Author Topic: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?  (Read 12566 times)

Megma

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MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« on: December 04, 2016, 10:04:20 AM »
I'm getting married next year and have begun dress shopping. I went to try some this week and the one I liked is 2300$ + alterations. I have already an independent lady to do the alterations so will not have them done at the over priced store rate. BUT, I don't see myself dropping 2k or even 1k on a dress so I am thinking to look for a lightly used dress online (ideally one that wasn't altered already). I am thinking I'd rather do this than buy a cheaper dress at like a davids bridal but am nervous to buy something that can't be returned that I've never tried on.

Have you bought a wedding dress online? From where (eBay, specific dress site)? How was your experience?

Frankies Girl

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #1 on: December 04, 2016, 10:13:49 AM »
I'd suggest also looking on craigslist or go check out goodwill and other thrift shops. You might get lucky and get a beautiful dress for super cheap other than the cost of getting it cleaned and altered.

I wish more than anything I had done this. I bought mine new after being pressured to do so by mother that did not have the big poofy dress. I just donated it a few months ago. It was worn for about 4 hours, no rips, stains or even sweat (was a late fall wedding), professionally cleaned and stored in an archival quality box for years until I realized how much of a waste it was... somebody got a freaking bargain if they bought it for $100 at the goodwill (that is how much they price all gowns in my area that aren't designer level).

overwhelmed

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #2 on: December 04, 2016, 11:06:49 AM »
I'm pretty sure there are site's now where you can rent a wedding dress, might want to do a quick search to see if that might be another avenue to explore.

You can also go to other stores that aren't specifically 'bridal' stores and see if you can find a dress that you love. If it isn't technically considered a 'wedding dress' it will most likely be more affordable.

Best of Luck!

Carrie

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2016, 11:22:38 AM »
I bought my dress for $200 from a local consignment shop. It fit perfectly, requiring no alterations.  I didn't even clean it first,  as it seemed clean already & in perfect condition. Seemed to work fine, still happily married 21 years later.   

Mikila

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #4 on: December 04, 2016, 01:10:56 PM »
Yes.

Mine was bought off the clearance rack for $200.  No regrets.  I keep it in hopes of coming across someone I can bless with the gift of it.

LVBRN

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2016, 01:18:24 PM »
I bought mine (price normally in store when I tried it on was 1200$), and I got it for $400 at oncewed.com.  I think there is also preownedweddingdresses.com. I just tried on several of the designers dresses that were similar to the one I wanted so I had a good idea of what size would fit me in the style I wanted and then bought it online.  They let you filter by your size, height, dress, etc.  My experience went very well. 
« Last Edit: December 04, 2016, 01:23:53 PM by LVBRN »

spicykissa

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #6 on: December 04, 2016, 01:26:37 PM »
Why not? I say go for it. If you're going to buy online I would just do a LOT of trying on so you have a good idea how the different designers fit you. In my hometown there is a YWCA thrift shop that carries wedding dresses for cheap, or you could try higher end consignment shops as well.

My dress was made for me by a family friend who was seamstress, and only cost $300 in materials. There is absolutely no need to spend thousands of dollars on a dress you'll only wear once!

Megma

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #7 on: December 04, 2016, 02:29:34 PM »
Thanks for the tips, I don't really want to do thrift store because they won't have enough selection (I'm not sure I've ever seen more than one or two at a thrift store around here) and I don't see myself driving to every one in the area.

I am still pretty girly and want the dress I want , just not for 2k! 😀 I seriously considered making my own dress (I sew) but decided I did not need the stress and I'd spend a lot for high quality materials for what I want, not to mention a thousand hours.

LVBRN, this is exactly what I'm thinking about doing. I can get what I really want at a fraction of the cost of retail. I looked a preownedweddingdresses.com yesterday but I'll check out oncewed.com.

My fiancé was very cute saying I can spend the 2300$ on the dress, we can afford it but i was like nope I'd rather spend it on booze, our honeymoon, something else!

