If you are looking to have a truly romantic wedding, then a dress made by Australia’s Mariana Hardwick fits the bill.

I’ve seen far too many ballroom-style wedding gowns in my life and that will never be the style right for me. Mariana makes any gown style incredibly feminine yet ethereal and memorable.

Would I be able to actually afford one of her gowns? Doubt it, but one can dream! She has 5 different collections, and my 2 favorites are the brand new “Heirloom” collection and the “Garden of Earthly Delights” line.

My favorite gowns are shown below, though my all-time favorite is the very first one. It reminds of an old-world Italian Spring garden wedding.

Interesting fact: only 11 wedding gown shops in the United States carry Mariana’s line – one of those shops just happens to be in the same Connecticut town I live in. Is it destiny?

[Images courtesy of Mariana Hardwick]

Picking out a wedding dress is one of the most difficult wedding decisions - period. When you are trying to keep your budget small AND maintain environmental sustainability, the challenge nearly doubles in complexity.

Having already searched Etsy.com for everything else for the wedding, it comes as no surprise that I combed the crafty site for gowns as well. Below are a few of my favorites that I am actually considering for my special day.

[[[ Note: there are many many many more gown designs than just these, but I already have a style in mind, so my choices are easily narrowed. ]]]

By CiCiBridal – $550

“This dress can be made in any color combo. Shown in a gold an ivory combo. This will be made in your measurements when purchased.”

By CiCiBridal – $699

“‘Caroline’ is one of our newest creations with beautiful lace fitted with a flare! This dress shown in ivory but can be made in white as well. Convo if you would like any other changes.”

By CiCiBridal – $499

“One of a kind truly! Something unique and special for your wedding day, shown in ivory but can be made in white as well. This dress will be made in your measurements!”

By vrreis – $850

“Dupioni silk red dress, bustier top and full hem with train.”

You can save money anywhere – as long as you try. I have thought about getting a vintage wedding dress (both affordable and eco-friendly), but I just haven’t found any options that reflect my style.

Other than buying a brand new dress made from sustainable fabric (which can be quite expensive), my other green and budget-conscious option is to buy a used dress. There are oodles of websites for second-hand dresses, but so far, PreOwnedWeddingDresses has the most options. Along with their big selection, they have a nifty “dressing room” that you can save dresses in, helping you track if they get sold or the price drops.

I’ve been a bit hesistant to talk about wedding gowns on here because I know my fiance checks the blog now and again. Because of that, I won’t be announcing the dress that I end up choosing until after the wedding. For now, out of the over 500 gowns available in my size, here are my current (and available) favorites: