Our second wedding: or how to save a lot of money and still have the party of your life...Part 1

Thinking about weddings always start with the dress... and every girl(bridezilla) wants their dress to be perfect.... When we first got married I wanted to have my dream dress as well. However for our second celebration, the need for everything to be perfect evaporated. This led me to be more adventurous then I was with my original dress and eventually down the road to a second hand store called the Great Eastern Trading Company just off Central Square. This store has a stunning collection of vintage dresses particularly white party dresses which make a terrific stand in for a wedding dress.
I originally wanted a plain 1950's party number(think Pretty in Pink) with a blue velvet sash but it would not close no matter how much I sucked my stomach in so I settled on this whimsical number(No...the wolf is not my husband).
It's made out of layers of tulle and satin and was originally quite dirty from being left in someone's closet for half a decade and was more grey than the white I had hoped for. I originally thought dry-cleaning although I have surprised myself at the number of articles which are supposedly dry clean only and which I've managed to wash in cold water without creating an extra wrinkle. I decided to take my chances on this dress and not surprisingly it was unharmed and a lot whiter.
Second hand stores are making a real comeback in this economy and often carry beautiful alternatives to wedding dresses(not to mention designer clothes at bargin prices)...some of my favorites are:

Second Time Around
Several locations in MA and around the country
http://www.secondtimearound.net/


Poor Little Rich Girl
255 elm street
Somerville, MA
(617)684-4874
http://www.shoppoorlittlerichgirl.com/


Great Eastern Trading Company
49 River St
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 354-5279

Check them out before you empty your bank account on a wedding dress.... Even if you add substantial alterations to the cost of a second hand dress it will still be cheaper than buying a new one.


Total price for the dress: 85$
Cleaning: Soap and water: free