But these are the dresses that are hardest to know what to do with afterwards. At one point I was planning to frame my dress and hang it on the wall, and I also thought I might pass it on to my future daughter, but we ended up being lazy with wall hangings and unable to have children, so languishing in the attic was its unfortunate destiny.
Having got it out for this shoot, I think it’s time for me to sell or donate it so that someone else can make use of it. Although it was a bespoke fit, it is fastened with lacing rather than buttons or a zip, which means it could technically fit a range of bodies (my body is definitely not the same body as twenty years ago). If you’re planning to rehome your wedding dress, it’s worth considering details like this that will make it wearable for more people than just you.
Buy second hand
We all know that the second-hand clothing market is thriving, and wedding dresses are no exception. From charity options championing the idea – Oxfam and Barnardos have a brilliant selection – to designer stockists like The Loop and Retold Vintage, there are a plethora of options out there. Vestiaire Collective, for example, currently has a silk ruffled Dior number for less than five hundred quid that would do the job very nicely indeed.
Here’s where your local tailor comes into their own again, because you may well want to adjust the fit to perfection once you have your second-hand beauty in your hands or repair any damage it might have picked up on its last big day. You could also try one of the increasingly popular tailoring apps: Sojo will collect from your door if you live in London (you can post from elsewhere), while The Seam will hook you up with a local studio that you can visit in person.
Rent it
Renting suits for weddings is nothing new, and renting a wedding dress is a great idea that I would definitely consider if I were getting married now. It would give me the option of being super glamorous for the day, even though I’m usually more into casual vibes. It would also mean that I could afford to think about something I would never be able to consider if I was buying new.
Browsing on By Rotation, for example, I really like the look of a Rixo Bridal dress that’s just £20 per day and an off-the-shoulder number from Sleeper that’s £25 per day; at those prices, you could rent a few options to try on, or to change into one for the evening reception (and increase the bar tab to boot).