Many of you on a tight budget (most of us in these days of an uncertain economy)
may be considering looking at used bridal gowns. If you leave your options open
and do not rush the shopping process, you can save several hundred dollars.
Before looking at used dresses, first decide what features you want your wedding
gown to have. Other things you may want to consider are each designer's "style"
and how the sizes tend to run with each of your favorite designers. There are
several places to find used gowns. By far the largest online source for used
bridal gowns is eBay. Right now -- as this page is being written -- 32,792
, most at rock-bottom prices. The
average selling price of the 225+ gowns sold over the last 24 hours was a bit
over $100. Many were worn once or are sales samples. Many are new. Here
are only a few (begin by clicking the link below the fifth photo that says "view all x
items..." to find those with your favorite features):
Here are more ideas for finding used bridal wear:
- Consignment stores can be a good used gown source. If you are lucky enough to
have a local used formalwear store, alert the owner that you are looking for a
dress.
- Craigslist is a very active used-goods marketplace (As I write this, the St.
Louis Craigslist has 408 wedding gowns listings). Find yourlocal
Craigslist, open a free account, and make an “item wanted” post. Do searches
for the terms “wedding gown” and “wedding dress” in the clothing section — and
monitor new listings often — to see what is currently being sold.
- While not technically “used,” bridal store floor samples are a great bargain.
Most stores sell their last-season samples for $99 and up.
- Online, look for Quick Delivery Discount
Gowns that are available quickly and
sell for substantially below retail.
