A Complete Guide To Wear A Vintage Wedding Dress On Your Special Day

Fashion trends come and go, and wedding dresses are no exception. However, nothing can be the best way to show love and honor for your loved one than re-wearing a cherished vintage wedding dress on your special day.

In fact, many celebrities wore vintage-looking wedding gowns. Eunice Kennedy Shriver wore a gown borrowed from her grandmother on her wedding day, whereas Abigail Kingston became the 11th bride in her family to wear a 120-year-old heirloom wedding dress. 

In fact, several bridal boutiques sell vintage wedding gowns specifically for brides seeking to make a unique and timeless statement on their wedding day. So, you need not have a wedding gown preserved by your ancestors. You can buy it from a bridal boutique that sells vintage wedding gowns.

No matter whether you choose to buy a vintage wedding dress or take your family tradition forward by re-wearing a cherished heirloom, we have curated this guide to help you prepare for your big day with your vintage gown.

Why Brides Prefer to Wear a Vintage Wedding Gown?

A vintage wedding gown uniquely blends history, elegance, and personal significance. Many brides choose to re-wear a traditional vintage wedding dress on their special day for several reasons, including:

• Sentimental Value: A vintage wedding dress has sentimental significance, especially when it is a family heirloom. It is a good idea to wear that dress again on your special day to respect family customs or express affection for the loved one who has worn it. Brides appreciate the opportunity to wear a beautiful dress with a history behind it.
• Unique style: Vintage wedding dresses are unique in design and are made with a lot of workmanship. Whether it is the lacing from the 1920s or the slim fits of the 1950s, each era has its own style that is hard to find in today’s fashion. Brides can showcase their unique personalities and avoid cookie-cutter trends by choosing a vintage look.
• Sustainability: Considering the fact that today’s society is very conscious about the environment, it is always wise to re-wear a vintage gown. Not only does it encourage reuse and reduce the need for new material, but it is also an environmentally friendly solution.
• Timeless Elegance: Vintage wedding gowns are typically more elegant and beautiful than the modern trend. Some brides like the traditional and timeless look of the older dresses, which can be far more elegant than the contemporary wedding gowns.
• Personalization Potential:  Most brides who opt for vintage bridal gowns in NYC prefer to add some modern features to the dresses or alter them in some way. This way, the brides can add their personal touch to the dress while at the same time retaining the essence of the dress.

Where to Shop for a Vintage Wedding Dress?

Those who don’t have a vintage wedding dress passed down through the family but want to create a vintage statement on their wedding day can buy a vintage wedding dress online or at a brick-and-mortar store. Here is the list of options to buy authentic vintage wedding dresses:

• Etsy: Etsy is an e-commerce platform that connects numerous vendors who sell vintage wedding dresses from different eras. Individual sellers usually have their own special dresses, which allows buyers to choose between various styles and periods. Before buying, verify the seller’s feedback, the condition of the garments, and the return policy.
• eBay: eBay is also a good source of wedding gowns from different eras and price ranges. You can buy attractive and unique items through auctions or buy-it-now listings. However,  don’t forget to check the seller’s rating and ask for clear gown pictures.
• Reminiscence: Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, New York, Reminiscence is a beloved boutique for vintage clothing lovers. Since its establishment, it has offered a wide collection of vintage fashion, including bridal options. So, those seeking a unique wedding dress must consider this store.
• Shareen: Shareen focuses on the high-end market, offering a curated selection of stunning vintage gowns for weddings. The boutique has locations in Los Angeles and New York City, providing brides with a personalized, appointment-only experience. Its wide range of vintage bridal gowns makes it an ideal boutique for brides who want to create a bold and elegant statement on their wedding day.

Note: Shareen updates their collection regularly. So, if you fall in love with a vintage wedding gown, act quickly.  Otherwise, you may not get the same dress in the future.

• New York Vintage: New York Vintage was established in 1990 in Manhattan. It has a large stock of vintage couture dresses and accessories from the early 1900s, making it a go-to option for stylists, designers, and celebrities. It has everything one can desire, be it a gown from the 1920s or a designer dress from the 1980s.
• Antoinette: For a more intimate shopping experience, Antoinette is a hidden gem in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Established in 2011, this boutique carries vintage clothing and accessories sourced from the personal collection of the founder’s mother, who worked in the fashion industry with the famous French milliner Lilly Daché. 

How to Ensure Your Vintage Wedding Dress Looks Stunning on Your Special Day?