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #8 on: December 04, 2016, 02:33:37 PM »
$2300 is crazy money for a dress.  Continue shopping local and see if you can find something you like for much less money.  Online shopping is tricky and I would not buy that way without possibility to return if it's not going to work.   

Guava

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #9 on: December 04, 2016, 02:40:45 PM »
I got a used dress from a wedding that never happened. It helped that I wasn't superstitious I guess. Check out Facebook wedding swap sites. I see them going all the time at steep discounts because people found another dress. I had a $1,000 dress for $350 and plan to try to resell again. We were able to meet and I could try on the dress to make sure I loved it too.

shadowmoss

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #10 on: December 04, 2016, 03:04:31 PM »
http://www.tbdress.com/Cheap-Wedding-Dresses-75/

Drop dead gorgeous wedding dresses for under $200.  I have ordered other dresses from them and they are as advertised.  Granted, they were more casual.  Check the measurements closely, as it is a China site, but the reviews are mostly good.  The wedding dresses almost make me want to get married again they are so beautiful.  Almost.

englishteacheralex

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #11 on: December 04, 2016, 03:18:09 PM »
Oh boy can I help you with this.

www.preownedweddingdresses.com

So I bought my dress on sale, new, from JCrew, who isn't making wedding attire anymore, sadly. It was $520 marked down from $600. Cleaned it in my bathtub (professional cleaning for a wedding dress is $100+), dried it with a fan, steamed it, and sold it for $250 on this site. The girl who bought it sent me pictures of her wedding and she looked gorgeous. She was really happy with the dress. I had had it altered and was very, very specific about the measurements of the dress and including pictures of myself wearing it.

I guaranteed a refund if the buyer didn't like it. Didn't have any problems.

Here's the great thing about the site: You can search for so many different makes/models of wedding dresses. So you can go to David's Bridal or BDHLN and try stuff on, and then find it on the site for a significant mark down. They sell practically every dress you'd want.

If I had it to do over again I'd probably have bought the dress used on the site and then turned around and sold it again. I had zero emotional problems with this. I live in a tiny apartment and think preserving a wedding dress would be a waste of space and money.

Megma

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #12 on: December 04, 2016, 03:45:13 PM »
Thanks teach Alex. I think I will probably resel again too, what do I need a giant box with a dress in it for?

Guava, that is a good idea too, I'll have to check some local sites. I really want to be able to try it and or return it. That's what makes me nervous!

I'm a red panda

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #13 on: December 04, 2016, 04:13:35 PM »
In your search, I'd give David's bridal a chance.
I found a $2k dress there that was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen and a lovely though not quite perfect $99 dress. My spendy pants Dad insisted on the perfect dress, but let me tell you which I'd have bought if it was my money! It was still a really nice dress. We donated my dress, so I got great photos and he got a tax deduction off it.

I'd have no problem with a used dress if I could see it ahead of time. I'd really want to inspect it. My sister's got really dirty for instance, the train was dragged along the parking lot for white awhile. Alterations to my dress would have made it suitable only to someone in the 5 foot or shorter range.

The rental dress seems like a good idea too. Then there is a company that can be held accountable.

munchabunch

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #14 on: December 04, 2016, 05:25:30 PM »
I'd also give a recommendation to buying a prom dress in white/cream.  No really!  There are a lot of prom dresses with all sorts of styles, there's a huge selection, and the mark up is a fraction of a labeled "wedding dress".  You can always order whatever you like in their cream color.

I bought mine from a local prom dress shop for $100.  A lot of them also come with colored accents, like under layers or sashes.  They tend to less frequently have massive beading, but in my opinion that was a plus!  And no one knows unless you tell them :).

MrsPete

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #15 on: December 04, 2016, 05:43:21 PM »
My own wedding dress came from a clearance rack and cost $99 (plus another $90 for major alterations).  I loved that dress. 

