About

Overview & Vibe

Affordable Bridal has been dressing Canberra brides for over 20 years, and it is exactly what the name says: a large, budget-conscious, family-owned boutique that carries the big international bridal houses without the boutique price tag. It works by appointment from a shop at Franklin, in Canberra’s north, with short-stay parking on the Flemington Road slip lane. Its own description of itself is plain: “Canberra’s leading bridal boutique, with over 400 wedding dresses from renowned Australian and international designers.”

Dress Styles & Designers

Thirteen labels, led by the Maggie Sottero house in all three of its tiers — Maggie Sottero, Sottero and Midgley and Rebecca Ingram alongside Essense of Australia, Australian designer Tania Olsen, plus Angela Bianca, Dressington House, Willow and Winter, Modeca and Herve Paris. The catalogue is deep in ball gowns and fit-and-flare, with A-line, sheath and mermaid throughout, in lace, satin, tulle, organza and heavy beadwork.

Ideal For

The bride who wants a name-brand gown and a number she can plan. There is a dedicated Ready to Wear collection of 44 gowns, and the published prices. It is also unusually good for a bride shopping a fuller size — the Plus Size collection is a first-class category with 42 gowns, not an afterthought, and Essense publishes many styles in a dedicated PS cut. And it is a one-stop shop: bridesmaids, debutante, formal, mother of the bride and wedding-guest all under one roof.

The Need-to-Knows

The appointment structure is worth reading before booking. The first bridal appointment runs about an hour and. A second is a complimentary 30-minute follow-up. Third and subsequent bridal appointments carry a styling fee each, and a fee applies to cancellations or no-shows inside 24 hours the boutique explains that as a small family business, an empty slot costs another bride her appointment. Bridesmaid appointments are 30 minutes with a fee.

Standout Feature

Scale at the bottom of the market. Over 400 wedding dresses, more than 400 bridesmaid dresses, and what the shop claims is the largest range of debutante gowns in Canberra — “and let’s face it, probably anywhere” with published bridal prices running.

Dresses

64 dresses with photos 36 more listed below

Brooke

Rebecca Ingram

Price not listed

Details of Brooke by Rebecca Ingram
Angie

Rebecca Ingram

Price not listed

Details of Angie by Rebecca Ingram
Zorina

Rebecca Ingram

Price not listed

Details of Zorina by Rebecca Ingram
Zulani

Sottero and Midgley

Price not listed

Details of Zulani by Sottero and Midgley
Tamar

Sottero and Midgley

Price not listed

Details of Tamar by Sottero and Midgley
Kincaid

Sottero and Midgley

Price not listed

Details of Kincaid by Sottero and Midgley
Maureen

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Maureen by Maggie Sottero
Antoinette

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Antoinette by Maggie Sottero
India

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of India by Maggie Sottero
Hudson

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Hudson by Maggie Sottero
D4482

Essense of Australia

Price not listed

Details of D4482 by Essense of Australia
D4389

Essense of Australia

Price not listed

Details of D4389 by Essense of Australia
D4485

Essense of Australia

Price not listed

Details of D4485 by Essense of Australia
D4368

Essense of Australia

Price not listed

Details of D4368 by Essense of Australia
D4403

Essense of Australia

Price not listed

Details of D4403 by Essense of Australia
D4425

Essense of Australia

Price not listed

Details of D4425 by Essense of Australia
D4457

Essense of Australia

Price not listed

Details of D4457 by Essense of Australia
Narissa

Sottero and Midgley

Price not listed

Details of Narissa by Sottero and Midgley
Ethelinda

Rebecca Ingram

Price not listed

Details of Ethelinda by Rebecca Ingram
Goldie

Rebecca Ingram

Price not listed

Details of Goldie by Rebecca Ingram
Larkin

Rebecca Ingram

Price not listed

Details of Larkin by Rebecca Ingram
Benjie

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Benjie by Maggie Sottero
D4265

