Vintage Wedding Dresses

If you have always been drawn to the elegance of a bygone era then vintage wedding dresses and other attire may be something to check out.   Many of these elegant gowns have been preserved and can be acquired at a similar price to a brand new dress, sometimes less.

Because vintage wedding gowns are one of a kind it can be difficult to find one that you really like, that is also in your price range and size.  If and when you do, snap it up, there are just not that many.

Vintage Wedding has both vintage gowns and reproductions gowns at a very reasonable cost. If you want to have an Edwardian themed wedding this is one place to check first. They have a large selection of vintage wedding gowns and grooms’ attire in all sizes, and from all eras.

The site also has vintage lingerie and other items to make your romantic, vintage wedding, the day of your dreams.

With restored wedding gowns from the 1930s through the 1960s Cherished Online is ready to handle your vintage wedding needs.  They also carry vintage invitations, albums, and other accessories.  Cherished Online has a large collection of art deco gowns in amazing condition.  If you are a bog F. Scott Fitzgerald fan and always imagined a Gatsby wedding then head over to this website to see what you can find.

If you are looking for the perfect card for someone who enjoys antiques, Cherished online has several vintage wedding, baby shower, and other cards that you can buy.

Antique Dress has antique dresses of all kinds from every era beginning with the 1700s, and earlier.  The dresses are understandably expensive.  These are one of kind dresses that are hundreds of years old.  You will more than likely need to be thin and small for most of the oldest frocks.  Bust sizes in the 1700 and early 1800s hover around 30 inches and waist sizes are a diminutive 23 to 25 inches. Most of these dresses are approximately 0 to size 2 with the occasional larger size.

Not only do they have vintage dresses of all types but also:

• Hats
• Shoes
• Purses
• Jackets
• Gloves
• Lingerie

The items on site are exquisite.  This is a fun site to look at even if you can’t afford to buy.  If you know someone who sews you may be able to get them to make you a dress similar to some on this site.

There are many sites that specialize in vintage and historic attire of all kinds. Many of the vintage dresses will easily work as wedding gowns if you find one you like. Be sure and read all of the fine print, make sure you know what you are getting and what the seller’s return policy is. Always have someone take your measurements to you will be sure that the dress will fit when you get it.

• The Frock: Vintage gowns from all eras.
• Vintage Vixen
• Davenport & Co.

Buying vintage wedding dresses is not like buying a modern dress, whether designer or off the rack. Here are some tips that will help you avoid costly mistakes:

• Always check all of your measurements. Vintage dresses are sized differently. Besides waist, bust and hip measurements you will want your back waist measurements, your shoulder measurements, and your arm measurements at the very least. Most women wore corsets and later, girdles. For the very best fit you should try vintage dresses on when wearing these items as well.
• Stains may not come out. You don’t know how long a stain may have been sitting there. If something has enough of a stain on it that it bothers you, perhaps you should choose something else.
• Missing buttons can be hard to replace. After all, the buttons could be older than your great grandmother. Always check for seam wear, missing buttons, and other potential problems.
• If you have your heart set on a dress made before 1930 or so then consider having a reproduction made. Some of the old fabrics are just too delicate to handle even the shortest ceremony.
• Consider having a reproduction dress made and then using vintage lace and other embellishments to make your gown more authentic. This way the wedding dress will withstand wear but still have the romantic look you love. Finish it off with a vintage veil, shoes, purse, gloves, or jewelry.

If you want that romantic, vintage wedding of your dreams then be prepared to settle for reproduction dresses, or pay the expense of the real thing.