We just bought my daughter's wedding dress a month ago.  It was $300 (new) and came from a small boutique -- it's perfect.  We haven't had it altered yet, but I recently went with a friend to her alterations appointment, and she paid $75, so I'm expecting to pay about the same.

I'd have no problem buying a gently used dress, but I wouldn't buy it over the internet.  Too many dresses -- even if they fit perfectly -- look great on the hanger, not so great on your particular figure, and two similar dresses don't necessarily look the same way.  I wouldn't buy a dress without being able to touch it and try it on. 

I also would never go to David's Bridal again.  They were HORRIBLE to my daughter and I, and we just left.  My friend bought her dress from them recently, and it arrived dirty and damaged -- after much pushing, they admitted that they'd sent her a many-times tried-on floor model, though she'd paid thousands for a new dress.  They aren't even the Walmart of dresses; they're more like the flea market of dresses. 

I'm a red panda

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #16 on: December 04, 2016, 05:54:07 PM »
Wow my David's bridal experience was so different. They treated me as well as my sister had been in a high end boutique.

When the dress was altered it came back with a single thread pull on the skirt. I pointed it out, hoping to get a tiny discount and they were all ready to have a brand new dress shipped and altered, they were shocked I would settle for a free pressing. For an issue that I'd never find if I wasn't going over it with a fine tooth comb (which I did in hopes of the freebie...)

Guava

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #17 on: December 04, 2016, 06:23:15 PM »
I'd also give a recommendation to buying a prom dress in white/cream.  No really!  There are a lot of prom dresses with all sorts of styles, there's a huge selection, and the mark up is a fraction of a labeled "wedding dress".  You can always order whatever you like in their cream color.

I bought mine from a local prom dress shop for $100.  A lot of them also come with colored accents, like under layers or sashes.  They tend to less frequently have massive beading, but in my opinion that was a plus!  And no one knows unless you tell them :).

Yes! I also looked at prom dresses that were under $150. My only problem with them was they didn't hide my medi-port but if I didn't have that, I would have definitely gotten a prom dress.

Megma

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #18 on: December 04, 2016, 06:28:48 PM »
Wow my David's bridal experience was so different. They treated me as well as my sister had been in a high end boutique.

When the dress was altered it came back with a single thread pull on the skirt. I pointed it out, hoping to get a tiny discount and they were all ready to have a brand new dress shipped and altered, they were shocked I would settle for a free pressing. For an issue that I'd never find if I wasn't going over it with a fine tooth comb (which I did in hopes of the freebie...)

It might spend on the location. A friend of mine had a horrible experience trying dresses on there in our area. Or maybe the associate was having a bad day. I bought a prom dress there ten years ago and it was fine.

Cassie

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #19 on: December 04, 2016, 06:32:46 PM »
I helped my DIL shop at David's bridal and they were great.  She got a very expensive dress for 200 off their sale rack.

woopwoop

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #20 on: December 04, 2016, 06:35:53 PM »
Oh boy can I help you with this.

www.preownedweddingdresses.com
I bought a dress from this site for $450 and it was the most amazing dress ever (originally $5k). I was going to resell it but it got stolen before I could =/

edit: oh holy shit I think I found my stolen dress: https://www.tradesy.com/weddings/wedding-dresses/ulla-maija-whirlwind-wedding-dress-19724627/

tthree

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #21 on: December 04, 2016, 07:06:49 PM »
For what it's worth, I got married 9 years old, and the puffy, strapless dresses that were all the rage were not for me.  I ordered a white bridesmaid's dress on-line (~$200) and got it altered (~75).  IMO the result was beautiful.  Not sure why bridesmaid dresses come in white....but might as well capitalize on it.

 

LadyFI

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #22 on: December 04, 2016, 07:48:45 PM »
I bought my wedding dress on eBay.

