When designer wedding wear can cost as much as a used car, how are you supposed to get your hands on the dress of your dreams?  Some brides are turning to the Internet to find affordable alternatives… and getting screwed in the process.

Knock Off Nightmares is a Facebook group that was created to warn brides about the dangers of buying dresses from websites that claim to have “unbelievable” deals.  Disgruntled women upload pictures of themselves in their disastrous purchases alongside stock images of the dress they thought they were buying.  These photos are proof that if a deal seems to be too good to be true… it’s probably a hot mess. 

Here are the 9 biggest bridal disasters from Knock Off Nightmares: 

1.  This gown that turned out to be some kind of shirt/dress hybrid. 

At least it seems… comfortable? 

2. This lace-covered nightmare.

To be fair, the girl on the right could be trying a little harder to sell this dress. Maybe some shoes?

3. This sugary pink confection.

If a very talented 12-year-old were to draw the dress on the left and then print it out on a 3-D printer… it might look something like the one on the right. 

4.  This knockoff that seems too ridiculous to be real.

 

“Instead of a white dress, can I get something that makes me look like a human Shamrock Shake?”

5. This “Champagne fantasy.”

It’s like the difference between Dom Perignon and Cook’s. 

6. This dress that would fit right in at a Renn Faire…

Good luck catching the prince’s eye in a gown like the one on the right. 

7. This floral dress that wound up having like…6 flowers on it.

At least the shredded strips of fabric hanging off the waistband really scream “high fashion!”

8. This bejeweled, bedazzled dream. 

WARNING: This dress was produced in a facility that processes cotton candy, bubble gum, and shitty patches.

9. This geometrical wonder. 

If this bride wanted a dress she actually liked, she shouldn’t have picked something so complicated to sew. 

The next time high dress prices send you running to the Internet, remember these debacles.  You want to look fabulous on a budget?  Consider thrifting something vintage and taking it to a great tailor.  Or just see what you already have in your closet!  Even your gym clothes look better than these puffy polyester monstrosities. 

All images come from the Knock Off Nightmares Facebook group.