Charlotte writes, “I need your help! My beau and I are getting married in D.C in June, and we’re planning a small courthouse ceremony with close family and friends, followed by a luncheon at a relative’s house. Do you think you could offer some outfit inspiration? I visualize a knee-length jacquard dress and pretty fascinator, but have no idea where to start looking. My only ‘requirements’ are that the dress is knee-length (or slightly above) and the entire outfit is under $400.”
Congrats on your impending nuptials! So you need a wedding outfit under $400? Sounds like a challenge, but I’m up for it!
The first look centers on a $148 floral lace crepe dress by Shelli Segal, along with a $90 pair of Bebe gold and white sandals:
Since you mentioned a fascinator, I found one for $89 from House of Fraser. Finish with a $27 Lulu Townsend lace clutch, $26 Givenchy Glass Pearl Earrings, $25 Napoleon Perdis Loose Powder, and a spritz of $12 Victoria’s Secret Fragrance Mist. Total: $398.
The second look comprises a $225 Arielle Lace Shift Dress from House of Fraser, along with $50 sparkly sandals by Martinez Valero and a $27 Lulu Townsend clutch:
Pop on the same $89 fascinator, and complete with a $4 pair of lashes, $15 MAC lipstick, and a spritz of $25 perfumed body spritz. Price: $435. Nix the lipstick and body spritz for a grand total of $395:
The last look starts with two high priced items: a $194 Vivienne Westwood Anglomania White Marghi dress and $160 Enzo Angiolini White Embellished Peep Toes:
Since the shoes and dress are such splurges, you can save on makeup and jewelry. Forever 21 has $7 Rhinestone Chandelier Earrings and $7 Pressed Powder. Finish the look with $8 Essie Polish from the Wedding Collection, $10 False Eyelashes, and $25 Eyeshadow. Total: $410. Ditch the eyelashes or pressed powder for a look that rings in well below your $400 budget:
What do you think?
Get more wedding ready white dresses and shoe looks for less here:
April 30, 2012 11:39 pm
Aww congrats!!
May 1, 2012 12:40 am
Great Job Claire! I LOVE the second outfit!
May 1, 2012 12:45 am
Aww, congrats Charlotte! I love the playful look of a cocktail dress and fascinator. I’ve been stalking etsy.com for affordable fascinators – definitely check them out if you like that look.
May 1, 2012 1:03 am
Awww congratulations! People sleep on courthouse weddings but I find them more intimate and inviting than over the top weddings. LOVE all the options selected, but my heart is leaning more towards the option 2, it just screams bride. Good luck on your marriage.
May 1, 2012 6:05 am
I love some of the looks. You are right Binks. People do sleep on courthouse weddings. I have two friends who decided to save and do a small, intimate courthouse wedding. Instead of paying for a wedding, they used that money and bought a house. That was actually quite smart to me. ♥
May 1, 2012 8:47 am
love some of the looks and love that u add everything right down to the perfume :)
May 1, 2012 10:35 am
This is a great post and I love the suggestions.
May 1, 2012 10:48 am
This is so cute… I love the whole idea.
May 1, 2012 11:22 am
You can probably find a pretty embellished headband with the same style for $8 to $30.
Check your local department stores and wedding boutiques.
May 1, 2012 2:43 pm
I love LOVE!!! Congratulations
May 1, 2012 2:44 pm
I love the Laundry dress! Congrats Charlotte!
May 1, 2012 3:55 pm
Congratulations Charlotte!
Claire, these outfit suggestions are inspired! Really great work! There are also some excellent thrifty options for wedding fascinators on Etsy.com. Here’s a rather fabulous one for $40:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/94362726/vintage-wedding-hair-piece-wedding
Anyways – really great post!
May 1, 2012 4:05 pm
This is a great post, Claire!
I’m sure Charlotte will look amazing in any of these options. Congratulations!
May 1, 2012 6:47 pm
If Im lucky and my bf pops the question we’ll be at the courthouse too so Ill be keeping these ideas in the back of my head.
May 2, 2012 9:27 am
I would def do a courthouse wedding…but my man wants a BIG wedding. *sigh*
May 5, 2012 6:16 pm
Very cute. I love the first look!
July 29, 2012 7:01 pm
PRAISE YOU for posting this! Our generation doesn’t seem to know that there is a difference between a club outfit and wedding guest outfit… you might have just saved a few backgrounds of wedding photo’s everywhere.