Like you, I had found a $2k+ dress in a boutique. I loved everything about it except the price. Did a quick search of the manufacturer and style number on eBay and found it in my size for $350. The woman selling it had never worn or altered it. It was perfect - exactly what I wanted and a fraction of the price. I would have purchased it used as well, but lucked out in finding a new one.


seattlecyclone

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #23 on: December 04, 2016, 08:30:05 PM »
For what it's worth, I got married 9 years old...

Please tell me this was a typo. :-)

Anatidae V

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #24 on: December 04, 2016, 10:51:07 PM »
Oh boy can I help you with this.

www.preownedweddingdresses.com
I bought a dress from this site for $450 and it was the most amazing dress ever (originally $5k). I was going to resell it but it got stolen before I could =/

edit: oh holy shit I think I found my stolen dress: https://www.tradesy.com/weddings/wedding-dresses/ulla-maija-whirlwind-wedding-dress-19724627/
I bought mine (in Australia, from a seller in Aus but a different state) from here or a similar site, for $1000 instead of the $2300+ it would have costed new. I got the seller to send all her measurements and checked them against mine, and she had photos of herself in the dress on the ad which helped a ton. I loved my dress. I don't have good shopping skills and we'd tried many boutiques but couldn't find anything. I'm still trying to convince myself to re-sell it...

englishteacheralex

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #25 on: December 04, 2016, 11:05:33 PM »
The trick to being ok emotionally with reselling a wedding dress is to designate a fun purpose for the money you'll get. We used the money from selling mine to buy a plane ticket to an outer island (we live on Oahu and got a ticket to the Big Island) to go backpacking. So now when I think about my wedding dress, I think about how we had an awesome backpacking trip with it before we found out I was pregnant with my first kid. Makes all sentimental regret at not having my dress disappear.

And the truth is...who needs that thing sitting in my closet mocking me for never ever being able to fit in it again?

shelivesthedream

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #26 on: December 05, 2016, 02:11:14 AM »
If you're worried about it not fitting, get a ton of measurements (of the actual dress, compared to a similar garment you own already, and of the original wearer compared to your body) and err on the side of too big/too long and have it taken in. Simples. Also, corseted styles with functional lacing can accommodate an inch either way. Very structured bodices (the kind where it moulds to a torso shape even when hanging up) will be harder to alter.

Molzy

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #27 on: December 05, 2016, 05:53:07 AM »
For what it's worth, I got married 9 years old, and the puffy, strapless dresses that were all the rage were not for me.  I ordered a white bridesmaid's dress on-line (~$200) and got it altered (~75).  IMO the result was beautiful.  Not sure why bridesmaid dresses come in white....but might as well capitalize on it.

 

I also did the white bridesmaid dress, and IMO it was lovely! It was $200 on sale at Macy's, and then we spent $70 on alterations (which included altering my husbands vest as well). There is no way anyone would've thought it was a bridesmaid dress - it was white lace!

Playing with Fire UK

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #28 on: December 05, 2016, 06:04:11 AM »
Yes, but try it on before you're committed to buying it. I bought one that looked great in the pictures and then didn't suit me so resold it (actually I had it as a spare on the day and then sold it after). The dress I wore was second hand and I loved it.

nessness

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #29 on: December 05, 2016, 06:17:56 AM »
I bought one on eBay. I compared my measurements to the dress measurements before buying, but I have a large ribcage and wasn't able to zip it. Since it wasn't returnable I got it altered to have a lace-up back, which ended up looking really nice. Overall no regrets.

minnie76

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #30 on: December 05, 2016, 06:44:12 AM »
I bought mine used from a charity that got them as donations  - either samples from bridal salons or dresses that have been worn before - and sold them.  They then used the proceeds to help families touched by cancer in the area.  I paid $300 for mine then donated it back after the wedding. 

TravelJunkyQC

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #31 on: December 05, 2016, 07:38:29 AM »
My sister bought her dress at a consignment shop that specializes in wedding dresses. I don't know what area you're in, but there are probably consignment shops like that in most every area?

