probably destroy on the dance-floor, has been outmoded for a while now. It’s taken a few years for the industry to catch up, but now in 2022 the contemporary bridal dresses and separates that are available at more affordable prices is truly remarkable.

While £1000 may not feel affordable for everyone (and there are brilliant lower-priced high street bridal dresses you can easily shop from online), for some wedding budgets this allows more to be spent on multiple looks as nuptials and parties now often span days, locations and themes. The spillover could be reallocated to having a jolly good knees up (we spent a little extra on keeping everyone very well fed and watered), a fancier honeymoon or kept aside for plain ol’ regular life expenses.
Additionally, with wedding plans being continuously changed over the past couple of years, the perspective on what’s important has shifted. There is undoubtedly going to be a slew of smaller, more intimate weddings, with city nuptials and more private affairs being far better suited to modern bridal looks. Keep scrolling to see the best under-£1000 wedding dresses and separates to buy now.
1. VANESSA COCCHIARIO



2. REFORMATION



3. CLOVER LONDON



4. ROTATE BIRGER CHRISTENSEN



5. RIXO



6. SOLACE LONDON



7. ASOS



8. RETROFETE



9. SELF-PORTRAIT



10. WHISTLES



11. 16ARLINGTON



12. RASARIO



13. GHOST




14. HARMUR



15. NEEDLE & THREAD



Up next, 42 wedding guest dresses we’re eyeing for wedding season.
This story was originally published at an earlier time and has since been updated.
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