I just said "YES"! When should I start shopping for the dress?

Congratulations! You can start looking for your dress whenever you like, but a good rule of thumb is to have your date and venue arranged first - so that you'll have an idea of the season, look and theme for your wedding. (For example, a beach wedding in August requires a very different dress from a cathedral wedding in January!)

How much does a wedding dress cost?

Most off-the-rack dresses will fall somewhere in the $500-$3000 range, but you can find options priced much lower and much higher. You'll likely need alterations as well, so don't forget to factor in those costs (which will depend on which service you use).

Why would I buy a wedding dress online?

In today's world, you can buy anything on the web - including a wedding dress! In fact, as many as 20% of brides in the US get their dresses online. If you've had a hard time finding one that you love locally, the internet may be your best option. Online retailers of wedding dresses make it much easier to find the right sizes, hottest trends, and all of the accessories to match.

How do I know which size to order?

That can be tricky, but almost every single online wedding dress store has a helpful sizing guide. You can usually reach out to the store's customer service team for extra help in taking measurements and finding several dresses to choose from that should be a good fit. Keep in mind that wedding dresses tend to be sized differently from regular clothes, often 1-2 sizes higher than what you wear day-to-day. (So unfair, we know!)

Is shipping expensive?

For wedding dresses, it's usually free. (Good luck finding anything else about your wedding that will be!) A few retailers have a minimum order requirement, but let's be honest: with as much as you'll spend on a wedding dress, you probably won't have a hard time reaching that amount!

My dress arrived. It doesn't fit (or I hate it). Can I return it?

That's probably the biggest fear brides-to-be have when buying their wedding dress online, but rest assured that most stores let you send it back - as long as it's still in new condition with all tags attached (no wearing it for your big day and then returning it!). Make sure you read the return policy of any store you're considering for your purchase, though: some don't accept returns under any circumstances!

What else do I need besides the wedding dress?

When budgeting and planning for wedding attire, many brides forget that it's not just the dress. You'll need shoes, any desired accessories like a veil, gloves, and/or jewelry, and suitable undergarments!

How do I preserve my dress after the wedding?

Great question, because without preservation your dress may yellow or oxidize, experience mold or mildew, or be permanently creased in the wrong places. You can pay a professional to preserve your wedding dress; expect to pay anywhere from $250 to $700 for the service.

Lulus Review for June 2026 | Best Wedding Dress Stores

Item: Lulus Review
Rating: 3.5
Author: Top Consumer Reviews

Monday, June 8th We evaluate products and services based on unbiased research. Top Consumer Reviews may earn money when you click on a link. Learn more about our process.

2026 Wedding Dress Store Reviews

Where is the best place to buy a wedding dress online? One of the most important purchases you will make for your wedding day is the dress. It's a piece of clothing you'll reflect on and probably hang onto forever. It's not just any dress, but one that will mark one of the biggest milestones of your life with the person you love, surrounded by friends and family.

3.5

GOOD

Good

Lulus

Prices range from $89 to $522
30 wedding dresses to choose from
Free shipping on orders over $50
Free 3-day shipping on orders over $100
Unfiltered reviews on dresses
"A" Better Business Bureau rating

GOOD

3.5

On the Lulus website

The idea for Lulus was born in 1994. The owners almost considered opening a coffee shop instead, but their love of shopping won out and the first Lulus opened in 1996. They launched their online store in 2005 and have been growing steadily ever since. The company sells everything from women's shoes to swimsuits to wedding dresses. If you're looking for chic, stylish, fairly-priced clothing, Lulus has something for everyone and every occasion.

Small selection

Wedding dresses aren't Lulus' bread and butter, but they do have a selection with some beautiful gowns. There are 30 dresses to choose from, all ready to ship so you don't have to wait for the dress to be made first. The dress sizes range from XXS-3X and all of them come in either white, black, or beige. All of the dresses are floor-length and mostly traditional styles.

Helpful sizing information

Not every dress you see will have all sizes in-stock. Click on a dress you're interested in and you'll see the color choices, available sizes, description, size and fit details, and model information. We really appreciate it when you can see the dress on the model and then find out their height, bust, waist, hip, and the size they are wearing in the photos. This can be one of the best ways to gauge your own size.

