Find that perfect wedding dress at fraction of retail price
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SEATTLE -- You don't have to be a woman to know the single most important detail for a bride-to be, besides the fiancé of course, is the wedding dress. It's also one of the most expensive details.
That's why more local brides are turning to consignment stores to find that perfect dress at a fraction of the retail price.
At Blue Sky Bridal in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle, owners Jennifer West and Beth Sweeney say brides who at first feel sentimental about their wedding dresses, realize they'll never wear them again. They getting extra pleasure knowing their dress is helping make another bride's big day more special.
West started Blue Sky Bridal three years ago after searching eBay for an affordable gown for her own wedding.
"I felt weird about showing up to a stranger's house with $800 in cash and like, 'Can I try this on in your bathroom?' "
So, she got an idea: Have the sellers bring their dresses to her, and mark down the prices to at least half the normal retail.
If a dress sells, the seller and the store split the proceeds 50-50.
"And a surprising number of people were really interested," said West.
Prices range from $150 for a simple dress to about $4,000 for a couture gown that would have sold for $20,000.
And if the stars are aligned just right, that bargain dress may be brand new.
"Daughter bought it; mom didn't like it," West says as she gives reasons why the dress might not have been worn. "Daughter bought it; Grandma didn't like it. Daughter bought it; fiance didn't like it. So those are very popular reasons."
Wedding venues change from the beach to the mountains, and from outdoors in the summer to indoors in the fall. West says some gowns come in with the price tags still on because the bride discovered she's pregnant and the dress cannot be returned.
If you want to sell your wedding dress on consignment, it must be current, and no more than four years old.
"Bought new within the last three-to-four years," West said. "If it hasn't been dry cleaned we can help with the dry cleaning. We take all shapes and sizes. We like to have a wide range of styles."
The women especially like the idea that they're eco-friendly and promoting re-use of materials.
"We work with eco-friendly dry cleaners and a lot of women working in the bridal industry, whether it's making jewelry or veils or reconstructing gowns," said Sweeney.
While some consignment stores may carry a few gowns for weddings, as far as they know, the women say Blue Sky Bridal is the only consignment store dedicated exclusively to wedding dresses.
The store typically stocks 125 to 175 dresses at any given time from size 0 to 18, and occasionally a size 22. After three years in business, they say the sell several hundred dresses a year.
Dresses that don't sell after about 6 months are returned to the owner, or the store will donate them to the Brides Against Breast Cancer charity in the owner's name.
It's money back for one bride, money saved for another, and a new life for the dress of both their dreams.
More Information:
Blue Sky Bridal Web Site
Brides Against Breast Cancer
That's why more local brides are turning to consignment stores to find that perfect dress at a fraction of the retail price.
At Blue Sky Bridal in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle, owners Jennifer West and Beth Sweeney say brides who at first feel sentimental about their wedding dresses, realize they'll never wear them again. They getting extra pleasure knowing their dress is helping make another bride's big day more special.
West started Blue Sky Bridal three years ago after searching eBay for an affordable gown for her own wedding.
"I felt weird about showing up to a stranger's house with $800 in cash and like, 'Can I try this on in your bathroom?' "
So, she got an idea: Have the sellers bring their dresses to her, and mark down the prices to at least half the normal retail.
If a dress sells, the seller and the store split the proceeds 50-50.
"And a surprising number of people were really interested," said West.
Prices range from $150 for a simple dress to about $4,000 for a couture gown that would have sold for $20,000.
And if the stars are aligned just right, that bargain dress may be brand new.
"Daughter bought it; mom didn't like it," West says as she gives reasons why the dress might not have been worn. "Daughter bought it; Grandma didn't like it. Daughter bought it; fiance didn't like it. So those are very popular reasons."
Wedding venues change from the beach to the mountains, and from outdoors in the summer to indoors in the fall. West says some gowns come in with the price tags still on because the bride discovered she's pregnant and the dress cannot be returned.
If you want to sell your wedding dress on consignment, it must be current, and no more than four years old.
"Bought new within the last three-to-four years," West said. "If it hasn't been dry cleaned we can help with the dry cleaning. We take all shapes and sizes. We like to have a wide range of styles."
The women especially like the idea that they're eco-friendly and promoting re-use of materials.
"We work with eco-friendly dry cleaners and a lot of women working in the bridal industry, whether it's making jewelry or veils or reconstructing gowns," said Sweeney.
While some consignment stores may carry a few gowns for weddings, as far as they know, the women say Blue Sky Bridal is the only consignment store dedicated exclusively to wedding dresses.
The store typically stocks 125 to 175 dresses at any given time from size 0 to 18, and occasionally a size 22. After three years in business, they say the sell several hundred dresses a year.
Dresses that don't sell after about 6 months are returned to the owner, or the store will donate them to the Brides Against Breast Cancer charity in the owner's name.
It's money back for one bride, money saved for another, and a new life for the dress of both their dreams.
More Information:
Blue Sky Bridal Web Site
Brides Against Breast Cancer
