So this is where my passion for all things weddings comes a little unstuck. I was not one of those girls growing up that had a scrapbook with cutout pictures of my perfect wedding dress, I did not play weddings and dress up in lace. So when I came to buying my wedding dress I took the pragmatic approach and looked at my options from a price perspective first.
It costs what? Like most brides working to a budget I had to decide how much I wanted to spend on my dress. I researched what the cost would be of an average wedding dress and was horrified at some of the prices (and the fact you had to pay to try them on). Not having a strong connection to the spectacle of ‘the dress’ meant for my wedding I decided I could not justify the prices so I started to look at alternative options; hiring a dress, borrowing a dress or buying one secondhand.
Secondhand Gem
By pure fluke I spotted one on Trade me that took my fancy. Being on the taller side I needed to make sure that the length was long enough (which this one was) and that it laced up the back to make the fit was a bit more flexible. The dress was $500 (right in my price range) and had an original RRP of $2500. I thought I could easily sell it again after my wedding as well and get some of the investment back.
Sight unseen
The dress was out of town so my mum went and saw it, she phoned me to let me know its condition and bought it on the spot. It needed a dry-clean but other than that was perfect. A few weeks later I tried it on and it fit like a glove so I got it dry cleaned (for $100) and it was ready for the big day.
The dresses day to shine
On the day of my wedding I underestimated how much that dress would make me feel like a goddess. It gave me confidence and strength throughout the day, and made me feel beautiful. Everyone complimented me on it (of course) and no one knew it was secondhand.
Post wedding dress blues
When it came time to do something with the dress post wedding I realized that the dress and I had an unsuspected connection. I no longer had the heart to sell it. That’s right folks, the dress that I skimped on; bought sight unseen and the one that I was very nonchalant about turned out to be the dress that was perfect for my wedding and was the one I loved. So instead of getting it dry-cleaned again to sell I had it dry-cleaned and boxed so I could keep it forever. I will probably never fit it again but its sentimental value is priceless!
And that my friend is how I fell in LOVE with my dress