‘If you loved your dress, then someone else will too’
THERE is money to be made in selling your wedding dress if you can navigate the market safely.
Ingrid Szajer, co-founder of Still White, says sellers can expect to achieve between 50 and 70 per cent of the original value of the dress if it is less than two years old and in excellent condition.
Anything older and dress values start falling because of everchanging fashions and styles. An older dress might sell for between 20 and 40 per cent of its original retail price.
Szajer, who set up the company with her husband Bruno, says well-known bridal labels such as Jenny Packham, Pronovias, Maggie Sottero, Mori Lee and Caroline Castigliano are most popular among UK buyers.
But a dress does not have to have a designer label to get a good price.
She says: ‘The chances are that if you loved it, someone else will too.’
Many potential buyers will search for a particular brand, so it may take longer to find the right buyer if your dress does not have a designer label.
But some websites, including Still White, will list dresses for a one-off fee until they are sold.
Be prepared for the fact that potential buyers will want to haggle – typically demanding a ten per cent discount off the asking price.
An American-based website, Pre Owned Wedding Dresses, has an online calculator that gives estimates on the value of pre-owned dresses.
It is based on the designer, original purchase price and the year it was bought.
Although calculations are done in US dollars, it is a useful tool to gauge what your own wedding dress might be worth in today’s market.