Budget fashion: Here’s why you should rent your wedding dress

Wedding dresses can cost anything from 60,000 Naira (a very conservative figure) to as much as a few million Naira. 60,000 Naira doesn’t sound like such a bad deal for a wedding dress, but the cheaper options usually don’t suit, so even average earning brides will tend to spend hundreds of thousands of Naira on a wedding dress.

This might not come close to the expense of some red carpet outfits, but it’s still pretty expensive for a dress you’ll only wear for a few hours, especially when you’ve got other wedding expenses to worry over.

Here’s why you should rent your wedding dress:

Save some money

Pulling off a Nigerian wedding in itself is pretty expensive. If your parents aren’t as wealthy as Dangote or Otedola, then you might be looking to save expenses as you plan your wedding. Renting a dress can let you eat your cake and have it – you get to wear the dress you want and save a whole lot of money as you do so.

You can wear designer dresses

You’d be able to wear designer dresses you otherwise couldn’t afford because they’d be more affordable when you’re renting them.

No worries afterward

If you buy a wedding dress, you have to worry about cleaning and storing it appropriately. Many brides have complained about how their wedding dresses got ruined and had to be thrown out because it was not properly stored after the wedding. You don’t have all of these worries when you rent your wedding dress. All you have to do is wear the dress and return it afterward. Cleaning fees are usually included in the rental fee, so there’s no need to worry about that either.

You can wear two dresses

Renting a wedding dress can make you decide to wear a reception dress, as it’s not too expensive anymore. You could rent another dress to wear at your reception, or simply buy a more affordable evening gown. The reception dress can be worn several times, so it’s not a waste of money. You would still spend a lot more buying a wedding dress than you would when you combine renting a wedding dress and buying a reception dress.

It’s the same thing

A lot of brides say they would prefer to buy a new wedding dress than rent one because they’re concerned about what people will say, but it’s really the same thing! Rent a lovely dress in your size, and all your guests will be talking about is how beautiful you looked at your wedding. They don’t get to know the details.

Renting a dress is more environmentally sustainable

Spending hundreds of thousands on a dress you’ll only wear once isn’t just uneconomical, it’s also not eco-friendly. Many brides buy wedding dresses in the hopes that they can hand them on to their daughters, but the quality of fabrics made these days means that the dress will most likely degrade by then. Renting the dress is a more sustainable option because it will be reused.

Accessories may be included

Bridal dress rentals will usually include accessories like a slip for the dress, crinoline, veil, etc. when you rent a dress from them. On the other hand, if you buy a new dress, you’ll have to buy all of these accessories individually.

While renting a wedding dress holds lots of benefits, you should make sure you start your search early enough so you can find something you love. However, if you decide on buying a wedding dress, you can decide to buy a pre-owned wedding dress and still cut down your costs.