Simple, inexpensive wedding gowns

The wedding dress selection at Lulus ranges in price from just $89 to $522. The least expensive dresses sometimes have additional color options because they could also be used as a bridesmaid dress or for any other formal occasion. They aren't as formal as some fanciful gowns we've seen elsewhere. Lulus doesn't have a lot of choices for dresses that are layered with tulle or that have big skirts or long trains. Most of what you find here is simple, sleek, and elegant, but not especially unique. Even the most expensive dress is a mermaid style with floral embroidery and off-the-shoulder sleeves, but it isn't something you'd only find here. If you're on a budget, you can easily get a pretty wedding dress for $200 or less, so this will be great for some people.

Free shipping

For first-time subscribers, you can submit your email address and get 15% off your next Lulus' order. This is always a good idea if you want to save a bit of money. You'll get free shipping on all orders over $50 and free 3-day shipping when you spend over $100.

30-day returns

If you need to return your wedding dress to Lulus, it needs to be unwashed, unworn, and in new condition. Return packages need to be postmarked within 30 days for the order delivery to be accepted. If you send it back within 10 days, you'll qualify for free return shipping. The company doesn't mention anything about restocking fees, so you should be able to get all your money back if you return your wedding dress promptly.

Reviews on all dresses

All the wedding dresses from Lulus have unfiltered customer feedback, which we love. Oftentimes this is either not information that's provided at all, or some products haven't had any reviewers yet. On all clothing at Lulus, you can read if the buyer felt that the fit runs small, true to size, or big, what size they ordered, the color, what the event was, what they would rate it out of 5 stars, their opinion of the item, and a photo of them in it if they choose to upload one. They can also add their height, weight, and other personal measurements so you get an idea of what size might be best for you. This is invaluable information when purchasing something as important as a wedding dress.

"A" Better Business Bureau rating

A good portion of the negative complaints this company receives tend to come from outside of the United States. This could be due to the fact that their warehouse is in Pennsylvania and there are more difficulties with shipping out and returning orders. Our best advice is to refer to the reviews on the individual dresses to see what people have to say and rely more on that. The Better Business Bureau gives Lulus an "A" rating, which is reassuring.

Could be a win

We wish Lulus had a bigger inventory of wedding dresses. It's great to find a place with ready-made options for those who are in more of a hurry. The company also gets positive reviews on their wedding dresses, so that's a huge plus. If you find something you love here, then that's a win. We like Lulus and don't see any reason not to shop here if you're excited about a dress you find. However, since they don't have as big of a size range as some companies and their inventory has fewer dresses, they've not earned one of our highest ratings.

On the Lulus website

Continued from above...

Where is the Best Place to Buy a Wedding Dress Online?

One of the most important purchases you will make for your wedding day is the dress. It's a piece of clothing you'll reflect on and probably hang onto forever. It's not just any dress, but one that will mark one of the biggest milestones of your life with the person you love, surrounded by friends and family.

You'll need to find a wedding dress that is timeless, fits your style, makes you feel beautiful, and will bring a smile to your face when you look back on old photos and remember your special day. Shopping online gives you access to view all of these options and compare prices at the same time.

When you used to have to shop store-to-store for a wedding dress, it took a lot longer to make a selection. Now that you have the option to buy online, you can secure your dress within a day or two and rest easy knowing that the most gorgeous wedding dress out there is about to be yours.

Finding a wedding dress that checks all your boxes doesn't have to stretch your wedding budget. There are many retailers out there with a range of unique designs that are sure to get jaw-dropping reactions.

Whether you want a short or long dress, strapless or long sleeve, glittery or plain, you can specify these requests with filtering tools and set your price range at the same time. This is the easiest way to see all the wedding dresses you've dreamed of that come with an affordable price tag.

Some companies will custom-make dresses while others are ready to ship as soon as you hit the "checkout" button. Make sure to plan ahead when you're shopping for a wedding dress to account for shipping times and any alterations you may need once the dress arrives.

