While you might want to purchase the perfect gown for your wedding, there is something to be said for staying on budget, too. A tight budget doesn’t always lend itself to an over-the-top wedding gown, but it doesn’t mean you have to settle for an uninspired, budget gown, either.
Buying a used wedding gown is always an option, and, often times, it means you can get the gown of your dreams without breaking the bank. Before you run out and buy a used wedding dress, though, remember to ask these four very important questions.
Question #1: Has The Dress Been Cleaned?
When you decide to buy a used wedding dress, you will want to establish quickly whether or not the dress has been previously cleaned. Even if a dress appears to be in pristine condition, it could be harboring “invisible stains”. These are stains that come back to the surface in the form of discoloration when you attempt to prep the dress for your walk down the aisle. Before you buy a used dress, make sure it has been professionally cleaned, and properly stored, to avoid any discoloration or staining.
Question #2: Do You Have the Receipt?
If you are purchasing your used wedding dress from a private seller, you might want to ask to see the receipt before you make the purchase. Many brides will keep the paperwork associated with their gown, and it is an easy way to ensure you are getting a good deal. Sometimes, you’ll find a bride who has purchased a dress at a sample sale and is selling it for far more than what they paid for it. Even if the original bride got a good deal on the gown, it doesn’t give her the right to demand more for a used dress than she paid. Asking to see the receipt can help ensure that you are getting a good deal too.
Question #3: Has the Dress Been Altered?
Many times a wedding gown needs to be altered for general fit and comfort. Small alterations are generally no big deal, but if many alterations have been done on a gown it can make it much more difficult for a seamstress to fit that dress to your figure. As a rule of thumb, a dress can generally be made bigger by one size or smaller by two sizes before the alterations begin to interfere with the integrity of the gown. You’ll also want to ask about any hemming that has been done to the wedding dress.
Question #4: Do You Have a Return Policy?
If you are buying a gown secondhand, you are likely buying online, from a private seller, or from a store that does not offer on-site alterations. Because of this, you’ll want to buy a used gown from an individual or business that accepts returns. The reason for this is simple; you may purchase a dress intending to have it altered, only to find out from a seamstress that your intended alterations cannot be, reasonably, accommodated. This would leave you with an unwearable dress. A good return policy will help safeguard you against this issue, and can help to ensure that you are getting the gown you intended on purchasing.
You might be able to find the gown of your dreams on the used market. While buying a used wedding dress can have its drawbacks, you should be able to find the perfect dress, as long as you remember to ask the four questions listed above.
Photo credit: Nathan O’Nions / Foter / CC BY-NC