Essense of Australia

Price not listed

Details of D4265 by Essense of Australia
D4290

Essense of Australia

Price not listed

Details of D4290 by Essense of Australia
D4329

Essense of Australia

Price not listed

Details of D4329 by Essense of Australia
D4332

Essense of Australia

Price not listed

Details of D4332 by Essense of Australia
D4304

Essense of Australia

Price not listed

Details of D4304 by Essense of Australia
Juneau

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Juneau by Maggie Sottero
Melissa

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Melissa by Maggie Sottero
Finley

Rebecca Ingram

Price not listed

Details of Finley by Rebecca Ingram
Jovienne

Sottero and Midgley

Price not listed

Details of Jovienne by Sottero and Midgley
Takera Lane

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Takera Lane by Maggie Sottero
Ariel

Tania Olsen

Price not listed

Details of Ariel by Tania Olsen
Vanora

Tania Olsen

Price not listed

Details of Vanora by Tania Olsen
Catherine

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Catherine by Maggie Sottero
Tina

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Tina by Maggie Sottero
Serafina

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Serafina by Maggie Sottero
Athlone

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Athlone by Maggie Sottero
Esmee-C

Price not listed

Details of Esmee-C

Modeca.
Dottie

Price not listed

Details of Dottie

Modeca.
Damian

Price not listed

Details of Damian

Modeca.
Paris

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Paris by Maggie Sottero
Topaz

Sottero and Midgley

Price not listed

Details of Topaz by Sottero and Midgley
Maurelle

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Maurelle by Maggie Sottero
Nolan

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Nolan by Maggie Sottero
Felicia

Rebecca Ingram

Price not listed

Details of Felicia by Rebecca Ingram
Norvinia Lane

Sottero and Midgley

Price not listed

Details of Norvinia Lane by Sottero and Midgley
Fortune

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Fortune by Maggie Sottero
Derrick

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Derrick by Maggie Sottero
Zacasha

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Zacasha by Maggie Sottero
Doritte

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Doritte by Maggie Sottero
Fabienne

Sottero and Midgley

Price not listed

Details of Fabienne by Sottero and Midgley
Anita

Rebecca Ingram

Price not listed

Details of Anita by Rebecca Ingram
Charli

Price not listed

Details of Charli
Selena

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Selena by Maggie Sottero
Yates

Sottero and Midgley

Price not listed

Details of Yates by Sottero and Midgley
Ryker

Sottero and Midgley

Price not listed

Details of Ryker by Sottero and Midgley
Calista Lynette

Rebecca Ingram

Price not listed

Details of Calista Lynette by Rebecca Ingram
Tartane

Price not listed

Details of Tartane

Herve Paris.
Delores

Rebecca Ingram

Price not listed

Details of Delores by Rebecca Ingram
Greenley

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Greenley by Maggie Sottero
Augusta

Rebecca Ingram

Price not listed

Details of Augusta by Rebecca Ingram
Logan

Sottero and Midgley

Price not listed

Details of Logan by Sottero and Midgley
Nikki

Maggie Sottero

Price not listed

Details of Nikki by Maggie Sottero

Also listed, without photos 36

Lottie — Willow and Winter.
Thea — Willow and Winter.
Cora — Willow and Winter.
Biela — Essense of Australia.
Elly Louise — Maggie Sottero.
Emmeline — Tania Olsen.
Bia D4149+ — Essense of Australia.
Calypso D4225+ — Essense of Australia.
Elswick D4130+ — Essense of Australia.
Muses D4140+ — Essense of Australia.
Edenton D4158+ — Essense of Australia.
Tina Lane — Maggie Sottero.
Edenton — Essense of Australia.
Muses — Essense of Australia.
Hera — Essense of Australia.
Bia — Essense of Australia.
Lou Lou — Essense of Australia.
Elswick — Essense of Australia.
Luelle — Sottero and Midgley.
Clare — Maggie Sottero.
Derick Marie — Maggie Sottero.
Alicia
Exton — Essense of Australia.
Electra — Essense of Australia.
Gemini — Essense of Australia.
Anniston Marie — Maggie Sottero.
Veronica
Anniston Lane — Maggie Sottero.
Edlington — Essense of Australia.
Eos (with bow and shawl) — Essense of Australia.
Anniston — Maggie Sottero.
Emberly — Essense of Australia.
Lorraine — Maggie Sottero.
Milo
April Jayne
January

