Wedding thrifts

[Tammy]

My daughter called 2 nights ago to say she and her bf have decided to get married.  We need to get with them to talk about stuff but when I asked her when she said maybe 1-1/2 years because they don't have the extra cash to for the wedding and reception.  Told her that we'll foot the bill for that being her parents, we will be paying for all that.  (the extra I just got for a new furnace will now go into the wedding savings account LOL)  She called later to tell me to look up a dress online that was $500.  I know that's relatively cheap, but me being really cheap, ah thrifty, remembers my wedding dress was $150 on a clearance rack.  I think she was just excited and just kind of looking.  Now I'm thinking of all the new wedding items I've seen that I've passed up, like guest books, bride and groom glasses and such that we probably won't see again.  And maybe I'm horrible for this because we're normally on a budget and maybe she'll think I'm horrible, but since she loves thrifting too, I'm hoping I can kind of suggest that the Sal Army sometimes gets in beautiful wedding gowns for very reasonable prices.  Am I horrible?  Anybody ever bought their wedding dress this way?

[Jay2TheRescue]

I often call the rack of wedding dresses in thrift stores the "Bouldvard of Broken Dreams".  I am operating under the presumption that the only reason a dress is donated is that the wedding ended in divorce.  A superstitious person may think these dresses are cursed.  I don't know, but I have regularly seen wedding dresses rather inexpensively at thrifts.  At least you have at least a year to find all of this stuff.  You'll find it.

-Jay

My daughter called 2 nights ago to say she and her bf have decided to get married.  We need to get with them to talk about stuff but when I asked her when she said maybe 1-1/2 years because they don't have the extra cash to for the wedding and reception.  Told her that we'll foot the bill for that being her parents, we will be paying for all that.  (the extra I just got for a new furnace will now go into the wedding savings account LOL)  She called later to tell me to look up a dress online that was $500.  I know that's relatively cheap, but me being really cheap, ah thrifty, remembers my wedding dress was $150 on a clearance rack.  I think she was just excited and just kind of looking.  Now I'm thinking of all the new wedding items I've seen that I've passed up, like guest books, bride and groom glasses and such that we probably won't see again.  And maybe I'm horrible for this because we're normally on a budget and maybe she'll think I'm horrible, but since she loves thrifting too, I'm hoping I can kind of suggest that the Sal Army sometimes gets in beautiful wedding gowns for very reasonable prices.  Am I horrible?  Anybody ever bought their wedding dress this way?

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

I would certainly go that route-- I've seen some absolutely beautiful dresses at thrifts for very little money.

Gowns in general can be quite cost-effective at thrifts, and because people tend to only wear them once, they end up being still-fashionable when they're sent a-thriftside. If I have an event, I do end up looking at thrifts for my outfit.

[Tammy]

I know they said they were going to look at a pawn shop for a set of rings as they didn't care about prev worn or not.  A guy I work with said he and his wife have purchased 3 diamond rings from a pawn and have made out with all 3.  One of them he paid $200 and the appraisal came back at $2500.  That's not bad. 

[SecondhandSophisticate]

I think a thrift wedding is a fabulous idea!  Think of the creativity that will go into making it the perfect wedding, as the bride follows her heart.

Both my engagment ring and wedding band are secondhand. I say, "Right On!"

We eloped--DH had been gotten a job out of state, and the org paid for us to travel for one week to find an apartment, so that was our "honeymoon". The families had a small party for us when we came back. We got $$ (our families are not rich) as gifts and were able to apply that much-needed money to our first (and current!) house.  My dress was off-the-rack for $100, and my shoes were purchased on sale.  Hubby wore his good (and only!) suit. We went to a diner for our wedding breakfast in our wedding finery and the diner owner gave us breakfast "on the house" as a wedding gift.  We got married at dawn on the ocean and shared a bottle of champagne as we walked along the beach afterward.

Believe me, we were so broke, it was a blessing that it worked it out the way it did. We had to pay for very little. We even had a food allowance while traveling.   

I wouldn't have done it any other way, and BTW, we have been married for over 17 years.

Do keep us posted on this, Tammy. You have a smart child! 

Good Vibes,
SeSo

[foutchie]

Actually, your wedding sounds WONDERFUL, and a most memorable event!!!!   Beat you never think of it without smiling.........

[SecondhandSophisticate]

You made me smile, foutchie, with your lovely comment. I haven't talked about my wedding for ages and ages. It was quite memorable. We didn't tell a soul about it, then called our families from out of state afterward.  When I got back to work the next week, I was THE topic on the grapevine, I can tell you that!

