The Dress

Nothing in wedding planning gets quite as much hype as the dress. I didn't obsess over it like some of the brides featured on "Say Yes to the Dress", but I did try on LOTS of dresses. I wanted to be certain I chose the right one for me, which in my case meant trying on lots and lots of different fits, fabrics and styles. I truly enjoyed searching for the perfect one. I went through so many different options in my head - at first I wanted a lace dress because I saw so many pretty ones all over pinterest. Then I wanted one with a full skirt with lots and lots of ruffles. I even let one of the bridal consultants pull a Cinderella-style ball gown (which was definitely not me). One of the last bridal boutiques I stopped at was where I found my dress. It was understated and didn't clamor for attention. Simple, without any appliques, beading, or other embellishments, the design was what won me over. When I tried it on, I felt like me. It was lightweight and the trumpet-style skirt fit my figure perfectly. I loved it and knew it was perfect for me. When I peeked at the price tag as I took it off, my heart sank. It wasn't hot off the runway expensive, but $1400 isn't exactly cheap.

 We called it a day and headed home, but I really, really loved that dress. That's when I took to the internet in hopes of finding it cheaper at another boutique. No luck with that, but I did stumble upon another avenue. It took some getting used to the idea, but I found a website called Tradesy that allows brides to buy and sell wedding dresses. I looked up the designer and style and found a bunch of different dresses for sale - at half of the retail price. I scanned through all of the options and found a listing for a dress in my size, posted by a girl with the exact same measurements as me (just a couple inches taller). She had gotten married a few months earlier and worn the dress during her ceremony, and changed into a shorter dress for her reception. I contacted her through the website, we messaged back and forth, and before buying it I spoke to her on the phone to ask a few questions and finalize the details of the sale. That night I paid through PayPal and two days later, the dress was on its way from Chicago. When I opened the package I saw a message scrawled on the paper covering the dress that said, "Wishing you a happily ever after." 

So having gotten my happily ever I wanted to share a couple tips for brides considering buying their dress secondhand.

~ Always make sure to ask any and all questions about the condition of the dress, preferably by phone. This way you can get to know the person you're buying from a little bit. When I spoke with the girl selling the dress, I could tell she was another girl just like me who wanted to wear her dream dress without spending a fortune. 

~ Go up a size to be sure the dress will fit. It's easy to take a dress in, but impossible to take it out when there's not enough extra fabric. 

~ Try to buy you're dress from someone taller than you (sorry tall girls). That way dust or dirt on the hem won't matter since it'll have to be hemmed anyways. 

~ ALWAYS buy through a secure money transfer system (basically PayPal is your best bet). 

~ Ask about any alterations that have been done to the dress. If the girl before you was a B-cup and she added padded cups to the dress, you probably don't want to test your luck fitting into it as a D-cup. 

And just remember that its important to love your dress, but its even more important to start your marriage off right, without unnecessary financial stress on you or your family. Plus, its pretty satisfying to know that you got exactly what you wanted at exactly the price you wanted - a rarity with weddings!