Dear Reader,
This weekend, I bought my wedding dress!
It's been tough to find a dress that fits my sustainability criteria. Most of the green wedding guides I've looked at have suggested organic, environmentally-friendly wedding dresses made by designers from materials like silk, hemp, and flax. The gowns I found online that I liked were definitely not in my price range--I didn't want to spend thousands of dollars on a dress I am only going to wear once.
I would like to note that my main concerns in dress shopping may differ from yours. In addition to sustainability considerations, I wanted a dress that was easy to wear, wouldn't require many (if any) alterations, and that I just didn't have to stress about in general. After some shopping I eventually gave up on the idea of finding "the one" and started focusing on a dress that looked nice and best fit my other criteria.
In the hopes of finding a used dress, the next stop on my list was a Brides Against Breast Cancer event that I attended with another bride-to-be friend and one of my Ladies of Honor. BABC sells "new and lovingly-worn" wedding dresses, with a portion of profits going towards breast cancer programs. This appealed to me on many levels:
I would definitely recommend checking out a BABC bridal show, and I have some tips if you do:
Reader, I must admit that David's Bridal was not the perfect sustainability choice. Because the dresses were new and not necessarily made with eco-friendly materials, they do have a greater environmental impact than a used dress would. However, there were certainly dresses that I loved within my price range, and my previous communications with David's Bridal have put me at ease regarding their workshop conditions. Also, I feel that some of the environmental impact of the dress will be mitigated if I donate it to BABC after I'm done, or perhaps I can pass it along to someone else in my family.
My mother came with me for my David's Bridal appointment, and overall it went really well. The biggest drawback is that we had to wait for half an hour after our appointment time before an assistant was able to help us. Once we got her, she was very friendly and helpful. I appreciated that she didn't try to pressure me into picking a dress right then and there.
My advice for trying on dresses at David's Bridal:
I wasn't able to make a choice while we were at the shop. Later, at home, I reviewed the photos my mother had taken of me trying on the gowns. There was one dress that I liked more than the others, so I found it online, and lo and behold! It was on sale for half off! I concluded that this was a sign from the universe that this was supposed to be my dress, and so I made my purchase.
Though I had to grow to love my dress, there has always been only one choice of venue. More on that in the next Eco Bride post.
Thank you for reading.
This weekend, I bought my wedding dress!
It's been tough to find a dress that fits my sustainability criteria. Most of the green wedding guides I've looked at have suggested organic, environmentally-friendly wedding dresses made by designers from materials like silk, hemp, and flax. The gowns I found online that I liked were definitely not in my price range--I didn't want to spend thousands of dollars on a dress I am only going to wear once.
I would like to note that my main concerns in dress shopping may differ from yours. In addition to sustainability considerations, I wanted a dress that was easy to wear, wouldn't require many (if any) alterations, and that I just didn't have to stress about in general. After some shopping I eventually gave up on the idea of finding "the one" and started focusing on a dress that looked nice and best fit my other criteria.
In the hopes of finding a used dress, the next stop on my list was a Brides Against Breast Cancer event that I attended with another bride-to-be friend and one of my Ladies of Honor. BABC sells "new and lovingly-worn" wedding dresses, with a portion of profits going towards breast cancer programs. This appealed to me on many levels:
- Reused dresses mean less environmental impact from making a new dress
- Price discount because the dress is used
- Profits benefit breast cancer research
I would definitely recommend checking out a BABC bridal show, and I have some tips if you do:
- Since your time is limited at the event, you might want to visit another bridal store first and try on some dresses to get an idea of what you're looking for.
- It would be worth paying for VIP admission ($30-$40 instead of $10) so you get first pick of the gowns. I didn't and I wish I had.
- I saw several dresses at the event that had stains or tears. Make sure to examine your dress carefully to determine if it needs any TLC (or if it's damaged beyond repair).
- Keep in mind that your previously-owned gown will require extra costs for cleaning and alterations.
- There were a lot of vendors at the event, and it did have a bit of a sales-pitch feel. This could be good if you're looking for vendors, though.
Reader, I must admit that David's Bridal was not the perfect sustainability choice. Because the dresses were new and not necessarily made with eco-friendly materials, they do have a greater environmental impact than a used dress would. However, there were certainly dresses that I loved within my price range, and my previous communications with David's Bridal have put me at ease regarding their workshop conditions. Also, I feel that some of the environmental impact of the dress will be mitigated if I donate it to BABC after I'm done, or perhaps I can pass it along to someone else in my family.
My mother came with me for my David's Bridal appointment, and overall it went really well. The biggest drawback is that we had to wait for half an hour after our appointment time before an assistant was able to help us. Once we got her, she was very friendly and helpful. I appreciated that she didn't try to pressure me into picking a dress right then and there.
My advice for trying on dresses at David's Bridal:
- Look at their website first and add a few dresses to your favorites list. They had printed my list off, so it was easy to get started trying things on.
- Try on some dresses that aren't on your favorites list. After we'd gone through my list I thought it would be fun to try on "the most ridiculous, poofy" dress they had, and it turns out I really liked it.
- They have a gimmick where you ring a bell when you decide to buy a dress. (There's an adorable video of this on YouTube.) In case you, like myself, tend to be a reserved person, just be prepared for this if you "say yes to the dress."
- If you find a dress you like in the store, check the website. One of the dresses I tried on cost $100 less online than it did in the store.
I wasn't able to make a choice while we were at the shop. Later, at home, I reviewed the photos my mother had taken of me trying on the gowns. There was one dress that I liked more than the others, so I found it online, and lo and behold! It was on sale for half off! I concluded that this was a sign from the universe that this was supposed to be my dress, and so I made my purchase.
Though I had to grow to love my dress, there has always been only one choice of venue. More on that in the next Eco Bride post.
Thank you for reading.