by Jenny Tolley

Created on: October 27, 2008

Would I wear a pre-owned wedding gown? I'll be honest. When I first saw this question raised, my first instinct was to vote "Yes". But then I thought about it and realized that I doubt that I, personally, would want to wear a dress that had been worn by someone else. On the other hand, I certainly wouldn't condemn anyone else for choosing to wear a pre-owned wedding dress. I think it's a very practical solution for women who want to look good on their wedding day, but don't want to spend a mint on a dress that they will only wear one time.

As a little girl, I heard about women who wore their mother's wedding gowns. My own mother's dress was made by her mother, an expert seamstress, who did a marvelous job creating a gorgeous A-line dress of satin and lace. I would have liked to have had the chance to wear my mom's dress. After all, she's been married to my father for over 50 years. The dress that my grandmother made is classicly styled, too. It would have still been in fashion when I married in 2002. Unfortunately for me, my mom was a tiny woman of nineteen when she got married. I was a much more voluptuous woman of thirty when I tied the knot. There's no way I would have been able to wear my mom's dress, even if she'd had the foresight to have it cleaned and preserved. Unfortunately, my normally fastidious mother stuffed her dress into an old suitcase and forgot about it. So much for sentimental mementoes of her big day!

I guess I always grew up knowing that I would not have the chance to wear my mom's wedding gown, so I looked forward to buying my own. I envisioned the style I would choose and had a good time scouring bridal shops for just the right gown. Granted, at the time, I was a poor graduate student and couldn't afford some of the prettiest dresses I saw. Luckily, the right dress for me seemed to jump off the rack. The saleslady told me that the style was new; they had just gotten it in that morning. It was a pretty white A-line gown with a cathedral train, an organza overlay, beaded appliques, and a tight, lightly sequined bodice. While I was hoping for three quarter or long sleeves, the dress was short sleeved with a plunging neckline. I ended up liking the sleeves, even though they weren't what I had envisioned. On my wedding day, that dress helped make me beautiful and, best of all, it was all mine.

So, while I wouldn't fault anyone who wore a used dress on their wedding day, I realize that, for me, having my own dress was important and helped make my day more special. I'm glad I bought my dress brand new, even as I admire thrifty women who are able to save money with a pre-owned gown.

Learn more about this author, Jenny Tolley.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.