Second Hand Wedding Dresses
In your family there may be some pressure for you to wear your mother's or sister's wedding dress, especially if it has become something of a family heirloom. That's fine as long as you want to wear it, but never forget whose wedding it is. If the dress doesn't suit you or you dislike it, get your own.
You may be offered the opportunity to borrow a dress from a relative or friend and provided you like the dress and it works for you, this plan could save you a lot of money. Be careful to establish the ground rules, such as whether you can have the dress altered, when it should be returned, where you should have it cleaned, etc. That way you'll avoid any misunderstandings with the original owner.
Another option that can save a lot of money is to hire a dress. Bear in mind, however, that the dress could be going out a few times in between the day you try it on and the day you pick it up for your own use. If in that time it has acquired a slight stain or some damage, there won't be much time to have it put right.
Finally, there is often the opportunity to buy a wedding dress secondhand. If you key second hand wedding dress into Google or other search engine, or look up the Wedding Guide in your local Yellow Pages, you'll find a number of options. Some say that eBay is another good resource. Charity shops such as those run by Oxfam often carry secondhand wedding dresses that have been worn only once - potentially a valuable source too.
