Its starting to do my head in

I'm trying to find a wedding dress. I'd like it casual, informal for a courthouse or outdoor wedding. I have a child and refuse to wear white or similar, and I'd like to be able to wear my dress for other occasions. I don't have a set budget as of yet, but I do have a limit on dress cost. Its about $300 but if its something I'll definitely wear again, I might increase that. A short dress, well not touching the floor would be perfect. I 've been looking online for many hours and I'm starting to get upset, there's just way too much formal out there, and what's informal is still very formal!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Have you considered searching spotlight or something in the pattern books for a dress you like & asking/paying someone you know who can sew to make it for you.
Im making my own dress & it should cost less than $150 for the pattern & materials

What about going down to Myer? They have some beautiful dresses at the moment & the good thing is that alot of their stock is marked down considerably. I've found some good bargains in Myer lately.

I don't know where a Myer is and I don't want to have to travel more than 1 hour to buy a dress. I don't have a car yet, and would either have to have someone drive me, or catch the train.

I will have a look at spotlight. Thanks. Any more ideas?

Hi Echidna,

Not knowing what your taste is, or what kind of shops you have around, but do you have one of those little hippie Tree of Life style stores near you? I have two friends who got wedding dresses from there- one white and one red- pretty but casual enugh to be comfortable and quite affordable.

Just a thought.

Hi Echinda...sorry i can't think of any idea but i just wanted to say i hope you find the right dress for the right price, im sure there will be something out there, it's just finding it!

Goodluck and all the best x

A friend of mine had a wedding dress that turned out to be the same as my bridesmaid dresses just different colours and only cost $250.

They were simple yet elegant with some dimonties on the bodice, She lives in country vic and me in melbourne, was just and evening gown brand that i know Noni B used to stock not sure if they still do as last time i looked they had gone into more older people clothing.

Good luck

have you looked up ****tail dresses? they are usually shorter then formal dresses.

I've found two bridesmaid/****tail style dresses, and patterns for 3 kinds of dresses. Not sure fi I have the motivation or skill to sew my own, so I'll keep looking. I'd rather look online so I don't have to travel and go to stores. Newcastle isn't too hard to get to and from (not many trains to and from each day), so I might take a day in Newcastle to look around.

Does anyone know of any bridal or stores that sell nice dresses in Newcastle?
Does anyone know any designers that don't charge a fortune for "off the rack" styles?

Thanks so much for all of your help and best wishes.