Reused bridesmaid dresses…tacky or not?

Knottie06367585 · August 2014

So this year, 3 of my bridesmaid and myself were part of the House Party for our friend's wedding. We all wore the same dress for the wedding but because we were not in the main wedding party, we weren't in too many pictures. I am now planning my wedding for next year and was thinking that we could reuse the same dresses so that my friends didn't have to spend another $200+ on a new dress. My dress can be worn by another bridesmaid and then we would just have to get one other girl the same dress. I would obviously check with the bride from the previous wedding as well as my maids to see how they feel about this. My question is, is this tacky or a great way to reuse a dress and save my friends some moola?

southernbelle0915 · August 2014

I don't think it's tacky. I think it's a good idea - otherwise, are you every going to wear it again? I guarantee not one (normal) person is going to hold pictures next to each other and call this out. I don't even remember the BM dresses from the wedding I went to two weeks ago. Let alone House Party dresses from last year.

Side note: House Parties are what's tacky. There's no better way to say "you're not good enough to be a BM, so here's a crappy job" than asking someone to be in a House Party. I'm sorry your friend had you do this for her wedding. Personally, I wouldn't even ask her if she's ok with it. The dresses belong to y'all now and you can do whatever you want with them.

Bubblegum5586 · August 2014

I think it's a great idea and shows what a thoughtful person you are for trying to make it so easy on your BMs!

kns1988 · August 2014

I agree with @southernbelle0915 on everything, and I definitely wouldn't check with the other bride. Re-use them and your friends will love you for it. Seriously, they'll love you.

MGP · August 2014

Knottie06367585 said:

So this year, 3 of my bridesmaid and myself were part of the House Party for our friend's wedding. We all wore the same dress for the wedding but because we were not in the main wedding party, we weren't in too many pictures. I am now planning my wedding for next year and was thinking that we could reuse the same dresses so that my friends didn't have to spend another $200+ on a new dress. My dress can be worn by another bridesmaid and then we would just have to get one other girl the same dress. I would obviously check with the bride from the previous wedding as well as my maids to see how they feel about this. My question is, is this tacky or a great way to reuse a dress and save my friends some moola?

I think it's a great idea and you will probably be the only people in the history of the world that has worn their dress again!

. That being said - if only one girl needs to buy a dress I would suggest picking up the cost of that. It's unfair to have one person pay but not the others. Bottom line you are saving everyone money.

House parties do suck. I am sorry your friend put you in that position, and good for you not doing that in your own wedding.

Jen4948 · August 2014

It doesn't sound tacky to me at all. If the dresses are in good shape and look good on the bridesmaids, I don't think it makes any difference, or shouldn't, that they were previously used.

gingerbride82 · August 2014

I would be THRILLED if a bride said we could recycle a dress from a previous wedding. I agree with PP about picking up the cost of the dress for the odd girl out. Also, I second that I wouldn't check with the previous bride. If she was tacky enough to have a "house party" she's probably going to judge and snark about you reusing the dresses. (FWIW, I don't know her and shouldn't pass judgement myself..she could be a great person, why else would one agree to accommodate a house party request..just my opnion)

mysticl · August 2014

When my mom married my dad she wore a used dress. As a result her gown was way fancier than it would have been if she bought it new. So I saw go for it. I also agree with a pp that you don't need to check with the other bride. The dresses are the property of the women who own them and she doesn't get a say in how they use them.

manateehugger · August 2014

Reused dresses = yay!!

House party = boo!!

But yeah, ignore the other bride and help the odd girl out.

holyguacamole79 · August 2014

AddieCake · August 2014

I wouldn't check with the other bride. Why would she get a say?

Alikat9614 · August 2014

My MOH had a short, chiffon, horizon blue DB dress from a previous wedding. She asked if she could wear it again in mine, and I said of course! Granted... She didn't actually like the dress and ended up buying a new one that looks amazing on her, but she came really close to reusing it. I think reusing an old dress is an amazing idea!

MairePoppy · August 2014

Recycled dresses aren't tacky.

It was tacky of your friend to have second string wedding party and require them to buy matching dresses.

Those dresses belong to you and the other members of the house party. You don't need the other bride's permission to wear them again.

Knottie06367585 · August 2014

Thanks for your thoughts. I was thinking of contributing to the bridesmaids dress and I actually know a girl who wore the same dress for a different wedding and will see if I can buy it off of her. To be fair though, I enjoyed being in the House Party and she had one for a very good reason. Glad to reuse the dress though!

NYCMercedes · August 2014

Knottie06367585 said:

Thanks for your thoughts. I was thinking of contributing to the bridesmaids dress and I actually know a girl who wore the same dress for a different wedding and will see if I can buy it off of her. To be fair though, I enjoyed being in the House Party and she had one for a very good reason. Glad to reuse the dress though!

Just curious. What was the very good reason?

