Should You Choose a Satin Wedding Dress?

Smooth, shiny and luxurious, satin fabric is making a big comeback in the fashion world. It’s showing up in the bridal collections of some of the world’s most prominent designers, and there’s a reason why. Satin wedding dresses make brides look elegant and sophisticated. The fabric is extremely photogenic. It shines and flatters in almost any light, meaning you’ll look gorgeous all day or all night long.

Are Satin Wedding Dresses Expensive?

Will a satin wedding dress bust your wedding budget? The answer is no. While satin may look like a million bucks, satin bridal dress prices don’t need to be expensive. Some of today’s biggest budget dress retailers, like David’s Bridal and Allure Bridal, offer beautiful satin wedding dresses starting at just $500.

Who Should Choose a Satin Wedding Dress?

Almost any bride can look great in the right satin dress. This soft, flowing fabric clings to feminine curves and drapes well. Satin can be used in all the major wedding dress silhouettes. Brides can easily find satin ball gowns, A-lines, mermaid dresses and more. (Learn more about choosing the right wedding dress style for you.)

Brides should be aware that satin is typically (though not always) a thin fabric and tends to highlight whatever’s beneath it. If you plan on choosing a satin dress for your big day, you’ll want to take extra care in choosing your wedding lingerie and may want to consider wearing a slip or shapewear beneath your dress to make the dress as flattering as possible.

How Do You Clean a Satin Wedding Dress?

Between all the food, toasts and dancing, your wedding dress may not make it out of your ceremony and reception in pristine shape. That’s a good thing – it means you had a great time. However, you don’t want to leave that champagne stain to settle. Satin is a delicate fabric, so in a best-case scenario, you’ll want to take your gown to a dry cleaner with plenty of experience in cleaning satin. You’ll pay a little extra, but it’s worth the price to get your dress back in one piece.

If you want to try and clean your dress on your own, gentleness is the name of the game. Hand wash your dress in cold water. Lightly scrub the stain with a gentle detergent and let it sit for a while. Whatever you do, don’t twist or wring out your satin dress, or you could permanently damage the fabric. Satin can easily lose its shape.

Where to Find Satin Wedding Dresses

The Knot is your one-stop-shop for satin wedding dresses. We offer low-cost dresses as well as satin wedding dresses from top designers, including Madison James, Alvina Valenta and Randy Fenoli. Take a look at our entire satin collection and then start searching for satin bridesmaid dresses for your besties.