by Kayla Parent

Created on: January 14, 2010

I want to plan the perfect wedding, have the perfect husband, and wear the perfect dress. And that dress can absolutely be a pre-owned wedding gown.

Who says my perfect dress can't have been someone else's dream gown as well? Not me. Just because some other woman has the same style as me is not a reason to turn down a deal on a dress. It just means we both have amazing style! When looking in bridal shops, women see thousands of dresses, and think that because there is only one in the store,  they have got a one of a kind wedding dress. Well, ladies, there were probably hundreds of that same gown manufactured and shipped to locations throughout the country. Just the fact that one of those women happened to wear your exact dress on their day a little while before you is not a very big difference. Unless you can afford a one of a kind designer gown, which I can't, there's going to be somebody else with your dress. And spending thousands on a dress, just because it has a designer tag, is a very unreasonable idea... especially when nobody will see the name anyway. As long as the bride feels like it is "the one" nothing else should matter.

Most people that get married are in their twenties. They are saving money to buy a home, start a family, and pay for the wedding of their dreams. I am one of those people. So, the big issue for me, and many other brides out there, is money. Buying a pre-worn gown can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Obviously, it is necessary to make sure the dress is in good shape, but since the previous owner probably only wore it for a few hours, there is probably little to worry about. Getting it altered to fit your body will most likely be necessary, but it would also need to be done in a store bought gown as well. If it's the thought of the gown actually being on someone else's body, then get it dry cleaned yourself. It will cost a bit of money, but it's still less than a brand new dress would cost.

There are other great options for using a pre-owned gown. First, there is the idea of using it as a reception dress. Since this trend is quickly becoming more popular, having a used gown will cut down on the added costs of a second dress, without taking away the extra flair. Another idea is to have a pre-worn gown for Trash the Dress photos. Trash the Dress photos are when the bride takes pictures in unconventional settings, such as in an old warehouse, an alley, or even in water, thereby "trashing" her wedding dress. Using a pre-owned dress is more cost efficient if since the dress probably won't be able to be worn again after the photo shoot; and is a great idea if you want to save your original wedding dress, or if you just hate the thought of destroying something you paid so much money for.

No matter what style of wedding,or where you are going to wear the dress, the most important thing is that it makes you feel beautiful. If you can find a dress that does that, then it doesn't matter where it came from, how much you paid for it, or who wore it before you.

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