Where To Sell Or Donate Your Wedding Dress
In This Article
If youre considering selling or donating your wedding gown after the big day, or youre looking to purchase a pre-owned dress to cut down on costs, youre not alone. Theres a vast marketplace for second-hand wedding dresses, so weve asked expert Erin Richardson to share her tips and insight.
Meet the Expert
Erin Richardson is the General Manager of Weddings at A07 Online Media .
Tips For Selling Your Used Wedding Dress Online
When looking to sell your wedding dress, there are a few factors to consider. First of all, make sure your dress is in good condition without any tears, stains, or other damage. Since youve likely only worn the dress once, its probably still in good condition.
Also, keep in mind that photos sell. The more photos you can include from all different angles, the better.
You can include both photos of you in the dress and the dress on a hanger, but make sure to show any important details such as beadwork or a special lace design up close.
Provide all relevant information such as size, exact color , petticoats, and so on. If the dress was altered in any way, try to describe the alterations with as much detail as possible.
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Keeping this in consideration, Who should buy your wedding dress?
Wedding Attire
- Bride and family pay for brides dress, veil, accessories and trousseau .
- Groom and family pay for grooms outfit.
- All attendants pay for their own clothing, including shoes.
Secondly What can you do with old wedding dresses? 8 Creative Things To Do With Your Old Wedding Dress
- Get Crafty. There are a lot of fun ideas out there for craft ways to use your old wedding dress.
- Dye It.
- Wear It On Your Anniversary.
- Make A Jewelry Display.
- Host A Wedding Dress Party.
- Donate It.
- Trash It.
Can you return your wedding dress?
Q: Can I return my wedding dress if I change my mind? A: Wedding gowns are usually custom ordered, so most stores will not give you a refund, but its still a good to check.
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How Much Can I Make
Wedding dresses are often amongst the most expensive items of clothing people own. Because of this, you can earn good money by selling your dress.
The amount you make will depend on the value of your dress and how you choose to sell it.
Selling your dress on a classifieds website that doesnt take any commission will mean you receive all the money for your dress. However, it will be a lot more work, and there is usually no sellers protection on these sites, meaning you may be at risk of a scam if you arent familiar with how these sites work.
The most expensive sites to work with are those that take care of the selling process for you in exchange for a large commission. But while you end up with less of the total sale price, you do a lot less work. The chance of selling your dress may also increase as the site is motivated to find a buyer.
Its also worth remembering that if the site is trusted and has a network of buyers, they may be able to get a higher price for your dress than you would on your own. This could make up for some of the money taken by the commission .
If you want to increase the amount you earn, consider using one of the sites that lets you list other wedding related items. Some of the platforms in the list above contain sections for shoes, bridesmaid dresses, accessories, and even wedding decorations.
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Why Sell My Wedding Dress
There are so many reasons why selling your wedding dress is a great idea. If it’s been taking up space in your wardrobe, hanging sad and unused, just think of it as giving your dress the new lease of life its been pining for. You’ll also be liberating some storage space for yourself AND pocketing some extra cash for a rainy day. What’s not to love? Moreover, you’ll be doing your bit to help the planet, as selling a second hand wedding dress typically saves around 9,000 litres of water. Just one of the clever ways to have a low-waste wedding!
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Be Honest About Any Marks Stains Or Rips
Giving a detailed description ties in with the next point: youve got to be honest with your listing if you want to avoid any issues with the transaction.
If there are any stains, rips or marks its best to be honest from the beginning. Dry cleaning doesnt always remove every mark. But dont worry, stains and marks actually arent as likely to affect your selling prospects as much as you might think.
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No : Research Wedding Dress Pricing
When deciding on how to price your wedding dress, do some homework first. In general, dresses that are under two years old can sell for about 50 percent of their original retail price. According to The Knot, a top wedding planning site, designer gowns from brands like Vera Wang can fetch up to 60 percent of their original price.
However, if youve made significant alterations to the dress or if there are stains that wont come out, you may have to charge less for the gown.
My dress was originally $1,000, and I spent about $350 on alterations. Because my dress was hemmed so much, I knew that the market for the gown would be limited. It would be too short for anyone who was taller than me or for anyone who wanted to wear heels with their gown. Because of that limitation, I followed Tradesys recommendation to price my dress at $450.
My dress sold for its full asking price within two weeks of me posting the listing. Thanks to my careful details in the listing, a woman who was my exact height purchased the dress.
My buyer didnt have any questions, but you may receive questions or requests for more photos from potential customers. Check your account daily so you can respond in a timely manner to improve your chances of making a sale.
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Sell To A Vintage Or Second Hand Store
Siopaella – If yours in an alternative designer wedding dress, it may find a home in one of designer exchange Siopaella’s several stores throughout Dublin. Siopella specialises in designer clothing and accessories and while they are always on the hunt for a new or classic designer handbag, they could be interested in your wedding dress, or indeed your alternative wedding accessories, if it’s a good fit for them. Simply whatsapp them a picture of your dress or accessories or drop by a shop for an appraisal and you can take it from there. For more about selling with Siopaella, visit siopaella.com/pages/sell-with-siopaella
Vintage stores – If your dress was a very unusual or vintages style bring it along to your local vintage store and see if they are interested in purchasing it from you. You may be able to strike a deal where they stock your dress for a few weeks and it it is not sold, give it back to you, however this is all usually done on an ad hoc basis. Even better would be to enquire with them before the wedding so you’ve something else ticked off the list for after!