Lucky Recardito

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #32 on: December 05, 2016, 08:09:30 AM »
A good friend of mine fell in love with a designer wedding dress that was over $5,000. She tried it on at a wedding dress shop and so knew exactly what size she'd want and what alterations she'd need... and then she scoured the wedding dress resale online listings and pro-actively posted what she was looking for. It took a few months, but she found a willing seller, looked great at her wedding, and then re-sold the dress on to a third bride. I believe her net cost, including cleaning & shipping, was about $700.

For her, the key was (a) knowing exactly what she wanted, and (b) being really clear with the person she was buying from and selling to. They formed good relationships and all traded photos -- I believe everyone was happy!

My route for my own wedding was to rent from Rent the Runway -- I just recommended this on another wedding-related thread here. Rentals for the weekend go up to about $400, but most are $50-$200 (plus a fee for shipping and insurance). You don't have to clean the dress and you just drop it at UPS the next day. They also rent jewelry (a lot of it for $5-$10).

Dicey

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #33 on: December 05, 2016, 08:15:15 AM »
First, go try on more dresses. Sounds like you're not really in love with the $2300 dress, it was just the best thing you saw that day.  You can easily fall for another dress that might happen to be less expensive. Don't try to talk yourself out of the first one, just don't stop looking.

Here's a story for you about a friend's granddaughter's wedding dress She found one she loved, but wanted to order extra fabric to beef up the straps because she's busty. She was shocked at how much they wanted for a yard of matching fabric, so she balked on buying the dress new. She started looking for a used version of the dress she loved on line. She found one and contacted the seller. The seller recognized her name and remembered her from college. (Our bride was from CA and getting married here, but had gone to school in the East.)

Add: LucyWreck's comment just posted. I have rented formals from RTW and highly recommend them. Their customer service is amazing. I didn't realize they did wedding gowns. Hey, maybe that's where your story is...

They were similar height and build. Best of all the seller had ordered the extra fabric, but ended up not using it. She forgot to mention it in her ad. Our CA bride got her dream dress for about 20 cents on the dollar and she looked lovely in it. Her college mate recouped part of her cost, made an old pal happy and both of them got a great story to tell.

Keep looking, OP. Your great story is out there just waiting to be told. It will be a lot better than "Went to a store, found a dress, paid retail for it and left." Boring.

catccc

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #34 on: December 05, 2016, 08:52:43 AM »
I found a lovely j.crew silk faille bridesmaid dress in ivory (didn't want white, anyway) for $29 on clearance.  Paid another $10-20 to get it taken in a bit.  So my tip is take the word "wedding" off of the dress you are looking for and the price will plummet.

charis

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #35 on: December 05, 2016, 08:54:40 AM »
Bought mine online for just over $100 at unique-vintage. com  It fit well but I did get some alterations.  No one could believe the cost - it looked well into the 1K range.

CheapskateWife

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #36 on: December 05, 2016, 09:08:18 AM »
I'll do you one better.  You can have mine.

I got my dress for free.  Always promised to pass it on when the time came but the time hasn't come.  You can have it if you want it.  Here's how I got it...http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elisa-zuritsky-/take-my-dress_b_44635.html

Marianna Hardwick silk gown strapless with rouching (sp) and a moderate train.  No alterations at all.  I'm 5'8 and 150LBs.  Generally wear a size 8 or 10 but in a wedding gown that's more like a 12 or 14 (because the wedding industrial complex is a bunch of bitches).  PM me if you want to chat about it.  I still owe the universe a free wedding gown and you just might be the person to help me clear my conscience.


shelivesthedream

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #37 on: December 05, 2016, 12:06:46 PM »
I'll do you one better.  You can have mine.

