Most brides spend weeks, and some even months, searching for that elusive but extremely figure-flattering wedding dress. It’s only natural that you want to look your absolute best for your big day. All eyes will be on you as you make your way down the aisle to your handsome groom.

Instead of spending hours fighting with other equally frustrated brides over wedding dresses in designer stores and bridal boutiques, why not take the easy route by going for something a little more unique—a vintage wedding dress perhaps?

Think about it: no more tug-of-wars with other brides when you find a particularly nice gown. No more hours of waiting just so you can fit a wedding dress. With the vintage wedding dress, you have less competition and less hassle.

What Is It?

As tradition would have it, wedding dresses used to be handed down from generation to generation. In a way, you can consider the wedding garb passed from bride to bride as “vintage”.

Antique lace wedding dress

Still look good

Today, most brides buy their own wedding dresses instead of opting for their mother’s or grandmother’s dress. There’s more to “vintage” than simply being “old”. When buying a vintage wedding dress, learn the lingo.

In the world of wedding dresses, there’s a small difference between an antique dress and a vintage dress. When you say antique wedding dress, you’re referring to a dress that was made in the 1920s or earlier. While the vintage wedding dress, on the other hand, refers to a dress that was created at least 25 years ago.

Why We Love It

Now that we’re done with terminology and proper usage of “vintage” and “antique”, we can now tackle the reasons why we love these old wedding dresses. These days, it’s not uncommon for you to find Hollywood A-listers wearing vintage gowns during red carpet events. It seems as if the “old” has just made a timely and amazingly successful comeback fit to eclipse the “new”.

What’s fabulous about getting a vintage wedding dress is that you can choose between numerous dress styles. Vintage wedding dresses span decades of ebbing and flowing fashion trends. You can choose between a Victorian dress and a lovely vintage sheath dress, knowing that whichever style you choose, you’re going vintage.

You simply have to find the era that flatters your figure best and appeals to you the most, and you’ve got the right vintage wedding dress style for you.

It’s the perfect wedding dress choice if you’re going for a historical themed wedding, or if you’re looking to add some drama to your wedding ceremony. If you have the budget, you can even choose a historical palace or location as your wedding venue, easily transporting you and your guests to some forgotten era.

Aside from their aesthetic and historical appeal, vintage wedding dresses also show off the extraordinary and fabulous craftsmanship and detailing used by dressmakers from decades ago. Most of the vintage dresses you’ll find these days are also free from carbon copies and replicas, so you can be sure that no other modern bride has the exact same dress that you have.

If you’re a big fan of stunning embroidery, luxurious fabrics and wonderful hand-sewn beading, then the vintage wedding dress is for you.

Where to Look

Finding a great vintage dress means going out there to search for these glorious pieces. Make sure to take trips to various vintage stores, and antique shops, aside from asking around. An easy way of finding a great selection of vintage wedding dresses is to find these dresses online. There are some online specialty stores that feature a collection of different vintage wedding dresses. When buying these dresses online, just make sure you purchase the dress from a reputable source.

What to Look For

As in the case of normal dress shopping, you have to make sure you find a dress that flatters your body shape. Find a dress that accentuates your curves without going overboard, and that masks your problem areas effectively. Choose a vintage wedding dress with a neckline that flatters your frame and conceals areas that you’d rather keep hidden.

Remember that each decade offers you a different look and dress style. Find the decade with a fashion trend that flatters your figure and matches your personality best.

Another thing you have to take into consideration when picking your vintage wedding dress is the state of the garment. Avoid vintage wedding dresses with missing buttons, stains or huge tears. You constantly have to remind yourself that it’s inevitable for vintage dresses to have some imperfections, but these imperfections shouldn’t have to cost you a fortune when it comes to alterations and reparations.

Stains are incredibly hard to remove, and if we’re talking fragile fabric, then strong cleaners might just stain your dress further. If you’re going for a dress with a stain, make sure the stain is small and barely perceptible.

Check the fabric of the dress. If the vintage dress appears it’s about to un-stitch and unravel by itself, then don’t buy the dress. You wouldn’t want to have your gown falling off in chunks or in layers as you make your way down the aisle, right?

Lastly, keep in mind that wedding dress sizing is different now compared to how it was decades ago. Don’t settle for a size six dress without checking if the size six dress fits your contemporary size six frame.

Finding the Right Accessories

Accessories are the final ingredients when creating the perfect wedding outfit. When it comes to choosing the right accessories for your vintage dress, just make sure they match the color and the style of your wedding dress. If the vintage wedding dress has turned into a creamy color, then find jewelry, shoes and a purse that’ll match your gown’s charming color.

Base your choice of accessories on your wedding theme and your dress design. If you’re going for a historical theme, then find the appropriate jewelry and footwear that matches your vintage dress.

If you’re wearing a fragile and lacy number, steer clear of over-elaborate or chunky jewelry that could easily snag your dress’ fabric.

Let your unique and stylish self shine through with your very own vintage wedding dress!

You will look absolutely fabulous on these vintage dresses, click to play the video