Attire and Accessories

Our Favorite Places to Buy or Sell Used Wedding Dresses For Your Elopement

Wedding dress shopping can be fun for some, but overwhelming as heck for others, especially for couples who decide to elope to save a bit of money! Lucky for you, we compiled a guide with everything you need to know when buying and selling a used wedding dress for your elopement. We even list our favorite places to buy and sell used wedding dresses.

Check out what’s in this article and jump to the section you’re most interested in:

Are you looking to buy your elopement dress instead? Shop our favorite dresses. 

Why You Should Buy A Used Wedding Dress

One of the biggest reasons why you should consider buying a used wedding dress is to save money. If you invest in a gently used wedding dress, you can also be able to get that designer wedding dress you may have been eyeing, for a fraction of the price.

Unlike back in the day, you have way more options when it comes to where you can buy a used wedding dress. You don’t have to worry about buying from eBay, Craiglist, or even Facebook marketplace. There are now stores dedicated to being a reliable space for couples to shop for gently worn wedding dresses for their special day.

Another great reason why you should buy used is it gives your elopement a deeper story, and you will be giving the gown more use on your own adventure, especially if you and your partner are planning a long hike together.

Our Favorite Places to Buy and Sell Used Wedding Dresses

Some wedding dresses can be very expensive, so it’s no surprise that more brides are opting to sell their wedding dresses or buy a used one instead of spending thousands on a brand new one. Here are our favorite places to buy and sell used wedding dresses. We’ll go over everything you need to know about each one.

Still White

Still White is our top pick when it comes to buying and selling wedding dresses. There are thousands of dresses to explore, ranging from hundreds of designers like Maggie Sottero, Pronovias, and Essense of Australia (to name just a few). These dresses are also significantly reduced from their original price. While most dresses listed on the website are gently used, there are a few listings that are sample sizes or even brand new that the bride never used.

How it Works for Sellers:

Sellers create a listing for $20 or can create a premium listing for $30, which allows your dress to be promoted on the site to help you sell it faster. Even though there is a small fee, Still White does not take any commission off your sale, and there are no ongoing fees!

Interested in selling your wedding dress on Still White? Get 10% off your listing fee today! 

How it Works for Buyers:

Still White offers different search options to narrow down your search and find your perfect gown. Once you find a dress you love, you can chat with the original owner, ask for more photos of the dress, and even negotiate the price listed. Then, you can organize a time to meet, or you can securely purchase the dress online!

Buy your elopement dress on Still White today!

Preowned Wedding Dresses

One of the older used wedding dress sites is Preowned Wedding Dresses. This site earns the name of the largest online bridal marketplace selling both wedding dresses and bridal accessories for your wedding day. You can even sell bridesmaid dresses, mother’s dresses and flower girl dresses on this site, making this a great option for couples planning a micro wedding on a budget.

How it Works for Sellers:

Preowned wedding dresses have a one-time fee per wedding dress of $25 and a one-time fee per item of all other dresses and wedding accessories. Preowned Wedding Dresses do not take any commission off your sale, and there are no ongoing fees! Since this is a large website, it can be a bit difficult to make your listing stand out. However, there is still a high selling rate.

How it Works for Buyers:

Pick the category you’re interested in buying, or you can shop by size and designer. Once you find something you love, contact the seller, ask all the questions, and purchase your dream wedding dress!

Nearly Newlywed

If you’re looking for more of a boutique feel, then consider buying your used wedding dress (or selling) on Nearly Newlywed. We love this site because sellers are able to sit back and relax as they let the website’s staff speak to potential buyers.

How it Works for Sellers:

Once you decide to sell your dress with Nearly Newlywed, you need to submit your measurements, photos, and a description of your gown to get approved. Once approved, you send the dress and they take care of the rest. Unlike other websites to sell wedding dresses, you will have to pay a $25 listing fee and the website keeps a 40% commission of the sale.

How it Works for Buyers:

Search for your wedding dress by designer, style, price, and more. If you’re feeling lost, the website’s team can actually help you find your dress. Unlike other sites, you have a 5-day return window to decide if the dress you picked is really the one, which we love!

Borrowing Magnolia

This is another great site to sell and buy gently used wedding dresses. Like many other websites, Borrowing Magnolia allows you to search and sell with ease. We love this site for sellers because there are different upgrades that will help your listing stand out.

How it Works for Sellers:

For $25 and no hidden fees, you can list your dress for sale. If you want to take things a step further, then you can upgrade your listing to help sell your dress faster. With a $10 upgrade, add up to 10 pictures. With a $15 upgrade, your listing is first in the search section. And with a $20 upgrade, your listing will become a homepage feature! A $40 listing lets you enjoy the optimization of all of these upgrades! This is great if you’re trying to sell your gown asap!

How it Works for Buyers:

Search for your elopement dress by designer, style, price, and more. Once you find the dress you love, contact the seller, and purchase your gown!

Shop a Consignment Shop Near You

If you’re trying to find a used wedding dress near you and avoid the online experience, then search for a consignment shop in your area. We love consignment shops because they take in gently used dresses and allow you to try them on before saying yes to the dress. So if you’re looking for a more traditional dress shopping experience but want to save some cash, then go this route!

Things to Remember When Buying a Dress Online

Photo by Yidaki Studio

If you’re planning on buying your wedding dress at one of the options we mentioned above then here are some tips:

  • Always ask all the questions about the condition of the dress you’re interested in. if you’re unsure about it, then don’t be afraid to ask for more pictures to confirm the quality in certain areas, such as the train or hem of the dress.
  • Ask if the dress will be washed before shipping.
  • Consider the return policy and buyer’s protection policy on the website before purchasing.
  • Do your research. You can always find a good deal on these websites, but make sure your seller is offering a reasonable price for that dress you’re eyeing.

Things to Remember When Selling Your Dress Online

If you’re planning on selling your wedding dress at one of the options we mentioned above then here are some tips:

  • While selling your gown can be a great way to earn some money, you want to make sure you actually want to sell it.
  • Pick an option that works for you. Consider how fast you want to sell your dress or how hands-on you want to be during the experience.
  • Do your research and use the website’s price estimator to find a reasonable price to list your dress for.
  • Look for listing specials. A lot of times, you can get free listing upgrades or discounts when listing your dress for the first time.

Are you not sure you want to buy a used wedding dress? Explore our elopement dress guide and shop our favorites! We even mention some of our favorite affordable wedding dresses!

Ready to Plan Your Elopement?

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