Planning to sell your wedding gown?

selling your wedding dress

Choosing a wedding dress might be compared to a woman's fleeting romance with her partner. It's incredible, but it won't last forever, so keeping the clothing is a way to prolong the experience.

Putting your bridal gown in a box beneath the bed? Do you think she might like to wear it one day? Try again. Your daughter, like you, may not want to wear a traditional wedding gown when she decides to tie the knot. This includes veils, puffy sleeves, and even elbow gloves. So, what can you do with your wedding dress after the Big Day?

Earn a profit! Selling your wedding gown to a second bride is a great way to make some extra cash for your honeymoon, baby's nursery, or a shopping spree, and it will also free up a lot of space in your closet. Because of you, another bride will be able to purchase the dress of her dreams.

Table of Contents

FAQs About Wedding Dress

Nowadays, perhaps a sweet grandmother offers to purchase your gown, or perhaps you're paying for it on your own. The bride's family also pays for big-ticket items such as a wedding planner, the bachelorette party, and ceremony reception costs (music, guest favors, rentals, etc.).

While generous, that's still an exception to the norm. Generally speaking, bridesmaids are expected to pay for their own dresses and accessories as well as potentially hair and makeup appointments and transportation to the wedding.

The Dress: It is the bride's family who pays for the wedding dress as well, along with veil and accessories.

Bridal sizing isn't like typical street wear sizing. While you might be a size 4-6 in jeans, you're in fact a bridal size 8-10, and if you're a size 14-16, you're likely a 18-20. Don't worry about it–sizing is just a number! You'll likely see most of our samples in a bridal size 8, 10, 12, 18, 20 or 22 to try on.

Traditionally, the groom's family paid for the honeymoon, but like every wedding, no two couples are alike — and neither are their families. The question of who pays for the honeymoon often depends on family relationships, traditions, and, of course, the couple's personal preference.

 

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The idea of selling your wedding dress would have been unheard of ten years ago, but it is quickly gaining popularity. There has been a marked increase in the number of brides who sell their wedding gowns since 2008 when the stigma was finally broken. Twenty per cent or more of 2011 brides bought or sold their wedding gowns online. Many brides choose to resale their wedding gowns since they have so many other expenses to cover on their special day. But should you follow the resale fad?

It's expected that your wedding day will be a highlight of your life. While the wedding dress may have been a significant investment, it will be rendered useless when the bride and groom exchange vows and cut the cake. You could retain the dress, but you'd be better off selling it. Wondering if selling your wedding dress is a good idea? Here are some things to think about as you try to answer that question.

Check out our post on How to Sell Your Wedding Dress: A Handy Guide

Modern brides are increasingly foregoing the traditional white dress. However, experts advise that brides who wish to resell their wedding dresses do so within six months of the wedding if they want to obtain the most money for them. Your dress may still be on display in showrooms if you sell it quickly enough. If future brides try it on and fall in love with it, they may look for it online to see if they can locate it at a lower price.

Eighty-seven per cent of brides in a survey said they were considering or were definitely planning to sell their wedding dresses. The site plans to re-run the study next month and anticipates similar, if not higher, results. In order to give you an idea of how much your pre-loved dress is worth, she has included a calculator on her site.

Women particularly fond of a particular outfit these days often wish that someone else could wear it sooner than their future daughter. Additionally, women who want to resell their dresses can stretch their budget farther since they know they will recoup some of the cost; after all, what's a $5,000 price tag if you're going to get a huge chunk of that investment back? The store could close before the wedding, which is a remote but real chance if you buy retail.

A wedding dress is similar to a brand new automobile. You'll see the biggest drop in value when you first take it for a spin on the open road or put on that new pair of shoes. A lightly worn dress may lose half its value after the first wear, and then the price drops down more gradually with each subsequent sale. 

Typically, experts agree that bridal fashion trends continue for around three to four years. A current trend is so sultry it would "make your mother blush." Women on the fence about selling their dress within the first six months do it within the next two and a half years to cash in on the next trends.

Finding a reasonable price for the desired appearance is a delicate balancing act. You want to project an image that is both timeless and modern. No matter how large or little your budget is, the cost must always be taken into account.

It's an expensive gown that you'll only ever wear once. It would be ridiculous to keep your wedding dress in storage if you don't plan on wearing it again.

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Reasons to Sell Your Wedding Dress

Some brides want to preserve their dresses as mementoes. Some people keep the dress in the hopes that one day their daughter may want to wear it. However, you might think about selling your wedding dress if it is just sitting around doing nothing. The money you acquire from selling your gown could be used to open an emergency savings account. The surplus could also be put towards other goals, such as clearing out debt, buying stocks, or saving for retirement.