It was a very magical day...

Peace and Joy in 08,
SeSo

[genuineimitation]

and maybe she'll think I'm horrible, but since she loves thrifting too, I'm hoping I can kind of suggest that the Sal Army sometimes gets in beautiful wedding gowns for very reasonable prices.  Am I horrible?  Anybody ever bought their wedding dress this way?

i bet if you suggested you'd give her the $500 INSTEAD of the dress, and offer to shop the thrifts and consignments, she'd be persuaded to look at the thrift store!

i've seen some spectacular dresses at our thrift store - i think there are 3 or 4 on the rack right now. is she crafty? maybe she'd enjoy spending the $25 and getting out needle and pins and seeing how she could remodel a gown to make it her own. i know my daughter would be all over that idea - especially if it came with the extra cash incentive!

[LadyinRed]

I often call the rack of wedding dresses in thrift stores the "Bouldvard of Broken Dreams".  I am operating under the presumption that the only reason a dress is donated is that the wedding ended in divorce.  A superstitious person may think these dresses are cursed.

Jay, I donated my dress because I had no interest in keeping it clean/packing it up/hauling it around/storing it/showing it off.  I am pretty sure I won't want to wear it again, and if I really do, the chance that it would fit is slim (and I most likely wont be  ).  I donated my dress in hopes that someone else could afford a slightly nicer dress by purchasing 2nd hand, and I even made sure to do it right after the wedding so that it would still be in style when someone else wanted to wear it.

So at least they're not all broken dreams!

[Magpie18]

My best friend donated her wedding gown to GW, a few months after the wedding.

Those gowns just take up so much closet space.  & it costs big bucks to do the specialty box ( which still take up too much room).

The only trick with wedding gowns is that they are all customized ---if you buy one at a thrift, either you need a good tailor or you better be handy with a needle.

The more beading, the more difficult to alter...

As far as current fashion... honestly, I don't think wedding gowns change all that much..

[Jay2TheRescue]

I often call the rack of wedding dresses in thrift stores the "Bouldvard of Broken Dreams".  I am operating under the presumption that the only reason a dress is donated is that the wedding ended in divorce.  A superstitious person may think these dresses are cursed.

Jay, I donated my dress because I had no interest in keeping it clean/packing it up/hauling it around/storing it/showing it off.  I am pretty sure I won't want to wear it again, and if I really do, the chance that it would fit is slim (and I most likely wont be  ).  I donated my dress in hopes that someone else could afford a slightly nicer dress by purchasing 2nd hand, and I even made sure to do it right after the wedding so that it would still be in style when someone else wanted to wear it.

So at least they're not all broken dreams!

Well that's good to hear.

-jay

[Big Daddy Audio]

Just a note or "heads up"

If you don't know the season of the wedding yet, it might be premature to buy a dress.  If you're getting married in NY in February, you'd probably think of a heavier gown with sleeves.  Conversely, a wedding in August in Phoenix would probably require a much lighter and possibly shorter dress.  Also - figure out just what the "local weddings" consist of - finger sandwiches or crown rack of lamb?  Maybe an elopement might be just the ticket for a couple on a tight budget. 

There's little sense in starting out married life up to your ears in debt.

See you next time
bye for now.

[Magpie18]

Don't know about Phoenix or New York but here in Los Angeles -- Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter -- not that much difference.

Forget about the food --- the most important thing to figure out the venue -- the place to have it.  Many places book months in advance & because some are combos ( food included) -- find the place first then deal with the food.

[Vintage Indie]

Hi there,

If you are looking for wedding finds, I suggest eco-chic weddings. They have a blog ecochicweddings.com I think. There are some great thrifty ideas and places to shop for eco recycle types of wedding items.

Good luck to you!

[Tammy]

So far I have a feeling this isn't going to be easy.  Daughter is of course excited, has picked out 3 dresses in 3 days, ranging from $200 on Ebay (has to be made so I hope she doesn't do that!) to $750 at a bridal shop.  At the $750 one I said come on get real.  She did look at the one at SA but it was too small.  Anyway I haven't been able to get her to decide on a date - either this May or next year May !!  Think we'll just have to go the route of telling her we have $$$ for a wedding and if she spends all of it on a dress then the rest of the wedding is up to her.  Would it be easier if I'd had only boys?  LOL