I purchased my wedding gown from Etsy for less than $800. As a middle-aged bride on a budget, it was the perfect dress for me.

Last November, my live-in partner of five years popped the question. I was stunned and overcome with joy at the unexpected marriage proposal.

In the days immediately following, I gleefully perused the websites of bridal stores in Denver looking for wedding gowns.

The first time I got married 25 years ago, I remember spending maybe $500 on my cap-sleeve white satin ball gown. Things had apparently changed. The idea of spending thousands of dollars on just the wedding gown alone was preposterous.

The second problem was that all the wedding gowns available seemed to be designed for 20-something-year-olds intent on having lavish weddings: strapless princess ball gowns with ornate basque waists, sexy A-line gowns with see-through corset bodices and boning resembling lingerie, and lace mermaid dresses that left little to the imagination. Where were the wedding gowns for older women going on their second marriages?

I wanted something simple that provided enough coverage to hide the tattoos my younger self thought were fantastic.

Frustrated, I expanded my wedding gown search to online department stores, such as Anthropologie and Saks Fifth Avenue. When those didn’t work out either, I turned to Etsy.

I found plenty of scams online

Eventually, I did find some modest wedding gowns online that were closer to what I had envisioned, but these online stores were dubious.

Not only were they suspiciously cheap — in the $200 to $300 range —but they also had mostly negative reviews. I was not going to risk wearing an obviously poorly made dress on my wedding day.

Another red flag was finding sellers who claimed to create custom gowns but used photos obviously lifted from different sources.

After weeks of searching, I felt hopeless. Surely, I couldn’t be the only middle-aged bride facing this dilemma. But where else could I look? I knew exactly what I wanted, but it didn’t seem to exist.

I found what I was looking for on Etsy

After I vented my frustrations to my local seamstress, she asked if I had ever considered shopping on Etsy for my wedding gown.

I had only previously perused Etsy for folksy Christmas decor or custom artwork. I would never have considered it as a place to find a wedding gown.

Later that evening, I hopped on Etsy to continue my wedding gown search.

There, I found dozens of unique wedding gowns that met my criteria: affordable, minimalist, and modest.

I was elated. For the first time in my wedding gown search, I found so many possibilities suitable for a mountain elopement that it was difficult to make the final decision.

I eventually decided to go with a column wedding gown from UNONA Shop, a dressmaker in Ukraine.

The customer experience on Etsy was great, too

My decision to go with UNONA Shop was informed by the thousands of five-star reviews (3,674 to be exact), dozens of beautiful minimalist dresses, the quality of materials, and custom size options.

The custom wedding gown was advertised as $810 but was on sale for $630. I was charged an extra $80 for my special requests. Even with the modifications, it cost me less than $800.

Constructed from a tasteful, heavy ivory crepe (for a small fee, they sent fabric swatches prior to ordering), that draped beautifully, I was getting the wedding gown of my dreams.

Not only was it custom-made, but it was altered to my specifications: bateau neckline, button back, three-quarter sleeves, wider belt.

After providing at least 13 measurements, they made my wedding gown from scratch without ever meeting me in person.

When it was completed, they sent me a photo of the gown on a dressmaker form so I could see the finished product. From the 34 handmade buttons along the back to the quality of the fabric and preciseness of the neckline, the wedding gown was exquisite.

UNONA Shop communicated regularly and was quick with follow-ups, recommendations, and assurances. They even provided shipment updates. I can’t imagine having that much communication with a traditional bridal store.

I ordered my custom wedding gown from Etsy in January and received it in February.

The result was a beautiful wedding dress and an even better experience. Even though I did have to make some minor alterations, the finished product was exactly what I wanted. It made my special day even more special.

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