Don’t Buy Another Bridesmaid Dress—Rent One Instead

Row of bridesmaids with bouquets at wedding ceremony via Shutterstock

Every year, there are 11 million bridesmaids, and each spends an average of $234 on her dress. Of those dresses, 80 percent are never worn again after the wedding.

Riddle us this: If you knew you would wear a dress only once, would you rather rent or buy? Our thoughts exactly.

Enter Vow To Be Chic, a new company that offers online designer bridesmaid dress rentals. Their e-commerce platform brings the age-old tradition into the 21st century by allowing women to conduct this typically frustrating shopping experience from the comfort of their home. On this site, bridesmaid dresses by such designers as Nicole Miller, Monique Lhuillier, and Jenny Yoo—which retail for an average of $300—can be rented for $95–$125.

Brides and bridesmaids even get a complimentary style consultation from a dedicated personal stylist to help them look their best on this important day. And every rental includes a complimentary home try-on before the wedding to ensure a great fit. After you sign up for the service, they’ll send you dresses in two sizes based on your supplied measurements; then you’ll return the try-on dresses using the prepaid packaging. One week before the wedding, the dress you selected arrives beautifully pressed and ready to wear. After the big day, return the dress with their prepaid packaging—they’ll even take care of dry cleaning.

Vow to be Chic has also recently introduced their “Little White Dress” section for the bride’s major events, too, such as engagement parties, rehearsal dinners, and bridal showers. Their selection of LWDs includes dresses that retail for up to $795, but can be rented for just 12–25 percent of the purchase price.

We vow to never buy a bridesmaids’ dress again.

Getting married? Start and end your wedding planning journey with Boston Weddings' guide to the best wedding vendors in the city.