I got my dress for free.  Always promised to pass it on when the time came but the time hasn't come.  You can have it if you want it.  Here's how I got it...http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elisa-zuritsky-/take-my-dress_b_44635.html

Marianna Hardwick silk gown strapless with rouching (sp) and a moderate train.  No alterations at all.  I'm 5'8 and 150LBs.  Generally wear a size 8 or 10 but in a wedding gown that's more like a 12 or 14 (because the wedding industrial complex is a bunch of bitches).  PM me if you want to chat about it.  I still owe the universe a free wedding gown and you just might be the person to help me clear my conscience.

This really picked me up :)

WootWoot

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #38 on: December 05, 2016, 12:10:54 PM »
As someone who has been married 28 years, I can tell you the dress really does not matter in the end.

I couldn't find anything that I liked in the stores. I wanted a 1920s dress like my grandmother's. I found a pattern (Nicole Miller) and found a dressmaker through a fabric store. Turns out she was the mother of one of my high school classmates. I told her exactly how I wanted the dress done. She also made the headpiece. I bought a Juliet-style cap at a fabric store and all the fabric and veiling. She also made the bridesmaids' dresses. My dress and veil were under $125. Of course, that was a long time ago.

But I would never spend long green on a bridal dress. Definitely not over $1K.

Unless you think you can make the money back? And I have the feeling these things are like cars. Once you drive them off the lot...

Dicey

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #39 on: December 05, 2016, 12:16:06 PM »
I'll do you one better.  You can have mine.

I got my dress for free.  Always promised to pass it on when the time came but the time hasn't come.  You can have it if you want it.  Here's how I got it...http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elisa-zuritsky-/take-my-dress_b_44635.html

Marianna Hardwick silk gown strapless with rouching (sp) and a moderate train.  No alterations at all.  I'm 5'8 and 150LBs.  Generally wear a size 8 or 10 but in a wedding gown that's more like a 12 or 14 (because the wedding industrial complex is a bunch of bitches).  PM me if you want to chat about it.  I still owe the universe a free wedding gown and you just might be the person to help me clear my conscience.
Oh please, tell us more. The links are dead in the attached story and the web address looks like it's a different site now.

diggingout

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #40 on: December 05, 2016, 12:20:15 PM »
Hi there!  Congrats on your engagement!  I see you've already gotten so many replies and I didn't get to read through any of them because, work.  I just wanted to pop in and say I bought mine used from preownedweddingdresses.com for 1/2 off the price at the bridal boutique I tried in on at.  I was extremely nervous, but for no reason, thankfully.  I couldn't have asked for a better experience.  The dress was in PERFECT condition, like no drag stains at the bottom of it or anything.  The seller even face timed with me to thoroughly go over every square inch of the dress because she understood all of my fears/concerns.  Just make sure to ask how many times it was worn, how long, any stains, ask for pictures, proof of purchase (so to know it's not a knock off), and use paypal to insure yourself, essentially, in case the item is not as described.  Like I said, I went to a bridal boutique first and found THE DRESS and then searched for a used one after.  Hope this helps, and good luck! :)

CheapskateWife

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #41 on: December 05, 2016, 12:25:57 PM »
I'll do you one better.  You can have mine.

I got my dress for free.  Always promised to pass it on when the time came but the time hasn't come.  You can have it if you want it.  Here's how I got it...http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elisa-zuritsky-/take-my-dress_b_44635.html

Marianna Hardwick silk gown strapless with rouching (sp) and a moderate train.  No alterations at all.  I'm 5'8 and 150LBs.  Generally wear a size 8 or 10 but in a wedding gown that's more like a 12 or 14 (because the wedding industrial complex is a bunch of bitches).  PM me if you want to chat about it.  I still owe the universe a free wedding gown and you just might be the person to help me clear my conscience.

Oh please, tell us more. The links are dead in the attached story and the web address looks like it's a different site now.

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2007/06/23/take_my_wedding_dress_please

Here's the background on the dress...the picture of the beautiful author in the sleeveless dress is very close to the dress I won.  Will post pictures from home tonight!

