| Lots of you out there will have decided to get married | | | | |
| in the last few months, and have already started to | | | | 1. They don't have to be ordered 6 months in advance |
| plan your dream wedding. And then along came the | | | | (usually from abroad) |
| credit crunch which, for some, may have made you | | | | 2. You get to try on a dress that is already the right |
| think again about just how much you can justifiably | | | | size for you (most dress shops stock a standard size |
| spend on your big day. Can you still afford to spend | | | | 14) |
| £2000 on your designer wedding dress? Will | | | | 3. You can really get the idea right from the start |
| you have to budget elsewhere to wear the dress of | | | | whether the style of dress suits you |
| your dreams? | | | | 4. You can restyle the dress and still save money |
| The second hand bridal wear market is becoming | | | | 5. You pay a fraction of the new price - upto 75% off |
| more and more popular, and in the continuing economic | | | | 6. The dresses are in fantastic condition having only |
| downturn this market will benefit and grow. Once worn | | | | been worn once |
| and nearly new wedding dresses are available from | | | | 7. You can resell the dress and recoup some of your |
| specialist second hand bridal shops, charity bridal shops, | | | | costs |
| such as Oxfam and Internet sites. Some of these | | | | It's not just wedding dresses that are sold in the |
| dresses may be samples from last season's stock | | | | second hand bridal market, but wedding accessories |
| and will be in mint condition or dresses that were | | | | such as tiaras, fascinators and jewellery too. Mother of |
| bought and for some reason never worn. There are | | | | the Bride outfits are another part of the bridal market, |
| some brides who need room in the house, or just | | | | where the MOB could well spend just as much on her |
| simply would like to recoup some of the cost and | | | | outfit as the bride does on her wedding dress and |
| enjoy another bride looking beautiful in her dress on | | | | definitely has no further use for the outfit. So if you are |
| their special day. Rather than dismiss buying a second | | | | a bride on a budget, or someone who has some bridal |
| hand wedding dress, think about it as buying a vintage | | | | wear that is taking up some room in your house, think |
| dress - you wouldn't think twice about buying a 1950's | | | | about the secondhand bridal market and get yourself a |
| prom dress, for example. So what are the benefits? | | | | bargain or make some money. |