If you happen to be a bride on a budget, you’ll inevitably end up wondering if you should purchase a new gown, potentially using up a large portion of your budget, or go with the far more budget-friendly option of purchasing a used wedding dress.
Both are viable options, but there are a few things you should probably know before making your final decision.
Consider Return Policies
Wedding gowns don’t have great return policies, regardless of whether you are buying new or used. If you are ordering a dress custom from a designer, brand new, know that you’ll often lose your deposit if you decide to nix the dress, and deposits are generally 50% of the full cost of the gown.
If you are going used, you won’t be able to return your dress once it has been altered, in the best cases. In the most stringent of secondhand shops and with private sellers, you generally buy a gown as-is, and any problems are yours to deal with. With either a new dress or a used wedding dress, it is important to know that the dress you’ve picked is the dress.
What About Alterations?
Alterations are markedly different between dresses that are purchased new, and those that are purchased on the used market. Many full service bridal salons offer in-house alterations, or they work with a group of trusted seamstresses to alter dresses purchased through their store. This is a nice insurance policy, as you have someone to hold accountable if the dress is not properly altered.
When you purchase a used wedding dress, you generally don’t have alteration services on-site, and you’ll be on your own to find a seamstress to do the work. While this isn’t a huge negative, you’ll want to find a knowledgeable seamstress who has experience working with the delicate and often finicky fabrics associated with a used wedding dress.
How Much Can I Expect To Spend?
There are wedding gowns available in virtually every price point. You can find a dress for a few hundred dollars, or spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on a custom gown; however, the national average is around $1,200 for a new gown.
Brides who choose to go secondhand can save up to 50% on their wedding gown. While it might not seem like a big savings, as you can find a new dress for as little as a $300 if you are willing to go simple, it can make a big difference for a bride looking for bling on a budget. A $3,000 dress can often be found for $1,500 or less when purchased used. It is a great way for a budget bride to get the decked out gown of their dreams without breaking the bank.
What is the Buying Experience Like?
When a bride goes into a bridal salon to select a wedding dress, it can be an intense experience. Many brides fall in love with the process of picking a gown because they are treated well in salons and fawned over. It can be rather intoxicating.
Brides who purchase used will not get this experience, but that really is okay. If you are considering going the secondhand route, just prepare yourself for a lack of pomp and circumstance when you walk into a consignment shop, or browse for the gown online.
Regardless of how your dress finds its way into your hands, you should pick a dress that makes you feel gorgeous, whether it is fresh from the designer, or fresh from the consignment shop.
Photo credit: HerryLawford / Foter / CC BY
