Samantha Birch - The High-Street Bride’s Guide - How to Plan Your Perfect Wedding On A Budget

Diane von Furstenberg and Temperleyoccasionally have the odd short, white, lacy number for under £500, but for the most part the gorgeous gowns outside their out-of-reach bridal collection aren’t so aisle-friendly.

Best for:Laidback, fashion-forward registry office dos. However gorgeous, these looks will get lost in a massive, high-ceilinged or cathedral-type venue, but they’re just right in a more intimate setting, where they’ll let your natural beauty do the talking.

Here it is, ladies: exactly what I promised you back in the Basics section. You can walk down the aisle head-to-toe in catwalk names without breaking the bank, if you know where to look for them. And Here. They. Come.

I actually can’t get enough of this place. I just can’t get over the gowns you can afford on there thanks to all this up-to-70%-off business. And since they’re the sister site of Net-a-Porter too, you know they’re on the level – not like some of those faceless so-called ‘designer’ online shops.

Many’s the time I’ve daydreamed about festooning the super-simple Minimarket georgette maxi I once saw on there with some serious statement jewellery – not to mention stroking my laptop screen when I first saw the ankle-length Theyskens’ Theory vision in silk that was only £146.

The cool Carven shell dress with twisted neckline for £189 would have been a head-turner at the registry office, too, while the not one but four Notte by Marchesa full-length gowns they had online at the same time – from only £322, by the way – would have owned any aisle.

Did I mention the Stella McCartney super-soft-pink lace dress for informal outdoor occasions? Or what about the the crème de la crème for under £550: a long-sleeve, floor-gracing Amanda Wakeley silk-satin jaw-dropper? That, you’d just damn well build your wedding around.

But my favourite thing to do here? Take the tip from Net-a-Porter and skip the Wedding section in favour of searching by colour and style – the more open-minded the better. I mean let’s be honest, if you’re walking down the aisle in the grey Valentino Roma rosy-lace-smothered dress that was up for less than £600, the black Gianfranco Ferré V-neck that was under £550, the Vivienne Westwood black and blue jacquard-taffeta that was £525, or the red silk-organza and georgette Oscar de la Renta that was less than £515, who’s going to blink if it’s not white?

Busy brides, step aside. If you’re going to order online from the States, you’ve got to have the time and money to send your gown back if it doesn’t work out. Brides who are up to their eyes in work or other wedding preparations won’t want to take the risk of being lumbered with a £500 dress they don’t have time to post across the pond.

For those who do have the seconds to spare though, Saks Fifth Avenue have made a big hoo-ha out of the fact that they’re now up for shipping worldwide. If you’re after a short and simple dress, don’t spend the international postage – there are generally styles similar to what Saks is hawking way more locally – but if you’re struggling to find a longer look that suits your taste, the swish department store often stocks several standout options for under £500.

Example? Last time I checked, an Aidan Mattox with a beautiful curlicue-meets-sheer back was up for less than £315, while a seemingly simple cowl-neck ABS in satin revealed beautifully intricate silver and champagne back detailing – all for under £350. Meanwhile, the same brand’s bow-detail strapless gown was textbook modern, origami-chic for under £250.

For glamour-hunters, there were various visions in gold – from Sue Wong’s elaborately beaded and tightly ruffled chiffon number for under £445 to an utterly jaw-dropping gold V-neck, cowl back Notte by Marchesa stunner for under £430.

Also featured were a truckload of gorgeous, affordable BCBGMAXAZRIA, some glittering David Meisters and – if you’ve got just a little more to play with – a delicate, empire Badgley Mischka for under £610. There are even videos of a lot of the dresses so you can see them in floor-sweeping action before you order.

There are just a few things to bear in mind when you shop online. theoutnet.comis an established, recognised brand, but there are a lot of cowboys out there hoping to fob you off with a counterfeit that crackles when you walk and costs your whole bridal budget – and possibly your sanity. Don’t buy from sellers you haven’t heard of, or who no-one you know has had positive first-hand experience with.

Always check the Ts and Cs when spending this amount of money on the web. You don’t want to be stuck with a dress that doesn’t fit because it turns out since it’s sale stock you can’t send it back.

You may need to get alterations, so you should factor these into the cost before deciding whether to keep your gown. Talk to an experienced, trustworthy seamstress or a bridal boutique that doesn’t mind amending dresses other than their own before you decide it’s the right dress for you.

If you’re shopping from abroad, keep in mind extra charges – I’ve seen shipping priced at £9.99 and then taxes and duties tacked on at £80. It doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker if you’ve laid eyes on your dream dress at a pinch-yourself price, but it’s hardly pocket change so be careful to budget for it.

Best for:Brides with a lot of time on their hands. You have to be willing to wait for your dress to arrive, to get in touch with a seamstress for alterations, or to send it back if needs be. With discount sites like THEOUTNET you’ve also got to keep an eye on Twitter or newsletters from your fave site so you can jump in and order your dream dress the minute it goes online – miss them and you could be left with slim pickings when it comes to choice of sizes.

No desire to wrap your W-day dress up in anti-moth paraphernalia and stash it in the attic? Or to try to convince your daughter she wants to wear it on her wedding day in 25 years or so? Go temporary and take all the savings that come with.

I have a confession to make. For a while before my wedding I daydreamed about a little old lady – probably the cobbler from The Elves and the Shoemaker ’s more competent other half – who would take in my dress for me, stitch on a few extra sequins and wipe a little tear from her eye in a grandmotherly way when I finally tried it on.

If that’s the kind of experience you’re after, you’re not going to get it on the high street. Or at the jaw-dropping online hire place I’m about to wax lyrical about. But you might find it in that friendly neighbourhood bridal boutique I mentioned – as well as that warm, fuzzy feeling of supporting local biz (and not paying the earth for it).

Although hiring means it’s likely your bridalwear choices will be more limited than if you bought – some fabrics can’t be altered imperceptibly so they won’t be available to rent – you will be able to add super-pretty prom dresses into the mix, and it’s a way of wearing something heart-stopping that also keeps your bank balance the right side of red.

Fans of Temperley, Badgley Mischka and Malene Birger, try to hold it together: gowns by these and other designers are available to hire online from Wish Want Wear – from as little as about £50. No, I haven’t missed a nought off – last time I looked Birger-ites could hire a trim, super-cute style with cool, contemporary lace for four days for £50, or eight days for £85.