If you're looking for a method to help others while also making some money, selling your dress could be the answer. Someone who is having financial difficulties and cannot afford a new dress could be overjoyed to get a gently used one. The decision to resell a wedding dress is as personalised as the selection process. However, many contemporary brides realise that they need or would want to recoup some of the costs in order to finance things like a honeymoon, a new home, baby preparations, or wedding-related debt. There are additional reasons why a bride might decide to sell her original gowns, such as a breakup, a divorce, or a change of heart.

choosing wedding dress

How Much You Can Get for Your Dress

Since you've made the bold move to sell your dress, you're certainly curious as to how much you may get for it. You may be able to recoup as much as 50% of your initial investment if you bought the garment less than 30 months ago and keep it in pristine condition. Designer dress owners can recoup as much as 70% of their garment's original cost when they put it up for sale.

By inputting the designer's name, the dress's condition, its current status (how many times it has been worn), the retail price, and the year of purchase, anyone who has purchased a wedding dress since 1940 can find out how much her dress is worth. The dress's cleanliness is also taken into account by the calculator.

A good rule of thumb is that if a used gown is in excellent shape and is less than 2 years and half a year old, it can sell for 50 per cent of the retail price. Dresses by well-known designers often fetch 60–70% off of their original price, but brides need not be disheartened if their gown was not a designer label because brides from all socioeconomic backgrounds are shopping for pre-owned wedding dresses. Resale prospects for a $1,000 dress are the same as those for a $5,000 one.

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Where Are the Best Places to Sell the Dress?

The Internet makes it simple and inexpensive to sell items from your wedding. Have you spent a little fortune on 100 votive holders or 25 tall cylinder vases for your centrepieces that you will never use again? Any one of a million wedding planning websites will lead you to a group of excited brides who would love to take them off your hands. A wedding dress is a most luxurious and least environmentally friendly item a bride will ever buy. Sales of bridal gowns, both new and pre-owned, can be rather lucrative.

You may have more luck selling your wedding dress than you expect, as many sites are willing to buy gently used or vintage gowns. You can sell your outfit online after getting an estimate of its value. According to data, the typical outfit sells in 70 days.

Perhaps the best option is to sell your garment online. Posting an online ad for your dress increases the likelihood that it will be purchased because it will be visible to women all across the country. Don't forget to share lots of photos, though!

Is It Bad Luck To Sell Your Wedding Dress?

Do you want to sell your wedding dress but are afraid it may bring you bad luck? Many people on both sides of this issue have different beliefs and perspectives. At first glance, the idea of selling a wedding dress that hasn't even been worn probably wouldn't occur to most brides. On the other hand, some people may view it more as an investment and may be willing to part with their clothing after the party is over and the memories have been recalled.

It is ultimately up to you to decide if you believe it is unlucky to part with your wedding dress, whether you are considering selling it or know you want to keep it forever.

Wedding Dress Myths Debunked

We reasoned that there must be a plethora of additional wedding dress myths, so we set out to dispel them for you:

  • False, it's not bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her dress before the ceremony. Premarital contact was traditionally avoided in arranged marriages so that the prospective groom wouldn't have cold feet once he saw the bride.
  • Myth: If the bride sews her own wedding dress, she'll shed as many tears as she sews stitches. The final stitch should not be made to avoid bad luck until she is on her way down the aisle.
  • If you marry while wearing red, you'll be wishing you were dead, but that's not the case. As a symbol of good fortune and joy, the bride and groom traditionally wears the colour red in many cultures.

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Conclusion

Since 2008, there has been a rise in the number of brides who choose to resell their wedding dresses. A significant percentage of 2011 brides, at least 20%, made their wedding dress purchase or sale online. You can put the money you make from selling your dress towards other expenses, like your honeymoon, the baby's nursery, or even a shopping spree. As a result of your generosity, another bride will have the chance to buy the dress of her dreams. Is it a good idea, though, to jump on the resale bandwagon?

When possible, experts recommend that brides resell their wedding dresses no more than six months after the big day. After the first use, the value of a lightly worn dress may drop by as much as 50%; after that, the decline in price may be more gradual with each consecutive sale. If a woman is on the fence about selling her dress within the first six months, she should do it no later than two and a half years after she has purchased it. If you don't intend to wear your wedding dress again, there's no point in storing it. You might start an account for unexpected expenses with the money you make from selling your dress.

When selling a designer outfit, the buyer may pay as little as 70% of the retail price. The wedding dress is the most extravagant and wasteful purchase a bride will make. For this reason, the new and used bridal gown markets can be quite lucrative. If the gown is in pristine condition and less than two and a half years old, it can be sold for 50 percent of the retail price. Statistics show that the normal wardrobe only stays on the racks for 70 days.

