Wedding Dresses. The picture in your mind goes something like this. You’re standing in a gorgeous little boutique wedding dress shop surrounded by your closest friends and maybe your mother.

They all gasp with delight as you step out into a plush carpeted space. Your mother dabs at her eyes with a tissue and passers-by are stopped in their tracks as they catch a glimpse of you shining with the radiance of a blushing bride.

You feel butterflies in your stomach as the sales assistant expertly attaches a veil to your perfectly styled hair and you know you’ve found ‘the one’.

In reality, most brides have scoured through every wedding dress picture Pinterest has to offer and sat through every episode of ‘Say Yes to the Dress’ and have that twinging feeling that there might just be something better if they just looked hard enough.

Couple that with the fact that you’re probably wearing dodgy underwear and you’re hair has been scraped back into a greasy bun because you’re exhausted from trying to plan a wedding while holding down a full time job and maybe trying to raise children or something!

Then, to top it all off, you catch a glimpse of the price tag of your favourite wedding dress and have to back slowly out of the shop, dragging your jaw along the floor as you prepare to run screaming back to your car!

We know wedding dresses can be ridiculously expensive but here are a few ways to make a simple wedding dress look like it’s been made by angels… or at least by a high end couture designer.

Tip 1

Don’t buy a pure brilliant white dress. They can end up looking cheap (even though they’re not!). Instead, go for a soft white, ivory, champagne or blush colour. This will make your wedding dress look more expensive and it won’t give off a weird glow in your photos. Take a trusted friend with you to make sure the colour you choose suits your skin tone.

Tip 2

Tailoring. If you’re buying a less expensive wedding dress then make sure you invest a little bit of what you’ve saved in some expert tailoring.  A good seamstress can make it look like the wedding dress has been designed just for you, as it hugs your every curve. Also, do some research and get advice on what wedding dress shape suits your build.

Tip 3

Make sure you wear the correct underwear. Body shapers or basques are great if they’re comfortable and a petticoat under a full wedding dress will stop the front collapsing in on you as you walk, which makes the dress look weird and like it doesn’t fit properly. If you have a large bust then make sure you have really good support and if you have a smaller bust then get your seamstress to sew in some padding so the front doesn’t gape.

Tip 4

The trend for strapless wedding dresses has been around for a long while but the really expensive couture wedding dresses usually have some sort of straps. We’ve all seen that bride who spent more time pulling up her dress that enjoying her day. Have your seamstress add thin straps, capped sleeves or anything that you like to make the dress look more designery (yes, that’s a real word!). Straps or sleeves will also keep your dress from sliding down and give you the confidence to enjoy your day without worrying that you’re going to give your guests a glimpse of something they shouldn’t!

Tip 5

This is a big tip!!! Accessorise! With a simple dress you can really go to town on your accessories.  A big statement necklace or jewelled hair piece will look stunning against the clean lines of your simple, elegant wedding dress.

We have found some really reasonable accessories for you to buy, which really won’t break the bank! For example, the beautiful headpiece below is only £19.99!! Bargain! Click on the picture or ‘Buy It Now’ button to purchase and don’t worry, you’ll check out through Amazon so it’s highly trusted!

 

Look at this beauty! Gorgeous crystals and all things wonderful! BUY IT HERE!

This next one looks gorgeous as it cascades down your hair and it’s under £20!!

What’s not to love! BUY IT NOW

On a MEGA budget? This next one is perfect. Elegant and delicate and ONLY £3.11!!!!!!! Can this be real?! Yes! It can!! BUY IT NOW!

A beautiful crystal or satin belt simply added to your wedding dress will make it look like it cost thousands of pounds and they can be picked up quite cheaply.

We’ve found some great ones for you to fall in love with and they are all under £20!

Check them out below!

You can get this beautiful wedding dress belt for £15.97! BUY IT HERE!

 

Or how about this next one for just £11.96?! See how the belt just lifts this really simple wedding dress to another level of gorgeousness!  BUY IT HERE!

A veil really makes you feel like a bride and you can make a real statement with lace or crystals or anything you like because it won’t be fighting with an overly beaded complicated dress.

Again, because we think you’re all lovely, we’ve found some really inexpensive veils that have the wow factor. All of them are under £25.Check them out below!

Check out this long, romantic veil which is just gorgeous! The length itself is impressive but just you wait until we tell you the price!… Wait for it….. £9.49!! BUY IT HERE!

Want something a little more funky? How about this for only £25! BUY IT HERE!

Back to a traditional veil now, but this one has a beautiful lace edge. BUY IT HERE!

Finally, the most beautiful and luxurious way to make your simple wedding dress look waaaay more expensive is with a shrug. It really does look amazing so check out below what we found for you! Exciting!

How about this (fake) fur wrap? It’s elegant and useful for a wedding in the cooler months. Only £11.90! BUY IT HERE!

 

Here’s another fur (fake) mini jacket to glam up your wedding dress. BUY IT NOW!

 

Don’t like fur? How about this beautiful sheer wedding bolero which manages a classic look while still being bang on trend! BUY IT HERE!

 

Feeling a little more lacey? Well, here’s the one for you! This gorgeous little number is perfection itself! BUY IT HERE!

 

So there you have it! Loads of ideas on how to make your simple wedding dress look amazing!

Which one would you choose?