No : Get Your Wedding Dress Professionally Cleaned
If youre planning to sell your wedding dress, have it professionally cleaned. Potential buyers are brides themselves, and they want their new dress to be immaculate not spotted with wine stains or cake from your own celebration.
Taking your dress to the dry cleaner is an added expense, but it can help you sell your dress more quickly. Youre also more likely to have a satisfied customer.
According to BravoBride, a site where you can buy and sell used wedding items, you can generally have your gown cleaned for $100 to $200. The exact price youll pay depends on your location and the intricacy and fabric of your gown.
My dress was relatively simple it was ivory satin with only a little bit of beading around the bodice. It was in fairly good condition, but it did have some spots from grass and dirt around the hem. I was able to get my dress cleaned for just $95.
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Best Places To Sell Your Wedding Dress
There are a few different options you can consider when looking for a place to sell your gown. Many people sell their wedding dresses online on marketplaces that sell used wedding items, while others focus on selling locally. Wherever you decide to sell your gown, there are many tactics you can try to get the price you want.
Other Websites To Buy And Sell Used Wedding Dresses
Tradesy: A fashion-forward website geared toward designer brands, Tradesy offers a streamlined interface with a quick listing process. The website is curated like a high-end retailer site . Users can search used wedding dresses by label, size, style and more.
Review: Tradesy takes roughly 20 percent commission on sales, and promises prompt payment. Be aware Tradesy covers shipping and returns for most fashion items, but used wedding dresses are not included. If you’re buying, Tradesy comes with a money back guarantee if wedding items are inauthentic, taking some of the worry out of the used wedding dress buying process.
Still White: A marketplace specifically for used wedding dresses, Still White may not look as fancy as other preowned wedding dress websites, but it offers a wide range of used wedding dresses, from Vera Wang and Pronovias to Essense of Australia and Maggie Sottero.
Review: This straightforward website gets down to the nitty gritty and lets users browse by dress condition, taking the mystery out of the secondhand wedding dress buying process . Sellers can create a listing for $20 or upgrade to a premium listing for $30that means their dress will be promoted on the site. While it’s an initial fee to create a listing, the website takes no commission, meaning sellers keep pretty much all of their sales.
Want to buy or sell in-person? Search for local consignment salons in your area.
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What Can I Do With Unwanted Wedding Dress
Here are some places you could donate your gown:
- Donate to a local theater group. When the group does plays that include a wedding these dresses can help immensely.
- Donate to a charity to give your wedding dress to somone else for use, or will re-sell it to give the profits to a charitable cause.
- Angel Gown programs.
Sell My Wedding Dress
- Listing Fee: $19.99 for a basic listing $29.99 for premium listing
- Commission: No commission
- Shipping Cost: Variable
Another option to sell your wedding dress is the aptly-named website Sell My Wedding Dress. There are two options for listing your dress: a basic listing, which costs $19.99, and a premium one that starts at $29.99, which includes a featured listing and better placement for your ad.
The site does not charge any commission fees, and there are no hidden costs. Your listing will stay up until your dress sells.
To list your dress, youll need to fill out some standard information such as the size, color, and style of your dress. Youll also need to write a description and decide on a listing price.
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How Much Can Dresses Sell For
Whether youre buying or selling a preowned gown, you need to be realistic about the cost. While 10% of designer dresses resale for above $2,500, 70% of used dresses are priced at $1,000 or below, which is something to consider when pricing your gown, says Richardson. Do research to see what other similar used dresses are going for and consider factors like age, wear, and designer.
If youre hesitant about purchasing a pre-owned dress, know that used dresses dont necessarily mean old. Of all dresses sold across A07 Online Medias marketplaces, 25% are from the past year or two, and 37% of all the dresses sold are new. Purchasing from a bride who changed her mind or a boutique with a canceled order could save you hundreds.
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Determine Your Style Beforehand
The first step in selecting any wedding dress, whether second-hand or not, is to try on gowns. Head to your local boutique to narrow down styles, designers, and sizes. Once you know what youre looking for, sign up for alerts to be notified as soon as someone puts your dream dress up for sale or search for similar looks.
No : Insure Before You Ship The Wedding Dress
Next, its time to ship the dress.
Depending on what site you use to sell your dress, the company may send you packaging materials and a prepaid shipping label. Tradesys shipping policy didnt allow me to take advantage of their shipping kit, so I had to handle shipping on my own.
I shipped the dress in a large box and kept it wrapped in the plastic covering from the dry cleaner. I insured the gown for its sale price, which I highly recommend you do in case the dress is lost or damaged during transport.
In my listing, I noted that the buyer was responsible for shipping and insuring the dress, so they spent about $50 to cover those costs in addition to the dresss sale price.
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