Rent-To-Wed

Renting an apartment = really normal
Renting a bed (hotel) = normal
Renting a car = normal
Renting a venue = normal
Renting table linens, napkins, plates, glasses, utensils = completely normal
Renting tuxedos = normal
Renting men's dress shoes = normal
Renting bridesmaid dresses = not normal
Renting a wedding gown = really not normal

What I mean by this is that I've never known anyone who has rented a bridesmaid dress or a wedding gown. Everything else on the list falls into the normal category of what people do on a regular basis. Heck, even renting items that you eat off of, put in your mouth and drink from are all acceptable; especially because they are washed! After all is said and done, at the end of the day, a wedding gown is a dress that you wear one time. I would guess that most bridesmaid dresses fall into this category as well.

I've been a bridesmaid in a few weddings and each time there has been the decision of and the purchasing of the bridesmaid dresses and accessories as well as paying for the services of hair, makeup and nails. Groomsmen usually are required to rent a tux and shoes and call it a day. In addition to the engagement party and bachelor/bachelorette festivities, bridesmaids host and attend the bridal shower as well as bring a gift. In general, it costs more to be a bridesmaid than it does to be a groomsmen.

Now in the last five or so years, I've heard of websites that rent the latest designer handbags, shoes, jewelry and clothes; kind of like the Netflix of fashion. I haven't tried it, but do find it interesting. I've mentioned before that I am no fashionista and in fact do not spend very much money on my normal wardrobe. In planning my wedding and searching for cheaper alternatives to full priced items in the fashion department, I came across a few options that seem very appealing to me and to my budget.

First is the idea of purchasing a used wedding gown. As I said above, it is a dress and you wear it for one day. Why should it sit in a box in the attic when you can donate it or sell it and someone else can enjoy it for their special day? It's recycling! Plus, you get it cleaned and it's probably just like new! This is a lot like my antique engagement ring (thank you Fletch!).

Second is renting a wedding gown. For some reason this idea for me has a negative stigma attached to it, however in reality it is not that different from buying a used gown. I guess the idea that you have to send it back is what gets me. But if I were to purchase a used gown, I think I would consider selling it afterwards anyway (we don't have an attic!).


Third is having my bridesmaids rent their bridesmaid dresses. For whatever reason this trend does not seem to have caught on yet, but for the male counterparts, it is perfectly normal to rent a tux and shoes for a wedding. Think about it this way, if a man owned a tuxedo and was asked to be a groomsmen in a wedding, he still might not be able to wear it because it may not match the style of the wedding or other tuxes of the wedding party, hence the rentals. The same can go for the bridesmaid dresses. My maid of honor has lots of dresses in her closet, but the chance that the other women in the wedding have the same dress or even a dress in the same colors as hers are pretty slim. So, instead of asking my ladies to purchase a dress to match a color scheme that they may not wear often, why not ask them to rent instead?

Questions for the readers:
1) What are your best budget ideas for a wedding?
2) What was your biggest splurge for your wedding?
3) What would you have done differently?
4) Have you rented a bridesmaid dress, wedding gown or shoes before and what was your experience?

I promise to write more posts soon!

Future Mrs. Fletcher