There is an ocean of beautiful/stunning/chic/classic/Grace Kelly/boho/macrame (idk) dresses out there, and after a few months of scrolling mindlessly, they all seem to melt into an ivory raft with a removable train floating on the promise of epic photos, but not too epic, because your vibe is more indoorsy than outdoorsy, but also chic, but not like snobby chic, because the point is to be relatable, because eloping is low-key.
It’s overwhelming. Much like that paragraph.
Breathe. We did the research for you, curating a selective list of the 5 best dresses you can find right now for your quasi-epic-kinda-outdoorsy-borderline-chic-maybe-mellow elopement. You don’t even have to leave the house. #indoorsy
Disclaimer: We’re not going to tell you where you should elope in each dress. We’ve interviewed hundreds of couples and seen just as much tulle on a cliff in the Smoky Mountains as we have in a pristine garden with hedges straight from Versailles. We’re just here to simplify and guide the process.
You’ll know The Dress when you see it.
Rue De Seine
Because everyone loves a good BTS story, here you go: New Zealander Michele Corty created Rue De Seine in 2012 while living in Paris, naming the company after its namesake street, which runs through the 6th arrondissement on the Left Bank of the Seine. The neighborhood, Saint-Germain-des-Près, has long been a favorite among artists, known for its atmospheric, bohemian vibe.
To add another layer of Parisian charm, Corty also married her love on Rue de Seine. She then moved back to New Zealand, where she founded Rue. She and her small team of six worked first out of a studio space (more charm) before growing to a company with over 80 retailers across the globe. And true to its name, the bridal brand is big on bohemian style.
Why we love this brand
Rue De Seine has top-notch standards. All dresses are designed in-house—each by the same seamstress, from start to finish, all under one roof (even the lace).
Also, this is a brand you can feel good about supporting. Rue De Seine donates unused textiles to a local university and hires at least 10 graduate students every year. Its 90+ employees are offered a healthy breakfast every morning and receive healthcare after a year on the job.
Best dress
The Kyara, pictured above, has removable sleeves. Removable. Sleeves. Maybe you wear them for the ceremony and take them off to get down later. Or go the traditional route and go sleeveless at the ceremony, then attach the sleeves when the night gets chilly. There really is no wrong way here. And it’s not just a party for the sleeves—check out that elevated cocktail hour going on in the back, too.
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Order online or find worldwide-retailers here, including in more than two dozen U.S. states.
Sarah Seven
Sarah Seven earns top points with a lot of eloping brides we’ve worked with, and for good reason. Led by designer Sarah Seven and made in New York City, the company’s collections of dresses are chic, sophisticated, each with its own play on a clean silhouette (kind of like NYC). Yet it’s managed to maintain its reputation as a nontraditional brand for nontraditional brides, featuring a variety of playful styles such as this jumpsuit and the “Edie – Leopard” minidress in ivory leopard print stretch satin, “meant to snatch you in.” Let all that sink in.
And while the price point is a little higher than others on this list ($2,900 – $5,200), you’re getting a dress that looks and wears like you paid a hefty $30k.
Why we love this brand
When you visit one of Sarah Seven’s flagship locations (Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, and San Francisco), you’re greeted with a mug of champagne, regardless of the time of day. That’s all.
Best dress
Every bridal roundup needs a good off-the-should option, and this one is by far our favorite. First, it’s named the Prosecco dress. Second, it’s named the Prosecco dress. Bubbles aside, we love the fact that the shoulder strap is moveable (because options), and also that the drop waist is perfectly fitted, giving way to a gentle waterfall below. Plus, it’s described on the Sarah Seven site as “full-level dream queen,” so yeah, case closed.
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Shop online, by appointment at one of its five flagship locations, or in select boutiques in cities around the U.S.
Lost in Paris
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The handmaid theme returns with Lost in Paris, which is actually based in Sydney, Australia. Designer Alyssa Soovoroff creates each dress out of vintage lace sourced from Europe, lending a unique story to each design. The idea for this approach came when Soovoroff set out to make an Edwardian-inspired dress out of leftover lace from other dresses. Soon she was running out of lace due to the demand for this particular style, and customers began requesting that she add their own sentimental pieces of lace to their dresses.
