Rent Your Dream Wedding Dress On A Budget

rent a wedding dress

For many couples, balancing the desire to have their dream wedding with their budget is tricky. Weddings are notoriously expensive, and the bride’s dress is often one of the higher-cost purchases. Fortunately, by deciding to rent a wedding dress instead, it’s possible to knock that cost down significantly. If you’re wondering why renting a wedding dress is a smart move and where you can look to rent your dream wedding dress on a budget, here’s what you need to know.

Why Renting a Wedding Dress Is Wise

Designer Dresses for Less

One of the biggest benefits of renting a wedding dress is that you can get a high-end gown without the massive price tag that usually comes with it. Designer dresses are available through many wedding dress rental stores, and you’ll spend a fraction of what it would cost to buy one. As a result, you might be able to elevate the dress much more than you would otherwise.

Excellent Selection

While it’d be easy to assume that wedding dress rental stores wouldn’t have as many size and style options to offer, that isn’t the case. Many of these rental retailers have plenty of options available, so brides typically don’t have any issue finding a dress that meets their needs. Plus, unlike what may happen at a bridal store, what’s on the rack isn’t limited to what’s trending this year. So, you may have an easier time finding styles that aren’t as popular.

No Long-Term Storage

After the wedding, most brides have to get their dress cleaned and preserved, allowing them to stick it in a closet and store it for decades. In most cases, that dress is never coming back out of that closet. In fact, once it’s boxed or bagged, it may not see the light of day ever again. Instead, the wedding dress just takes up space. Plus, those preparation steps all cost money. If you go with a rental, you aren’t stuck dealing with any of those long-term storage problems.

Tips to Find the Perfect Dress to Rent

Look for Local Rental Stores

If you go with a local bridal gown rental store, there are a few benefits. First, you can try on the actual dress you’d rent to make sure it’s exactly what you want. Since your options for altering a rented wedding dress are usually limited, this can help you ensure that you’re getting the perfect fit. Second, retrieving and returning the dress may be easier – and less expensive – as you do not have to deal with any shipping.

Try Dresses In-Person Before Renting Online

Not everyone has a suitable rental shop in their area. Fortunately, there are plenty of online wedding gown rental stores. But before you pick a design, you need to try on some dresses in person. Usually, that’s the only way to figure out which silhouette genuinely looks best on you, so it’s worth doing.

If you find what seems to be your dream dress for rent online, then see if you can find a nearby bridal boutique that has it in stock. Then, you can try it on to see if it’s what you envisioned before you commit.

Know Your Measurements

When renting online, you need to be able to compare your measurements to the dress that’s available. That allows you to make sure you can get a good fit even if you can’t alter the dress in any way. Don’t overlook any measurement, including the length. The length is especially critical if you’re on the taller or shorter side, but it matters for every bride, regardless of their height.

Rent Far Ahead of Your Big Day

Waiting until the last minute to rent a wedding dress means you won’t have the same selection as you would if you plan ahead. Once you know when your big day is, start looking for your perfect rental gown. That way, you can secure it without having to worry that it won’t be available.

Where to Rent a Wedding Dress

Rent the Runway

While Rent the Runway is mainly known for its broad selection of designer attire, there is an entire section of the website that’s dedicated to weddings. Plus, you can find more than dresses, as the site has plenty of accessories available that can complete your bridal look. The site also makes returns a breeze, as you’ll receive a preprinted label with the dress. Then, all you need to do is box it up, put the label on, and drop it off to get your return moving.

Laine London

Laine London offers a broad selection of designer dresses, and if you’re in the Atlanta area, you can even go directly to its boutique to find your perfect dress. If you’re not in the Atlanta area, you can set up a virtual appointment instead, allowing you to get critical guidance while staying close to home.

The company does allow for some limited alterations, too. As a result, ensuring your dress is the perfect fit is easier here than with some alternatives.

Poshare

Poshare is an excellent website for finding designer wedding downs to rent at reasonable prices. Plus, they offer a longer rental period than some other sites, giving you up to 14 days if you want to be extra cautious with the timing.

At Poshare, you can also find dresses for sale at highly discounted prices. So, if you decide that you’d rather have a wedding dress that you can hand down, you can explore that option here without necessarily having to break the bank.

Dare & Dazzle

With Dare & Dazzle, you can boost a virtual or in-person consultation to help you find your dream rental wedding dress. With this option, customers from other areas can have three dresses sent to them for a three-day at-home try-on to ensure they find the perfect one. Plus, the company can make certain temporary alterations to many of the dresses, which could lead to a better fit. Then, when you move forward with a rental, you get the dress for ten days, giving you some extra wiggle room when compared to what’s available elsewhere.

Do you have any tips that can help brides rent a wedding dress without breaking the bank? Do you think renting is the smart choice for a wedding gown? Did you rent your wedding dress and want to tell others about your experience? Share your thoughts in the comments below.