Would you lend your friend your wedding dress?

[WeddingDressQuest]

Just that really. I've been looking for a wedding dress. I don't want to spend loads as I'm having a small intimate wedding. I've seen people that rent their own dresses out and I think it is great. It then got me thinking of all my friends who have been married and their dresses sat away.

So would you lend out your dress or do you feel too attached to it? If it got a bit of damage would it ruin the friendship etc?

I would but mine was off the rack from Whistles so nothing super special.

there are tonnes of lovely second hand size 14 wedding dresses on Vinted!

This is pretty

I would. Mine is the plainest of plain ivory (synthetic)crepe sheath dress with buttons down the back. Off the rack and under £300. I think most people would consider it quite boring, but I was 40 when I got married and spent the budget on champagne instead!

I washed it in the bath afterwards and hung it up to drip dry and it looks perfect.

Regarding cleaning wedding dresses. Does anyone remember the thread a year or two ago where various posters admitted they worked in cleaners who charge £££ to get dresses cleaned. But what actually happened is they put them inside duvet covers and bung them in a washing machine?

But someone up thread made a very good point that if you asked to borrow but didn't like the dress on you then it would be very awkward to back out of without causing offence.

At least in a shop, or charity shop you can back out by saying 'I'll think about it'

Happily, but I got married in 1987 so you’d risk looking like a meringue.

I would give it away to someone who could not afford one. I did, in fact.

I would deffo want it back but yes would happily lend and would be flattered someone wanted to borrow it.

Mine is cowl neck slim fitting sleeveless, nice little train, and bright red. Matching bolero jacket.

Check out StillWhite. It's a website/app where people sell their dresses!

This reminded me of a funny story. I am plus sized and got my dress from an online retailer, it was only available as plus sized. It was lovely for the price I must admit. I was so flattered when a friend of mine got married and said would I mind if she bought the same dress. She was a smaller lady so got it altered. The flattery soon disappeared when she said thank you to someone for helping her transform it from the "tent" it was originally 😂

I'm in the South East (Sussex) and have mine hanging in my wardrobe... wouldn't want much for it at all, I'm never going to wear it again.

Mine was 5k on sale but was discounted down from a significantly higher price and it is a really nice, quality dress.

Size 10, small bust. More than happy to give to anyone in need.

I would love to see a 5k wedding dress! 😍

A very dear friend of mine did this a few years ago. A lady she knew through her business had a disaster with her dress, just so happened my friend had got married a few weeks before and offered hers if it helped.

I remember thinking she was mad, but actually renting them out would make quite a good business!!

I would. They could keep it with my pleasure
it was a beautiful dress but I’ll never wear it again

Yes I would. I'd be happy it got more use tbh. I'm actually trying to work out what to do with it. I've lost over z2 stone since I got married and it's not like I'd wear it again. It cost £600 so not megabucks compared to some as well

Definitely! In fact my closest friend said she loved my dress so much she'd happily have it for her own wedding. Her and her DP have never bothered getting married and they've been together 23 years now but the offer still stands.

My sons godmother made his christening gown from the train of my wedding dress. Both now hanging in the spare room wardrobe along with my bridesmaid dress from my sisters wedding!

No I wouldn’t.

Can’t see the point in keeping something if you’re never going to wear it again!
Also can’t see the point in spending 100’s of pounds on something you’re only going to wear once!
As for those saying it would feel weird seeing a friend wearing the same dress as they wore, well I’m sure there’s hundreds of dresses out there that is the same as yours 🤣, I didn’t even wear a dress for my wedding I didn’t even wear white/cream or ivory, no traditional wedding colours and my husband didn’t even wear a suit

Look up your local Oxfam Bridal shop

Try the St Catherine’s Hospice shop in Horsham - loads of wedding dresses reasonably priced!

I’m not normally sentimental but not sure I could lend mine to a friend.
Mine wasn’t expensive and i’m sure plenty of other brides bought the same dress as I got it half price in phase 8’s sale but I love it. Originally I was looking at 2nd hand but was concerned about buying from ebay etc without trying on incase it didn’t fit and then i’d have the hassle of reselling & searching again.
If I hadn’t found mine when I did I was planning on visiting a specialist bridal charity shop as PP’s have suggested- there’s one about an hour from us- I knew about it because a friends DSIS got her bridesmaid dresses there.

Yes, definitely. It would be lovely for someone else to get some use from it. No idea why I kept it really. I guess I preferred that idea than just getting a few hundred quid for it. I would want it professionally cleaned and repaired after though.

Sure, it cost so much (12k) it would be good for it to get more outings.

Oh wow - I definitely need to see a pic of a 12k dress!!!