All that is set to change though. Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that several major retailers were getting in on the bridal game with off-the-rack wedding dresses. J.Crew was the first to sell bridal gowns back in 2005, but Ann Taylor, White House Black Market, The Limited and Urban Outfitters are all set to follow suit. In addition to avoiding lengthy appointment-booking times, brides can find gowns that are, for the most part, considerably cheaper than the average boutique wedding dress.
J. Crew sells dresses for as low as $295, Ann Taylor retails for less than $500, and Urban Outfitters' line, which is set to launch in February 2011, will start at $750. The Limited will be offering two dresses in June for less than $300.
Reasonably-priced bridal behemoth David's Bridal has even stepped up their game by announcing an upcoming collaboration with high-end designer Vera Wang. Gowns will start from as low as $600, as compared to Wang's regular line which retails from $4,000 and can go to higher than $25,000. Of course diffusion lines are hot these days, with everyone from Zac Posen to Thakoon having lower priced lines (for Target) under their belt. Vera Wang is no stranger to the concept of mass fashion; she has designed a line for Kohl's, Simply Vera, since 2007. However her planned collaboration with David's Bridal is the first of its kind.
A lot of ready-to-wear bridal creations are less formal than their designer counterparts. The J. Crew dresses are more suited to a low-key event than to black-tie nuptials. But since the recession has resulted in a nationwide trend of more laid-back weddings, savvy brides everywhere should rejoice at high-quality, off-the-rack options.
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