Hey OP, want to help me clear my internet Karma?  Take my dress, please!
edited: because I got stupid with the nested quotes
« Last Edit: December 05, 2016, 01:02:25 PM by CheapskateWife »

MrsTuxedocat

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #42 on: December 05, 2016, 12:36:06 PM »
Wedding dresses are so over priced. There was no way, I was going to spend the $1000+ on a dress. I bought mine from China and had it custom made to my measurements. I also ordered Mr Tuxedocat's suit there too.

Check this website out:
 http://www.lightinthebox.com/c/wedding-dresses_1181

Playing with Fire UK

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #43 on: December 05, 2016, 01:14:06 PM »
Keep looking, OP. Your great story is out there just waiting to be told. It will be a lot better than "Went to a store, found a dress, paid retail for it and left." Boring.

I like this.

Megma

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #44 on: December 05, 2016, 01:35:47 PM »
I'll do you one better.  You can have mine.

I got my dress for free.  Always promised to pass it on when the time came but the time hasn't come.  You can have it if you want it.  Here's how I got it...http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elisa-zuritsky-/take-my-dress_b_44635.html

Marianna Hardwick silk gown strapless with rouching (sp) and a moderate train.  No alterations at all.  I'm 5'8 and 150LBs.  Generally wear a size 8 or 10 but in a wedding gown that's more like a 12 or 14 (because the wedding industrial complex is a bunch of bitches).  PM me if you want to chat about it.  I still owe the universe a free wedding gown and you just might be the person to help me clear my conscience.

Oh CSWife, you are adorable! I would take you up on that BUT you are smaller than me. I need a wedding size 16 probably pre-alterations (wedding bitches is right!) but maybe someone else will see your post and help you cleanse your karma? I relinquish my claim – come get it ladies of MMM! Free wedding dress!

Though CSWife, I am happy that you are slightly taller than me. All the posts I see for the dresses already altered the girls are like 5’3” and I’m like did you possibly wear 5” heels??? bc otherwise that dress is way too short for me!

Diane C, you are right – I liked the 2300 dress the most of any I saw that day but it wasn’t the awe inspiring experience that would get me to drop over 2 grand. This is what I told my fiancé also when he said I could get it if I wanted it. I am practical enough to realize there are a whole range of dresses that I will be happy with. And for $2,300 I’d rather spend a week with my man candy in Spain than wear a pretty dress for one day.

Ok there were some good suggestions here and I have found a local consignment place I’m going to check out. I will keep browsing on Oncewed.com and preownedwedding.com to see what pops up but I think the local place, with the ability to try on, will be more in my comfort zone.

TVRodriguez

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #45 on: December 05, 2016, 02:07:25 PM »
I admit to skipping all replies before mine.

My advice is just to really love the one you choose and that fits your budget.  My story is that I bought a used dress for $550 that I sort of liked, hoping that alterations at $75 could make it great.  They didn't and I wasted both time and money on that.  I wound up buying a new custom made dress for $1500 including rush alterations.  I LOVED LOVED LOVED my dress.  I wish I'd just bought the second one in the first place.

Dicey

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #46 on: December 05, 2016, 02:46:19 PM »
I'll do you one better.  You can have mine.

I got my dress for free.  Always promised to pass it on when the time came but the time hasn't come.  You can have it if you want it.  Here's how I got it...http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elisa-zuritsky-/take-my-dress_b_44635.html

Marianna Hardwick silk gown strapless with rouching (sp) and a moderate train.  No alterations at all.  I'm 5'8 and 150LBs.  Generally wear a size 8 or 10 but in a wedding gown that's more like a 12 or 14 (because the wedding industrial complex is a bunch of bitches).  PM me if you want to chat about it.  I still owe the universe a free wedding gown and you just might be the person to help me clear my conscience.

Oh please, tell us more. The links are dead in the attached story and the web address looks like it's a different site now.

