A few of my favorite designers...
-One thing to keep in mind...most dresses take time to order, up to 5 months. There are some dresses that can come faster, so don't fret if you don't have a full 5 months, but the sooner you decide, the more options you have!
http://www.maggiesottero.com/ and http://www.sotteroandmidgley.com/
Maggie Sottero is an fantastic line! The fit and structure of these dresses is amazing. Most dresses on this blog are Maggies. Sottero and Midgley is another line from the collection, and is equally spectacular.
http://www.allurebridals.com/
Allure is another one of my favorites. Great quality. Beautiful strapless dresses, but they also have a modest collection. Of all of the designers I've seen who make modest and temple-ready dresses, Allure is my favorite.
http://www.casablancabridal.com/
Casablanca gowns are gorgeous. Their lace is some of the prettiest I've seen! They're high quality, gorgeous, well-designed dresses. Casablanca also does something fantastic that most designers won't do - they'll add sleeves for you! You can special order a gown and have them do a modest cut for you, and they look amazing. As much as I love putting sleeves on a dress, it's awesome when the designer can make it with sleeves just for you!
http://www.davincibridal.com/
DaVinci is a great company for those who aren't looking to spend a lot, but still want a fancy dress. While the structure isn't quite as amazing as a Maggie, they are still great gowns. I've worked on quite a few DaVinci dresses and they are beautiful. They can also be ordered quite quickly.
http://www.edenbridals.com/
This collection is not very well-known, but I love their dresses. They have great simple destination and informal dresses, as well as some beautiful and funky dresses.
*Beware*
As you search online for dresses, you'll no doubt come across sites that have pictures of high-end dresses (Maggie and Allure dresses are common) but sell them for $200, $300, $400. THEY ARE NOT REAL! If the dress looks like $1500 but only costs $200...don't buy it. These companies illegally use photos of designer dresses and sell you extremely cheap knock-offs. I have seen quite a few of these, and quite a few disappointed brides. Bottom line...buy dresses from authorized retailers, not online, and you'll be safe.
If you are looking to spend under $500 or so, check out formal evening gowns, quinceanera dresses and even bridesmaid dresses that come in white or ivory. They usually don't have trains, but I have seen many make gorgeous wedding dresses.
