Buyers Guide for Wedding Dresses


If you've decided to buy a used wedding dress or some of your other wedding items, you've come to the right place. Not only are we the most popular online marketplace for new and used wedding items but we also provide excellent customer service, selling tips and a large community of sellers. Please take a moment to read our buyer's guide and contact us with any questions. If you are a wedding vendor selling new, preowned, sample or handmade items please click here.

Why Buy a Used Wedding Dress from BravoBride.com

When a used wedding dress comes to mind you may think, 'The dress won't be as special,' 'The dress has been worn by another bride,' 'The dress will not be one of a kind.' This is not the case at all. Here are five great reasons to buy a used wedding dress.

“Green” Is the New “White”
“Green” Is the New “White” when it comes to being environmentally savvy. Thisis not referring to finding that perfect green wedding dress, this means youare taking an initiative to purchase and own a recycled gown on your weddingday.  Buying another woman’s wedding gown and wearing that preownedwedding dress is a rather intelligent choice.
 
You’ll Only Wear it Once
You are wearing this dress once. One day, one celebration for all tosee. The preowned wedding gown that you are purchasing has only been worn once. Usedwedding dresses are just as special as never worn before wedding dresses.The gown that you are about to purchase was treated with genuine care becausefor someone else, like you, that dress was one of the most important aspectsof the wedding to the bride.

The Two Dress Bride
You are a woman who cannot decide on just one dress and rather weartwo dresses on your special day. Going the used route seems more logical andpractical. If you want a dress change during your wedding and reception a choiceof used gowns seems too perfect.  

People Pleaser
Your mother wants you to wear a conservative ball gown on your weddingday, you really do not want to disappoint your loving and giving mother.  Youon the other hand want a sexy chic dress to recite your vows in and dance theevening away with your future groom. Finding both wedding gowns at a heavilydiscounted price because they are used is reason enough to buy new.

Bride on a Budget
You love VeraWang wedding dresses, but cannot even begin to thinkhow you would afford such a timeless couture gown. Instead buy a used designerdress at a fraction of the original cost and wow everyone at your wedding. Atthe end of the night you will not be wishing you could return the over pricedlux wedding dress. You bought a useddesigner wedding dress, dazzled your husbandand guests and no one was the wiser.

How to Buy a Used Wedding Dress from BravoBride.com

When you start shopping for wedding gowns you may quickly realize how expensive your dream dress is. But not to worry, we have a solution for you! If you don’t want to comprise style because of your budget a great alternative is to buy a gently used wedding dress. Not only is it good for your budget but also it’s an easy way to make your wedding more eco-friendly. If you where searching for a website for used wedding dresses, you're in the right place. We’ve complied a list to help make sure your once loved wedding dress is the right one!

Compare prices
Compare the seller’s price with the retail price of the item so you’ll know that you’re paying a fair amount. Here are some helpful pricing guidelines:

  • A discontinued style of dress should be priced lower than designer items still in stores.
  • For new items, 25% off the retail price is a good idea.
  • The older the item, the greater the discount. For a dress that's five years old or older, for example, 60% off the original retail price would be appropriate.
  • For used wedding dresses, we recommend a 50% deduction from the retail price.

Ask questions
Don’t be shy about asking your seller detailed questions about the item you’re interested in, such as:

  • When did the seller acquire the item, and did they buy it new or used?
  • Is there proof that the item is authentic?
  • Has the dress been altered in any way?

Get lots of photos
Ask the seller to provide photos of the actual dress not stock images. If possible ask to see the seller’s own wedding photos so you can get an idea of what the dress looks like when it’s being worn. You’ll want to be able to see exactly what you are buying. Also ask if there are problems or imperfections with the gown. If there are, ask the seller to take close up photos of the problem areas.

Know your seller
Making a large purchase like a wedding gown online can be a bit intimidating. Get to know your seller. She or he should be able to provide you with their contact information such as their name, phone number and email address. Don’t just correspond through email, give the seller a call to ask any detailed questions or voice any concerns you may have.

Making the Payment
This is the most important tip I can give you. Be very careful when making a payment for your gown. There are thousands of scams on the Internet but it’s easy to protect yourself.  We recommend using Escrow.com, an online payment service. For a small fee they act as a secure third party to protect the buyer and seller. After the buyer inspects and accepts the gown, the funds are released to the seller.

With these tips you should be well on your way to find the perfect used wedding dress. Remember, not only are you saving money when you buy a preowned wedding gown but you’re also making the Earth-friendly choice to reuse and pass along. And that’s just a little something extra to be happy about when you walk down the aisle.

Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding at BravoBride.com

Here are a few more tips to help you save big on your wedding day.

Bridal Party

  • Think about looking in unconventional places to buy bridesmaids gowns. Go shopping for them during prom season and after New Years Eve at department stores or online. A bridesmaid's gown can be inexpensive and doesn't have to come from a bridal shop. Also consider buying used bridesmaids gowns, the savings can be huge!
  • Many menswear shops will let your groom rent his tuxedo for free or provide a discount if his groomsmen rent their tuxes there.

Invitations

  • Save postage and additional paper cost on your wedding invitations by forgoing the inner envelope reply card and asking guests to reply online or by the telephone.
  • Avoid oversized or bulky invitations since this greatly increases your postage costs.
  • Skip ordering the reception cards, have the reception information printed on the bottom of the invitation.
  • Instead of paying extra for your invitations to arrive assembled, buy a few bottles of wine, gather friends and have an invitation assembly party! Just don’t spill the wine on your invitations by accident.

Flowers

  • Having flowers flown in will raise your costs so only use only in season and readily available flowers.
  • To get the best prices, order your flowers from an online wholesaler.  Keep in mind, however, that you will be responsible for all of the preparation, trimming and storing them, as well as arranging the flowers the day of the wedding.

Cake

  • Buy a smaller decorated cake for wedding photos, and have a plain sheet cake in the kitchen to serve guests. On average, twenty percent of guests don’t eat wedding cake.
  • Choosing butter cream or cream cheese instead of expensive fondant is another way to keep your cake inexpensive.

Ceremony and Reception

  • Talk to your favorite restaurant to see how much it would cost to rent a private room or even the whole place. This is an option that works best during non-peak hours, as the restaurant might not want to lose their busy weekend crowd.
  • Avoid planning your event during typically busy times like June or around Valentine’s Day. During the “off season", many places will work with you on the price.
  • Earn frequent flyer miles for your honeymoon by paying wedding costs with a credit card. Just make sure to pay the balance in full each month to avoid interest charges.
  • Find one location for your ceremony and reception to avoid having to provide transportation between venues.
  • Skip the champagne and let guests toast with what they are already drinking.
  • Reduce the length of your reception, and don't announce a last call for drinks.
  • Book in advance since last minute bookings are usually more expensive due to the extra work involved to coordinate everything.
  • Hire a student quartet to play during your ceremony or cocktail hour. Check with local colleges and universities.
  • For inexpensive wedding favors, bake cookies or make your own sachets filled with candy.
  • Using an online budget tracker to keep your wedding finances in order and help control overspending.
  • It costs merchants an average of 2% (or more) to process a credit card transaction so pay cash for all or part of the more expensive components of the wedding and ask for a cash discount.