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2007/06/23/take_my_wedding_dress_please

Here's the background on the dress...the picture of the beautiful author in the sleeveless dress is very close to the dress I won.  Will post pictures from home tonight!

Hey OP, want to help me clear my internet Karma?  Take my dress, please!
edited: because I got stupid with the nested quotes
OMG! That's awesome, but I still want more! Tell us about the wedding. After that, can we help you help the dress find another deserving bride? Oh, there I go, smiling all over the place.

CheapskateWife

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #47 on: December 05, 2016, 03:14:30 PM »
Hi Diane C,

The wedding was fun and super casual, had our 3 sons as our wedding party and we had BBQ and cupcakes afterwards.  Now DH is retired and I'm no longer at risk of being called up myself.  We get to be civilians without all that hanging over our heads.  Been married now for 9 years, but still have this gorgeous wedding dress to give away.  Thinking I'm going to post a separate forum entry later tonight with an official offer to the MMM ladies...maybe I can make it a bit of a contest...

Sorry for the hijack OP!

Yes, used wedding dresses are awesome, especially if they come with stories :)

Megma

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #48 on: December 05, 2016, 03:21:32 PM »
Love it cswife!

MrsPete

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Re: MMM ladies, used wedding dress? Yes or no?
« Reply #49 on: December 06, 2016, 08:00:19 AM »

Wow my David's bridal experience was so different ...
It might spend on the location. A friend of mine had a horrible experience trying dresses on there in our area. Or maybe the associate was having a bad day. I bought a prom dress there ten years ago and it was fine.
That makes sense -- different management, you know.  In our case, we had an appointment and should've had a sales associate assigned just to us; instead, they were shorthanded, and our "helper" kept running off to work with other customers, leaving us to twiddle our thumbs.  I started pulling dresses myself and helping my daughter.  Regardless of the staff, they only had tiny dressing rooms (with no mirrors in them!), which made dressing difficult.  Nowhere else in my daughter's wedding dress search did I encounter dressing rooms sized as if they belonged in Target.   

For what it's worth, I got married 9 years old, and the puffy, strapless dresses that were all the rage were not for me.  I ordered a white bridesmaid's dress on-line (~$200) and got it altered (~75).  IMO the result was beautiful.  Not sure why bridesmaid dresses come in white....but might as well capitalize on it.
All white weddings are "a thing" in the South, just as black bridesmaids' dresses were briefly in vogue.  The issue with white bridesmaids' dresses is that they may not be pure white (or even soft ivory, which is the thing today instead of stark paper-white), and that can make a veil or other headpiece tricky.  Not impossible -- not by any means -- but tricky. 

The trick to being ok emotionally with reselling a wedding dress is to designate a fun purpose for the money you'll get. We used the money from selling mine to buy a plane ticket to an outer island (we live on Oahu and got a ticket to the Big Island) to go backpacking. So now when I think about my wedding dress, I think about how we had an awesome backpacking trip with it before we found out I was pregnant with my first kid. Makes all sentimental regret at not having my dress disappear.

And the truth is...who needs that thing sitting in my closet mocking me for never ever being able to fit in it again?
That's brilliant!  I don't think most dresses will bring enough for big trips though.   

I bought one on eBay. I compared my measurements to the dress measurements before buying, but I have a large ribcage and wasn't able to zip it. Since it wasn't returnable I got it altered to have a lace-up back, which ended up looking really nice. Overall no regrets.
Again, brilliant.  I would never have considered this a possibility.

I bought a Juliet-style cap at a fabric store and all the fabric and veiling. She also made the bridesmaids' dresses. My dress and veil were under $125. Of course, that was a long time ago.
And ask around!  I made my own veil (ridiculously easy, and I think it cost about $20-25), and it wasn't until after my wedding that I saw my new sister-in-law's wedding pictures.  She had the most lovely Juliette cap -- I would've asked to borrow it, had I realized she had it.