AddieCake · August 2014

There's no very good reason for a "House Party." The reason is that she wanted to include all her friends but didn't want to or couldn't afford to make them all bridesmaids. What other reason is there for a House Party?

zitiqueen · August 2014

Was the very good reason because she just had to have even numbers in her wedding party? Or was it because she didn't want to pay actual vendors to do the work of setting up her wedding so she roped her not-quite-good-enough-friends into being unpaid bridal bitches and then forced them to buy matching dresses?

BMoreBride6 · August 2014

House Party issue aside, unless a bride purchased all the dresses, you own it outright and can do with it as you please.

PrettyGirlLost · August 2014

Awesome idea, go for it!!!!

Don't ask the other bride for permission to wear clothing that everyone already owns in a separate wedding. You will be borrowing trouble. Your friend had her wedding already, she gets no say I'm yours.

I'd also like to know what the "very good reason" was that this chic "had" to have a House Party.

climbingsingle · August 2014

I honestly think this is a great idea! And I also don't think you need to run this by the other bride.

Knottie06367585 · August 2014

Ran it by the bride and she is completely cool with it (my friends are pretty awesome). And she had a house party because she had no family coming to the wedding. We took the place in the front row of the church where her groom's family was sitting on the other side. She didn't "have" to have it…she asked us and we were more than happy to do that for her.

OliveOilsMom · August 2014

Why it was fine for the bride to ask you all to sit in the front row of the church, there was no need to force you all to buy matching dresses. That was VERY inconsiderate on that bride's part.

LondonLisa · August 2014

Knottie06367585 said:

Ran it by the bride and she is completely cool with it (my friends are pretty awesome). And she had a house party because she had no family coming to the wedding. We took the place in the front row of the church where her groom's family was sitting on the other side. She didn't "have" to have it…she asked us and we were more than happy to do that for her.

Why did you have to buy matching dresses to do this? Would she not let you sit there unless you matched? I am genuinely baffled by this.

Knottie06367585 · August 2014

Everyone on here seems so bitter. Weddings are a happy time and I would do anything to make sure my friend's day is how she wants it. I don't feel like buying a dress and being asked to take part in her wedding was a burden. I'm sorry if your experiences with being a bridesmaid or house party member haven't been as good. She is my friend and she asked me to do something for her wedding so I happily agreed. She didn't force us to buy matching dresses, she wasn't a bridezilla, she's actually probably the most relaxed and easy-going bride ever. She asked if I wanted to be a part of her day and help her out and I accepted. And I know she would do the exact same thing for me.

I think I'm done with this blog. I appreciate your opinions on the dress but not the digs at a great girl who just wanted all of her friends to be a part of her wedding.

manateehugger · August 2014

Knottie06367585 said:

Everyone on here seems so bitter. Weddings are a happy time and I would do anything to make sure my friend's day is how she wants it. I don't feel like buying a dress and being asked to take part in her wedding was a burden. I'm sorry if your experiences with being a bridesmaid or house party member haven't been as good. She is my friend and she asked me to do something for her wedding so I happily agreed. She didn't force us to buy matching dresses, she wasn't a bridezilla, she's actually probably the most relaxed and easy-going bride ever. She asked if I wanted to be a part of her day and help her out and I accepted. And I know she would do the exact same thing for me.

I think I'm done with this blog. I appreciate your opinions on the dress but not the digs at a great girl who just wanted all of her friends to be a part of her wedding.

How can we be taking digs at anyone? The only thing we knew about this girl is that she asked people to be free uniformed labor for her wedding. That's not a dig - that's a fact that you told us.

She may very well be a great person. I have good friends who are wonderful people but still did stupid stuff while planning their weddings.

climbingsingle · August 2014

natswild · August 2014

just curious, what's a house party?

manateehugger · August 2014

natswild said:

just curious, what's a house party?

A group of people who are not bridesmaids, but are given attire requirements and random tasks that aren't necessary nor an honor, like passing out programs or telling people to sign the guestbook.

zitiqueen · August 2014

Or decorating the location where the reception will be while the "real" bridal party is out enjoying themselves the night before the wedding. Or cleaning up after the reception.

And it turns out I was right -- the bride didn't want to pay to have things done for her wedding, so she foisted it off on her second-tier friends and managed to convince them that it was an honor.

VulgarGirl · August 2014

PDKH said:

show previous quotes

natswild said:

just curious, what's a house party?

A group of people who are not bridesmaids, but are given attire requirements and random tasks that aren't necessary nor an honor, like passing out programs or telling people to sign the guestbook.

See I read house party and thought keg stands and red solo cups. Clearly I was not right.

I don't think I've heard of anyone I know doing a "house party" except for the keg stand red solo cup version.

manateehugger · August 2014

zitiqueen said:

Or decorating the location where the reception will be while the "real" bridal party is out enjoying themselves the night before the wedding. Or cleaning up after the reception.

And it turns out I was right -- the bride didn't want to pay to have things done for her wedding, so she foisted it off on her second-tier friends and managed to convince them that it was an honor.

Holy shit to the bolded. How do people do this to people they say are friends?!

Reused bridesmaid dresses…tacky or not?

Re: Reused bridesmaid dresses…tacky or not?

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