Renting vs. Buying: Your Guide to All Wedding Fashions

With stores like Rent the Runway and Adorn, its no wonder more and more women are renting for their wedding. The option can be great, but it can also be a bit stressful. I’ve put together a list of the different rentable items for your wedding. Take a look and see if the pros outweigh the cons.

Dresses
One item I would strongly recommend not renting is your wedding dress. Unless you are looking for something nontraditional, you need to suck it up and make that purchase. The reason dresses made this list is because there are many other people who will need dresses on your wedding day – your bridesmaids and the mothers. Instead of forcing your girls to buy a dress they will never wear again, they can rent. Consider using Rent the Runway or Vow to Be Chic for fabulous designer dresses that normally would cost a fortune to own, but are much more affordable to rent.
(Award Winner Gown by Badgley Mischka on Rent the Runway, $70)
Pros

-Bridesmaids will not be stuck with a dress they cannot wear again.
-A lot of availability options in all colors.
-Rent the Runway allows renters to order an extra size as a back-up.
-Zero alteration costs.

Cons

-May be hard to find the same dress for all your bridesmaids (especially if you have more than 6 girls)
-Rent the Runway requires you to purchase insurance on the items.
-You must spend time reading reviews to insure you order the right sizes.

Jewelry
Don’t have a family heirloom that can be passed down to you on your wedding day? Perhaps you don’t have the budget to buy that dreamy diamond or pearl necklace you’d love to showcase with your strapless gown. Let renting be an option. Similar to the dress, you can pick up designer jewelry from Rent the Runway for yourself and your bridesmaids. Another company to check out is Adorn.
(Lockwood Diamond Chandelier Earrings from Adorn, $210)
Pros
-Real stones and gems.
-Jewelry pieces are all inspected and cleaned before they are shipped to you.
– Easy returns after use.
Cons

-Adorn can still seem costly.
-There are late fees if you forget to send jewelry and accessories back.

Accessories
We’ve seen it on every episode of Say Yes to the Dress, the bride has the dress then you see the consultant ‘jack her up’ with the veil, a fancy belt and a hairpiece all so she says yes. What they forget to show you is how much each of those adds on are. A veil alone can cost $200. Rent the Runway offers an accessories department were you can get veils as low as $30 and belts with bling for $50.
(Dreamcatcher Veil by RTR Bridal, $40)
Pros

-Saves you money.
-You can go designer on a budget.
-Pieces are inspected before shipment.

Cons

-Rent the Runway does not have a ton of options.
-If renting a veil, you will need to steam clean to remove creases.