Q. Hi Jordan,
I have decided to get married this spring in the yard of a beautiful country cabin. Picture mason jars…pictures clothes-pinned to twine…acoustic guitars…Chucks for the men. So I don’t know what to do for a dress. Also, I have practically no money to spend…I’m talking $200 max.
Any ideas or inspiration would be wonderful!
Lindsay
Q. That setting is so perfect for a romantic, casual wedding look. You can still do the long white dress, but with a few homemade touches and items pulled straight from your closet, you’ll look beautifully bridal for next-to-nothing.
Let’s take this Rebecca Taylor cotton gown as inspiration for the first look. A little country, a lot relaxed, and easy to pair with sandals for dancing or an updo for the ceremony.
1. Search vintage stores for a long cotton dress – I’ve also had luck finding beautiful satin-and-lace nightgowns at consignment shops for not too much money. Take the dress to a tailor and have it fitted and lined to give it a bit more weight (and to cover up any potentially see-through patches).
2. Try DIY-ing a lace or gauze sash (just fold a long rectangle of lace in half lengthwise and sew the edges together, turn inside-out to hide the seam, and finish the ends by cutting them into a sparrow-tail and then heat-sealing them or painting them with clear polish so that they don’t fray). Or buy a simple silver belt. That’s easier.
3. You can also pick up some trimming for the neckline for just a few dollars, or embroider the details yourself if you’re handy like that.
4. Finish with a few pretty touches like pave stud earrings, a sparkly hair comb, and whimsical flats.
Another idea: go for a Greek Goddess-y look that’s all cream and gold and dancing-in-the-forest.
1. Start with a basic white tank dress with a great silhouette (I found that Thakoon dress on sale for just $74).
2. Add simple extras like a single bangle, a romantic wrap, a tassel belt, gold sandals, and sparrow earrings that serve both as your Something Blue and as a beautiful symbol of safe return home.
3. None of the accessories pictured above is over $50, but I’m willing to bet that you already have sandals and a wrap, and you can DIY that sash with a simple trip to the trimmings shop (or just go for a braided gold leather belt – that’s easy enough to find). The earrings I think you should just go ahead and buy, because they’re fantastic…bringing your grand total to just a hair over $100.
A wedding-day outfit that lets you play in the leaves. Not too shabby.
Related:
What to Wear: Courthouse Wedding
