Wedding dresses are symbol of perhaps the happiest day in a woman’s life. But sometimes wedding dresses are enjoyed only on the wedding day.
After the wedding day, wedding dresses may rest cleaned and preserved to sit in the bride’s closet waiting to be passed on to a daughter. And sometimes, they are simply left taking up space in the closet collecting dust, uncleaned, unpreserved and slowly dying.
A Used or Previously Worn Wedding Dress
Many women choose to pass their gowns on immediately, leaving an abundance of used wedding dresses available to future brides…sometimes to a friend or relative. Other times a bride may sell her gown on E-Bay or a consignment shop. More creative ways for buying and selling used wedding dresses are available on the Internet today. For example, Smart Bride Boutique helps brides sell their wedding dresses on line.
- They are much cheaper! It is a common saying that a car loses half of its value as soon as it is driven off of the new car lot. The same can be said about wedding dresses, which immediately become less expensive if they have been previously worn at a wedding. Used wedding dresses can help brides stay within budget, while still looking spectacular.
- While new dresses tend to cater to the styles of the times, it is possible to find beautiful vintage designs when you look through collections of used wedding dresses. Explore retro styles from the 60s, or maybe the lively, yet modest, tastes of the 80s are more your taste. Either way, you will have a seemingly endless amount of choices when exploring the wide variety of available used wedding dresses.
- Re-using your wedding dress, either by passing it on to a family member or friend, or selling it to another bride is the ultimate in wedding recycling ideas. A truly “green” wedding would not be complete without recycling the wedding dress.
The Cons To Buying Used Wedding Dresses
- One major disadvantage of buying used wedding dresses is that they may be dirty or stained from previous use. Trying to remove the damage yourself could only work to cause further damage to the dress, requiring the skills of a professional dry cleaner who is also a wedding gown specialist.
- When you buy used wedding dresses through the internet, there is always the chance it is not what you expected. The condition, the size or even the color may not be what you wanted.
- When it comes to used wedding dresses, one of the pros is also a con. While this option will present vintage styles and old-school dress designs, you may want to be wearing the most current fashions at your wedding. It can sometimes be hard to find a used dress that represents the freshest new looks.
After Your Wedding
So whether you plan to keep your wedding dress or sell it, cleaning and preserving it as soon as possible after your wedding will help retain maintain maximum value. Even if you plan to sell it, wedding dress preservation will even make it easier to ship it to the buyer. Just be sure to make photos of your wedding dress after you get it cleaned but before your wedding gown specialist boxes and preserves it.