We're so excited for you to get shopping for the perfect dress! Before you dive into all the options out there, we recommend taking a few things into consideration:

Customer reviews. What have other brides said about their experience with a particular company? Do they report that dresses arrived on time, the material was high quality, and the sizing was accurate? It's really useful to read what others have to say about a company or particular dress.
Selection. How many dress styles does a company have? No one wants to have a dress that looks "just like everyone else's", but rather one that feels like you. Ideally the company is transparent with their lead times if they have to make the dress and has a lot of in-stock options as well.
Return policy. If your wedding dress doesn't fully meet your expectations, you deserve to find one that does. Check the return policy with the company you're shopping at to make sure they let you send it back for a full refund if it isn't high quality, doesn't appear as it looked online, or the sizing is wrong.

Congratulations on your engagement! We're excited for you to go shopping. Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked the best places for you to find beautiful wedding dresses online. We hope this information helps you find a wedding dress that you love for your big day.

Tips on Buying your Wedding Dress

If you're recently engaged to be married and in the market for a wedding gown below are some helpful tips to making your wedding dress purchase as smooth and affordable as possible. The overall key to successfully buying a beautiful wedding dress is to plan in advance and to be smart about your purchase. Here's how:

Shop early. Think ahead and shop well in advance. Most designers require four to six months to produce a gown so you should be shopping at least nine months in advance. Some brides purchase their gowns as much as 18 months before the big day. Shopping early will give you the largest selection to choose from.
Size it right. If you have major diet or exercise plans in mind that's great but still buy a dress that fits today. If you're successful at meeting your goals then alterations can be made, and if you're not you'll still have a beautiful dress to wear the day of your wedding. All gowns can be made smaller, but the opposite is much more difficult and often unsuccessful. With all the stress of organizing a wedding, diet and exercise can be hard to accomplish. The last problem you want on your list of wedding issues is a dress that doesn't fit and no budget left to buy a new one.
Make an appointment. Find out in advance if you must make an appointment at the bridal store you're considering. Many bridal salons prefer to have brides make appointments, and some will not assist you without one. If you make an appointment but have to cancel make sure you call the store or they may not be kind with the next appointment you attempt to make.
Prepare for try-on fees. Find out if the bridal store you have in mind charges a service fee for trying on dresses. This is a recent trend by bridal stores to deter brides from trying on dresses without a plan to purchase.
Choose your audience. Limit your dress shopping audience to just one or two trusted friends or family. Leave the kids at home and plan on hearing opinions you might not like to hear. However, in the end, this is your decision to make and don't let others sway you from the dress you feel best in.
Come Prepared. Plan on wearing aappropriate undergarments including full underwear a strapless bra, pantyhose or a slip similar to what you'll wear in the wedding. Bring shoes that are the appropriate height to identify any major alterations in advance of the purchase.
Don't over spend. Determine your budget before you go dress shopping and stick to it. Try on dresses that are within your price range and avoid falling in love with anything you can't afford. If you over spend, cuts will have to be made in other areas that might leave you embarrassed at the event.
Shop online. Ordering a dress online is a great way to browse a full selection, avoid the hassle of salespeople when shopping and save money. Online dress shopping is one of the top ways to meet your tight budget. A number of online wedding dress stores are available to saves you hundreds or even thousands over the cost of a dress at a local bridal shop. If you already have a specific designer or dress style in mind it's easy to find the same or similar dress quickly from a quality wedding store with strong inventory.
Check the return policy. Before you purchase a dress online or from a bridal salon identify the specific return policy and what if any fees are associated with the return. Only choose an online wedding dress store that allows you to return your dress should you change your mind. This is an important aspect of successfully finding a dress.
Do your research. If you are buying a dress in person do some research on customer satisfaction. Try the Better Business Bureau and talk to friends. If you are shopping online utilize independent product reviews to rresearch the online seller before making your final decision. These companies take much of the hassle away for you by identifying return policies, history, customer service levels, selection, costs and more.

If you are in the market for a wedding dress make sure you start the effort early, stick to your budget, research any store before you shop, consider shopping online and fully understand the return policy. These tips will lead to a more successful wedding dress purchase you can feel confident with.

Lulus Review: Wedding Dress Stores

2026 Wedding Dress Store Reviews

Lulus

Where is the Best Place to Buy a Wedding Dress Online?

Wedding Dress Store FAQ