One of the main reasons I started Once Worn With Love was bought home forcefully to me the other day. 

A downside to the many online sites selling second hand or nearly new wedding dresses is a bride’s inability to actually see the dress and try it on.  And we all know that there are some unscrupulous types out there, and wouldn’t want to come across one during one of the most important purchases of our lives (no, not a pair of Jimmy Choo’s, although that might come a close second, but a bridal gown of course!!)

Since I set up Once Worn With Love, I’ve bought some second hand wedding dresses from online sites, and until recently it had all gone well.  I was really pleased with the used wedding dresses I’d bought, and in some cases had underestimated just how beautiful they were until they arrived (the white lace Maggie Sottero wedding dress being a prime example). 

The stunning white lace Maggie Sottero gown - proof unseen can be fab, if you're prepared to take the risk!

But eventually it happened.  I’d had a lot of requests for red pre worn wedding dresses, so decided to see what I could find.  I came across one on Ebay, listed as a second hand Pronuptia two-piece bridal gown with a red bodice.  The pictures were taken from a distance but looked OK, and there was a fairly detailed description.  So I paid (via Paypal of course) and waited for it to arrive.

I get very excited about every dress I buy, so imagine how disappointed I was to find that what I had actually bought was indeed a Pronuptia skirt, but not a Pronuptia top.  Instead it was a badly made, cheap cotton basque with metal hook and eyes showing up the front.  I contacted the seller straight away to see what she would do, with no joy.  Her response was that someone else had done the same to her (and, as she hadn’t negotiated as well as me, she’d paid more for it) so she was prepared to do the same to someone else – very nice, thanks!

Luckily, as I’d used Paypal, I could raise a complaint, which they investigated, found in my favour and refunded the money.  But it all took time, was very stressful and has made me much more wary of online purchases. 

At least the worst that can happen to me if I buy a dress unseen is that I might lose some money, or get stuck with a dress I can’t or won’t sell.  But I’d hate a bride-to-be to have to go through all that, when buying a wedding dress should be one of the  best things she ever does.  Of course, my experience is still very rare, and many girls do buy second hand wedding dresses this way without any problems. 

But the rip-off merchants are out there, and this experience reminded me of one of the main reasons for what I do – to offer a service that means girls get a beautiful bargain wedding dress without any worry.

Amazing how a chorus of 'baa baa black sheep' kept her still!!

Shameless bit of mommy nepotism here, but I finally got round to uploading pictures of all the flower girl dresses that I currently have in stock, finishing off with the teeny-weeny ones modelled by my own little one, and even if I do say so myself, she looks sooooooooo cute!!!!  I am seriously considering offering her out as a rent-a-flower girl she looks so good! 

Can I get my fee in chocolate buttons?

I knew that the flower girl dresses were pretty, but didn’t realise just how pretty until I saw the result of the photos.  I might even have to keep the dresses just to show her off in!!

But seriously, the dresses are of course for sale.  So if you have a little one who is just as cute (and I’m sure you think you do, that’s moms/sisters/aunties/cousins/grandmas for you) then why not get one of these beautiful little dresses for them?  They’ll be the icing on the bridesmaid cake!

Well, last weekend was proof (if proof was needed) of just how stunning a bride can look in a once worn or ex-sample dress.  On Saturday I went to my friend Fiona’s wedding (or ‘Noni’ as the priest called her throughout the service, and she will now be forever known!!).  What a lovely day we had!  The weather was perfect, the church was beautiful and Fi looked stunning in an ex-sample Suzanne Neville wedding dress. 

Fi and her dad enter the church - first view of the stunning dress

Not one of mine, I must point out, as Fi bought her dress well before Worn Once With Love was up and running, but then that’s not the point.  The point is that she looked absolutely gorgeous, and I defy anyone who wasn’t in the ‘circle of secrecy’ to have known that her wonderful designer bridal gown was actually a sample dress that she paid a fraction of full cost for.  Whoops, secrets out now – but those of you who know ‘Noni’, don’t worry, I have her permission to spill the beans!

I certainly would have bought Fi’s Suzanne Neville dress given the chance, and will buy it as a nearly new dress from her if she wants to sell it (although I understand a fatal coming together with a glass of red wine on the dance floor may have put an end to that idea!!) 

Post-service, Mrs 'Noni' Davies can relax a bit

But whether she wants to sell it on or not, the meaning of this little story is that a second hand wedding dress does not have to be a second best wedding dress – and I too have many dresses that prove it. 

Hurray for looking like a princess without needing the princess’s financial means, and hurray for the Fi’s of this world, without whom I would never have the chance to work in this fantastic business!

Phew, I can’t believe that a whole month has gone by since the first blog after the launch of worn once with love!  In that time I’ve been really busy buying more dresses, doing wedding fayres and getting this site kicked into shape (those of you that have visited before might notice that there are finally dresses in all of the sections!!)

My latest buys include a fabulous once worn Maggie Sottero wedding dress in size 16.  It has a beautiful bodice covered in embroidery and beads, and lovely chiffon skirt that hangs in a very flattering way, I can’t wait to see someone try it on.

New Maggie Sottero once worn dress, Size 16

I also took a risk on a dress from an unknown label that I couldn’t see very well in the picture, but just had a ‘feeling’ about it – and I’m so glad I did!!  When it came, it is a beautiful strapless ivory dress, very heavily boned corset with a full skirt that is cut away to show a layer of beautiful antique lace, and it has a matching antique lace shrug.  I’d try it on myself, but as it is a size 10, and I’ve eaten way too many eggs this Easter, I don’t stand a chance – but I’m sure it will look stunning when tried on.  Its not up on the site yet, I’m hoping to get it on in the next day or so, if only real life will back off and give me some time!!

The 'unknown' dress, a little beauty!

So this time my hunch paid off  – but I think I’d better limit the number of dresses I buy this way, because for every beauty I’m sure there will be a few beasts!

There also seems to be a real buzz around ‘budget’ weddings and girls buying once worn dresses – it’s even been on the TV the last few days, so if you are thinking about it, you are in good company, and it seems to be the sensible thing to do.  By the way, can you believe how many names there are for what I do??  Second hand wedding dresses, once worn bridal gowns, nearly new, used and pre-worn wedding dresses being the more obvious, and my husband’s personal favorite (not!) ‘pre-loved’!  If you have another good word (clean only please!!) then let me know, its becoming something of a hobby to find as many as I can!

So, I think my school report so far would be a B, everything is going fairly well, I’ve already sold a few once-worn wedding dresses and some ex-sample bridesmaid and prom dresses, but there’s a lot more work to do, so must try harder.  So, on that note, …………

Well, I’ve finally got round to starting my own once-worn and sample wedding and prom dress business (phew, that’s a mouthful, will have to find a quicker way to describe what I do!!).

I’ve been taking delivery of the first stock of wedding dresses I’ll be selling over the last few days, and I’m really excited ‘cos they are all gorgeous! There are two Maggie Sottero dresses which are especially beautiful – I almost wish I was getting married again myself! I’ve got a couple of stunning Donna Salado dresses too, which really remind me of my own dress.

The bridesmaid and prom dresses are great too – it’s a good job I’m not going to any posh do’s anytime soon, ‘cos I’d definitely have my eye on one or two of them – but my other half has told my firmly that the dresses are to sell, not to wear!! There are some very pretty traditional style dresses, and them some really stunning dresses that are bling-tastic!!

And as for the flower girl dresses – the word ‘aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh’ comes to mind (is that a word??) They are just the cutest dresses ever!

So, here we go – I hope you enjoy the dresses as much as I do, this is the best job ever!