Another sweet detail: Soovoroff and her dressmakers sew each dress on century-old machines that are no longer in production. Her mother taught her how to sew, a skill passed down from her own mother. On her website she so eloquently writes, “I remember to trust in the process, that the finished dress will be beautiful, because it is part of a greater plan.”
Why we love this brand
Soovoroff’s skillful and thoughtful process leads to a supremely high standard when it comes to ethics and the planet—by exclusively using leftover scraps and sourcing vintage, restored lace, she and her team operate under a zero-waste policy.
And while highly technical to create, taking up to eight weeks, the dresses are designed to be simple for your local dressmaker to make any adjustments should your measurements change during that time. Lost in Paris also offers a handful of ready-to-wear gowns in sizes ranging from XS-XXL.
Best dress
We love the Summer of Love dress for a variety of reasons: it’s vintage French lace comes from the antique markets in Paris; the lace is slightly stretchy for whatever kind of hiking/dancing/cartwheeling you’ll be doing; and it comes with a free silk slip to wear underneath.
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Orders can be delivered worldwide through online ordering, or, if local to Sydney, you can book an appointment.
Flossy & Dossy
Attention, UK friends: This one-woman, one-studio brand based in Glasgow, Scotland is monumentally committed to individual design. Created in 2009 by Wendy Harman, all Flossy & Dossy gowns are designed and made just by her. For as individualized as Harman’s designs can go, her ready-made styles have serious depth, from the New Wave Collection, inspired by Studio 54 and Halston (praise be), to the quieter Fluid Collection, which features this striking bias-cut silk satin dress with delicate lace sleeves.
Why we love this brand
Did we mention Harman is making each dress by herself, seamlessly crafting a dress with a silhouette fitted perfectly to just you? Oh, right, we forgot that last part. Harman will have you in for a series of fittings at no cost. You’re basically getting haute couture from an independent fashion designer for a fraction of the cost. Again we say, praise be. 10/10 would fly to Scotland for this.
Best dress
This utterly ethereal, soft blue tulle skirt from Flossy & Dossy is one we’d not only elope in, but float I mean wear around the apartment eating ramen in just because (I mean, look at it). It’s meant to be paired with a camisole or (tasteful) crop top, or Harman can design you something in the bespoke vein, as this bride did.
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Reach out via this contact form, but do so early in the game—due to all those generous pro bono fittings, it will take five to six months to make your dress.
Vow’d
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A newbie but goodie on the scene, Vow’d opened its doors in its flagship Knoxville location in June 2020 and has since expanded to Nashville, Dallas, and Birmingham. Its ethos is simple: offer stylish dresses that bridge the price gap between pricey designer gowns and, well, the cheap ones that are white but kind of look blue. The average price point for a Vow’d gown is $750, with the high end topping out at $1,300, and the low end sitting at a very budget-friendly $129. And since it’s not a made-to-order shop, Vow’d works directly with suppliers to curate a collection of more than 50 affordable dresses in a wide range of styles and sizes, from 0-24W.
Besides the reasons above, Vow’d is awesome because it’s also a one-stop-shop for other necessities, including accessories that range from sweet tulle hair bows to veils to rose gold beaded masks (because 2020), as well as decorations and gifts (loving the “minimergency” kit—very on-brand over here. And, well, 2020.).
Why we love this brand
This is pretty rad: Vow’d offers a payment plan through Klarna that splits your order into four payments, allowing you to spread the cost of your purchase over time (applicable to products between $35-$2,000).
You can also feel good about your purchase. Choosing a Vow’d dress means you’re directly giving back to the local communities where the brand has retail stores; it gives at least one percent of its annual sales to non-profits that build confidence in and educate young women.
Best dress
This A-line Goddess dress, Serendipity, looks like something straight out of Vogue. If Vogue featured dresses that cost $650.
$650?
Yes. $650.
That’s it. That’s the post.
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Visit one of Vow’d’s four retail stores or order online.