Vintage wedding dresses can become unsuitable for your special day after years of storage, exposure to light and air, and changes in fashion trends. Some issues, from yellowed fabric to missing embellishments, may need fixing. So, they often require TLC before they are aisle-ready again. 

If you want to ensure that your vintage wedding gown looks stunning on your special day, you need to take it to a professional who will follow a step-by-step guide and prepare it for the day.

At Trusted Wedding Gown Preservation, we have a team of talented wedding dress cleaning and preservation specialists who can handle any gown, regardless of its material, type, or age.

Our experts understand that every wedding gown is unique and different. So, we follow an agile approach to handling wedding gowns, especially vintage ones. Here is the process we follow to restore your vintage gown before your big day.

Inspect and Repair

Before anything else, our experts inspect your vintage wedding dress carefully for any signs of wear or damage. Vintage fabrics can be delicate, so we look for:

• Loose seams
• Missing buttons
• Fraying or discoloration

Based on the data, we fix all the loose seams, stains, missing embellishments, and color of your dress. We use SYSTEMK 4 fabric cleaning technology to restore the former glory of your dress and ensure it looks brand new. 

Once cleaned, we store the dress in a breathable, acid-free garment bag. This helps prevent any further discoloration or damage to the delicate fabric.

Ensure the Perfect Fit

Vintage wedding dresses may have been designed in a different era when sizing and body shapes were different. It’s important to have your dress tailored to fit your body perfectly. So, you have to:

• Schedule alterations well in advance.
• Consult with a seamstress who has experience working with vintage fabrics
• Try the dress on multiple times before the wedding to ensure the fit is just right.

You can also add a modern flair to your vintage dress. However, you must have a clear idea about the final look and have a professional seamstress that can make alterations as per your body type, helping you make your unique statement.

Pick the Right Accessories

Accessories can make or break your vintage look. When choosing accessories, consider the era of the dress and aim to complement it:

• Vintage-style veils or headpieces
• Classic jewelry pieces, such as pearls or antique brooches
• Timeless shoes that match the dress without overpowering it

Opt for understated accessories to let the beauty of the gown shine, or go bold with pieces that highlight its uniqueness.

Handle with Care

Your vintage dress will require careful handling from the moment it’s cleaned and altered to when you wear it on your big day. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Have someone help you put on the dress to avoid pulling or tugging at fragile seams.
• Use a padded hanger to maintain the shape of the shoulders and bodice.
• When transporting the dress, store it in a garment bag that allows air circulation.

Worried About a Family Heirloom Wedding Dress? Should You Wear It or Not? Don’t Worry!

It is common for brides to feel nervous when it comes to wearing a wedding dress that has been passed down through the generations. The most common concern for most brides is that it will get stains and they will ruin this special family memory.

However, as a wedding dress cleaning and preservation expert, let me tell you that you need to worry about this. Instead, you must feel confident while wearing the dress on your special day. You can rely on Trusted Wedding Gown Preservation for your wedding dress cleaning and preservation. 

Our highly trained team can remove both visible and invisible stains from all wedding dresses that occur on the big day. So, you can leave your wedding gown after your wedding to our experts and just focus on enjoying delicious food, fun dances, and a photoshoot on your special day.

What to Do With Your Wedding Dress After the Ceremony?

While there are several options to do with your wedding dress after the ceremony is over, you should restore and preserve your vintage wedding gown for your future generations and continue this tradition.

At Trusted Wedding Gown Preservation, we have a restoration wedding dress preservation kit that you can order before your wedding. We will send the kit to your doorstep, which also includes an instruction guide on how to pack your dress.

Once you pack your dress, you have to send it back to us, and our experts will do their magic and restore and preserve it for years to come. The sooner you opt for wedding dress restoration, the easier it will be for us to remove stains and restore the fabric. Our kit will also include stain stickers that you can use on the area where you have accidentally spilled something during your wedding and got stains. 

Create a Stunning Look with Your Vintage Wedding Gown!

Wearing a vintage wedding dress is not just about fashion but about preserving memories and creating new ones. With careful planning, professional care, and thoughtful accessorizing, your vintage gown will look as magnificent as ever on your big day. 

Make sure to enjoy every moment, knowing that you’re not just celebrating your future but honoring the past. Embrace the charm of a bygone era and step into your future with confidence and grace, wearing a piece of history on one of the most memorable days of your life!