White Summer Wedding Dresses for Under $800

Finding a wedding dress can be one of the most exciting, stressful, fulfilling, irritating experiences when it comes to planning your wedding. If you're having a summer wedding and going for the traditional white, take a look at these summer wedding dresses. All designs are under $800 and come from a variety of places you might not automatically think of for purchasing a wedding gown.

With summer's heat, you want to keep a couple factors in mind. Heavy, overdone, thick wedding dresses aren't best for your summer event. . Even if you are having your wedding indoors during the summer, you want to think about the weather if you're planning on doing any outdoor pictures. You might think it will be a quick couple shots so the heat wont matter, but usually pictures-especially if they involve your wedding party-will take longer than you expect. The last thing you want to do is show up at your reception with sweat stains!

First of all, a sleeveless gown or a gown with a very small strap is almost a must if you are having an outdoor wedding in the summer. You'll want to consider going with a lighter fabric such as cotton or a silk chiffon . You can go short or long as long as the fabric is right. In the end, it's all about what looks best on you and will hold up in the heat of summer. You'll also want to find something interesting, beautiful, and perfectly suited to your tastes.

Solid Silk Chiffon Whitney long dress:
This dress is sleeveless and long, but it's made of a lightweight silk chiffon, so it will hold up well in the heat. What I love about this dress is even though it is a simple silhouette, not big or poofy, the fitted bodice has a great sash that gives a delicate, light detail perfect for summer. J. Crew describes the waist as "lettuce-edged" and I think this adds a really unique detail you don't see on a lot of wedding dresses. This dress is available through Jcrew.com and is $395.00. This is an amazing deal for a wedding dress. Personally, I purchased my wedding dress through J. Crew's website and could not have been happier with the quality and beauty of the garment. If I had to do it all over again, I would still choose them to buy my wedding dress through.

Camille cotton-silk gown:
This is another J crew gown that would be ideal for a destination wedding or an outdoor wedding. It has thin spaghettis straps, a textured flowing skirt, and is made of a lightweight Italian cotton/silk. This gown gives the illusion of full skirt if you like the idea of a bigger dress. The pleats in the skirt and large bow in the back give this simple gown a more unique look. I think J Crew excels at the light, simple gown that offers stunning details that will definitely make you feel like a bride even without the large, overwhelming gown. At $650 it is a little bit more expensive than the strapless Whitney gown that looks more expensive, but is still much cheaper than many of the dresses you'll find at specialty bridal shops.

Suzi Chin Dress, Sleeveless V-Neck Rosette Hem Dress:
Looking to go more casual? Try searching a department store's selection of white dresses. Simply by going for something not labeled bridal you can save hundreds or thousands of dollars. This particular dress is really casual. It's short, landing at the knee. But, it has a lot of beautiful detail in the skirt. With the right accessories and hairdo-big and dramatic, it could really stand out at a casual, outdoor wedding. Might be great if you had a stunning heirloom piece of jewelry or hairpiece that could stand out against the simpler gown. This gown has a thicker strap, but the v-neck and the short length make it perfect for the summer weather. At $188 from Macy's, this dress is practically a steal as a wedding gown.

Galina:
From the more traditional route of David's Bridal, this is a truly different and interesting gown. It has great flower detail on the shoulder that almost acts as a strap. This detail isn't something you often see, but it says bridal perfectly. It would definitely make you stand out, even though it's not big or poofy. Made of lightweight chiffon, it looks the part of a traditional wedding gown, but still works for summer. This would be a great choice for an indoor wedding with outdoor picture taking. At $399 or $449 if above a size 16, this is an affordable dress that offers something lightweight, interesting, and truly different. I have heard horror stories about David's Bridal, but I've also heard positive reviews. I got my bridesmaid dresses from David's Bridal, and we had no problems. The customer service was good and everything turned out as it was supposed to. We did not do our alternations through them though, and I think that is where a lot of people have problems with them.

Custom "Sarah":
Etsy is a site somewhat like Ebay. It is individual buyers, but instead of selling used items, they are selling items they have handcrafted. Etsy is becoming more and more popular, and even has a wide variety of wedding dresses. This particular dress is just a template. You can make a lot of choices about the color, neckline, train, and even fabric. If you don't like this particular design, the seller says you can order a custom dress. At $699, that is amazing for a custom made, one-of-a-kind wedding gown. I have bought items from etsy with no problems, though I have never bought clothing. Make sure to look at the seller's rating, and ask the individual seller about returns/alternations before purchasing. Another great thing about etsy is the ability to contact the seller before buying-it's a much more personalized experience. This is a unique and unusual way to go that might make you a trendsetter!

These five gowns are great possibilities for a white summer wedding! With all of these dresses being affordable you can splurge on accessories, flowers, or even your honeymoon!

Web Site URLs:

Solid Silk Chiffon Whitney long dress: http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/WeddingParties/Wedding_Bride/gowns/PRDOVR~11429/11429.jsp

Camille cotton-silk gown: http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/WeddingParties/Wedding_Bride/gowns/PRDOVR~75842/75842.jsp

Suzi Chin Dress, Sleeveless V-Neck Rosette Hem Dress: http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=444015&CategoryID=35253

Galina: http://www.davidsbridal.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplayView?storeId=10052&catalogId=10051&categoryId=-49978994¤tIdx=3&subCategory=-49999486%7c-49998986%7c-49978994&catentryId=6142352&sort

Custom Sarah: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=37374243&ref=cat2_gallery_7