Is selling your wedding dress considered unlucky? Large numbers of people, with a wide range of opinions and viewpoints, can be found on either side of this debate. Shedding as many tears as stitches when making her own wedding garment is inevitable. Wearing red at your wedding will make you wish you were already dead.

Content Summary

  • To make room in your wardrobe and generate some extra income for your honeymoon, the baby's nursery, or a shopping trip, consider selling your wedding dress to a second bride.
  • Ten years ago, no one would have dreamed of selling their wedding dress, but now it's a common practise.
  • Since 2008, when the taboo was finally broken, the number of brides who sell their wedding dresses has increased dramatically.
  • In 2011, at least 20% of brides have shopped for or sold their dresses online.
  • Your wedding day should be one of the most memorable days of your life.
  • However much the bride and groom may have spent on the wedding attire, it will be for nought once the couple has spoken their vows and cut the cake.
  • A growing number of contemporary brides are opting not to wear white.
  • If a bride wants to resell her wedding dress, she should do it no later than six months after the wedding, say industry experts.
  • If you act promptly, your garment may still be on display in showrooms.
  • If a future bride tries it on and falls in love, she may try to find it online for a reduced price.
  • According to a poll, 87% of brides are thinking about or have solid plans to sell their wedding gowns.
  • She has included a calculator on her site to help you determine the value of your pre-owned dress.
  • Plus, knowing they can recuperate at least some of the cost allows women who want to resell their dress to stretch their budget even further;
  • A bridal gown is the equivalent of a shiny new car.
  • The consensus among industry insiders is that bridal fashion trends often last for three to four years.
  • Even if a woman is on the fence about selling her dress in the first six months, she will likely sell it in the next two and a half years so that she can profit from the next trends.
  • It's a fine balancing act to find an affordable pricing that still achieves the desired visual effect.
  • The cost must always be considered, regardless of how great or small the budget is.
  • It's an extravagant dress, but you can only wear it once.
  • If you don't intend to wear your wedding dress again, there's no point in storing it.
  • Some ladies like to keep their wedding gowns as keepsakes, but there are other valid reasons to sell your dress.
  • If your wedding gown isn't being worn, though, you might want to consider selling it.
  • You might start an account specifically for times of financial hardship with the money you get from selling your dress.
  • Selling your dress could be the answer if you are seeking for a way to help people and get some money at the same time.
  • Like the dress-selection process itself, the decision to resale a wedding gown is quite individual.
  • A change of heart, a breakup, or a divorce are all situations in which a bride can decide to sell her wedding dress.
  • Since you've decided to sell your outfit, you're probably wondering how much money you can make off of it.
  • If you purchased the item less than 30 months ago and have maintained its impeccable condition, you may be able to recoup as much as 50% of your initial investment.
  • When selling a designer outfit, the buyer may pay as little as 70% of the retail price.
  • Anyone who has bought a wedding dress since 1940 can find out how much it is worth by entering the designer's name, the condition of the dress, the current status (how many times it has been worn), the retail price, and the year of purchase.
  • The calculation also considers the neatness of the dress's presentation.
  • If the gown is in pristine condition and less than two and a half years old, it can be sold for 50 percent of the retail price.
  • Although costumes by well-known designers can fetch as much as 70% off their original price, brides should not be discouraged if their gown was not a designer name, since women of various economic backgrounds are now searching for pre-owned wedding dresses.
  • The chances of reselling a dress that costs $1,000 are the same as those for a one that costs $5,000.
  • Your wedding's leftovers can be sold quickly and cheaply on the web.
  • The wedding dress is the most extravagant and wasteful purchase a bride will make.
  • For this reason, the new and used bridal gown markets can be quite lucrative.
  • There are a surprising number of places that will buy your lightly used or vintage wedding dress.
  • After acquiring an appraisal, you can sell your clothes online.
  • To get the most money for your clothing, selling it online could be your best bet.
  • Your dress will reach more potential buyers when you advertise it online, where it will be seen by women from all over the country.
  • Want to get rid of your wedding dress but worried about the potential for bad luck if you do?
  • Large numbers of people, with a wide range of opinions and viewpoints, can be found on either side of this debate.
  • Most future brides wouldn't consider buying a wedding dress that has never been worn.
  • The question of whether or not it is unlucky to sell or otherwise part with your wedding dress is one you must answer for yourself.
  • We reasoned there must be a myriad of other misconceptions about wedding dresses, so we set out to debunk them for you:False, it is not bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her dress before the ceremony.
  • Wearing red at your wedding will make you wish you were already dead.
  • In many cultures, the bride and groom wear red on their wedding day as a sign of good luck and happiness.

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