Everyone always says when you go shopping for your wedding dress, you’ll have an epiphany that makes it entirely clear which gown is the gown for you. Reports from the field say this sometimes happens, but such epiphanies tend to occur to people who also believe in soulmates and kismet.

But if you’re into the idea of greening your white wedding, there are several great websites that sell recycled high-end gowns for a fraction of the original retail price.

You might hit the motherlode at PreownedWeddingDresses.com, where users can put their Monique Lhuilliers and Vera Wangs up for sale. There are big deals to be had, such as this $6,160 Oscar de la Renta gown with an embroidered bodice, listed at only $1,000, or this 2003 Givenchy by Galliano strapless dress for $1,100.

OnceWed.com also has the ultra-luxe designer dresses, but alongside those the site carries simpler gowns by Nicole Miller and J.Crew’s bridal selection. Some dresses are as little as $75 or $100 — a true steal in the land of dresses that cost as much as used cars.

Designer Chris Kole pioneered the use of cotton in wedding dresses for his line, The Cotton Bride. Each dress is handmade from cotton, linen, and other natural fabrics, and embellished with the traditional beads, lace, or embroidery. These would suit brides interested in weddings with a natural setting, perhaps in the woods or a garden.

Conscious Clothing makes dresses from sustainable and biodegradable hemp and the fabric has a beautiful drape, without a whiff of burlap. The gowns are gorgeous and stylishly detailed — and many of them have sleeves, which is a boon to those trying to buck the strapless trend.

If you’re in the charitable mood, Oxfam has an entire section for bridal attire — and all of the proceeds support the charity’s efforts to combat poverty. The average price of an Oxfam wedding dress is £250 and include designer dresses that have been donated by bridal shops or occasionally by the designers themselves. Some have even appeared on the runway at fashion shows, which traditionally conclude with a designer’s unique interpretation of the Big White Dress.

For a slideshow of ethical wedding dresses, click on any image below.