Appointment Policy

The boutique is open by appointment.
A first bridal appointment runs approximately one hour with an experienced bridal stylist, and a fee is charged at the time of booking.
A second bridal appointment is offered as a 30-minute follow-up, by which stage most brides have narrowed down their favourites.
A cancellation or no-show fee applies to bridal appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice; the boutique explains that as a small family business a lost slot prevents another bride booking.
Bridesmaid appointments run approximately 30 minutes with a fee at booking, and the boutique recommends arriving with an idea of style and colour given a range of over 400 dresses.
Debutante appointments run approximately 30 minutes.
A separate Dress Collection appointment is offered for pick-up, at which alterations and accessories can be discussed.
Short-stay parking is available on the Flemington Road slip lane, in Knorr Lane, or behind the Franklin Discount Drug Store.

Dress Designers

Maggie Sottero — One of the boutique's headline international labels.
Sottero and Midgley — International label from the Maggie Sottero house, carried alongside it.
Rebecca Ingram — International label from the Maggie Sottero house, positioned at a lower price point.
Essense of Australia — Australian-founded international label; many gowns are published in both standard and plus-size (PS) versions.
Tania Olsen — Australian designer and the source of most of the boutique's individually priced ready-to-wear bridal gowns.
Angela Bianca — Carried label with its own brand page; gowns published.
Dressington House — Carried label with its own brand page; the boutique's highest published gown prices.
Willow and Winter — Newest label, with gowns listed as coming soon at the time of listing.
Modeca — European label carried in the bridal collection.
Herve Paris — European label carried in the bridal collection.
La Divine — Carried for formal and evening wear, with gowns published.
Nicoletta — Carried for bridesmaid dresses, with its own brand page.
Windsor Bridal Jewellery — Carried for bridal jewellery and accessories.

Dress Experience

Affordable Bridal has traded for over 20 years as a small, family-owned boutique at Shop 112, 227 Flemington Road, Franklin, in Canberra's north, and describes itself as Canberra's leading bridal boutique with over 400 wedding dresses from renowned Australian and international designers. It is open by appointment. The bridal range is led by the Maggie Sottero house in all three of its tiers, alongside Essense of Australia, Tania Olsen, Angela Bianca, Dressington House, Modeca, Herve Paris and Willow and Winter, and is organised into Bridal, Plus Size, New Arrivals and a Ready to Wear collection priced. First bridal appointments run about an hour with a fee; a second is a complimentary 30-minute follow-up; third and later appointments carry a styling fee, and cancellations or no-shows inside 24 hours are charged. The same showroom carries more than 400 bridesmaid dresses, what it claims is the largest debutante range in Canberra, and formal, mother-of-the-bride and wedding-guest wear, with veils, jewellery and accessories. Short-stay parking is available on the Flemington Road slip lane, Knorr Lane or behind the Franklin Discount Drug Store.

Dress Styles

ball gown
a-line
fit and flare
sheath
mermaid
lace
satin
tulle
beaded
strapless
off shoulder
long sleeve

Nearby Landmarks

Franklin, Canberra – A Gungahlin district suburb in Canberra's north, on the Flemington Road light rail corridor
Gungahlin Town Centre – A few minutes north, the commercial centre for Canberra's northern suburbs
Canberra city centre – About fifteen minutes south along Flemington Road

Purchase Options

Off The Rack
Ready To Wear
Sample Sale

Services Offered

Bridesmaid Dresses
Debutante Gowns
Formal And Evening Wear
School Formal Dresses
Mother Of The Bride
Wedding Guest Outfits
Veils And Accessories
Bridal Jewellery