Would You Sell Your Dress Before the Wedding?
Bride Kathleen Baldwin tied the knot last Saturday in her ultimate fantasy gown: Vera Wang’s “Gemma” (the same style worn by actress Hilary Duff at her wedding). Wang describes this mermaid as “the perfect storm”—bands of tulle wrapped around the body like a swirling cyclone, ending in deconstructed, abstract blossoms featuring hundreds of scattered sequins. Naturally, Baldwin looked (and felt) beautiful in the dress, but as she walked down the aisle, it actually didn’t belong to her anymore.
Baldwin is part of a growing number of brides who are pre-selling their wedding gown. She sold it on PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com, a top-rated listing service that connects buyers and sellers of wedding gowns (there's over 10,500 to choose from). According to founder Josie Daga, a used gown that is less than three years old can fetch half the original retail price, but because pre-sell dresses tend to be the most desirable styles (costing $5,000+), they sell for as much as 70-80 percent.
She first noticed the trend back in 2010 with Vera Wang’s coveted “Audrey,” but now brides are putting their gowns up for sale much earlier than in the past. “A few years ago, a bride might list her gown for sale 3-4 months after the wedding. Now, we see brides who’ve got their dresses posted before they’ve even left for their honeymoon,” said Daga.
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