I bagged my wedding dress on Vinted for just £25 – I only realised my huge mistake on our big day
EVERY bride wants to feel beautiful on their wedding day, especially when they have all eyes on them as they walk down the aisle.
But from beauty treatments and tweakments to professional hair and makeup on the big day, costs can add up.
Yet one of the biggest priorities for many brides, and the most expensive one, is the dress.
Whether you prefer a timeless style, a bold statement or a gown fit for a princess, finding a wedding frock you love can make all the difference for your confidence.
To save costs, savvy bride Samantha Hyam decide to pick up her dress from Vinted – finding one for just £25.
The transformational mindset coach, 39, took on the enormous task of planning her August 2024 wedding to husband Michael, 38, by herself.
She said: “I didn’t want a big wedding as I’m quite introverted, but my husband Michael really wanted a big do.
“So we compromised and did a small registry office ceremony in May and a lavish country house wedding in August.
“I wanted to stick to a budget and source the cheapest ways to do things.”
She added: “I was more concerned with budgeting for things that my guests would enjoy at the wedding, like an ice cream van, than my actual dress.
“I figured I was only going to wear the dress one day out of my whole life, so I didn’t even want to spend hundreds let alone thousands.
“I didn’t go to any bridal stores to try on dresses, so I wasn’t even sure of the style I wanted.”
So Samantha was delighted when she spotted a bargain dress on Vinted.
She said: “I ended up buying it for £25. The seller was closing down a bridal store and needed everything gone, so I thought it was a steal.
It looked beautiful on the hanger. It was strapless with beautiful bead work.”
Once the dress arrived, Samantha tried it on to make sure it fit then packed it away in its garment bag so she wouldn’t stain it.
But just two days before her wedding day, she realised she had made a huge mistake – and still can’t bring herself to look at the photos from the day.
Speaking to Guides for Brides, she said: “A couple of days before the ceremony, I decided to try it on for the second time.
“I think I convinced myself that I would look fine in the dress and it [would look] better than I remembered, so when I put it on it was a shock.
“I sprained my ankles this year, which meant I was less active and gained a bit of weight. My arms have always been a problem area for me and I felt the strapless design accentuated my bingo wings, while the boning of the bustier pushed up my back fat.”
But with just 48 hours to go until the wedding, Samantha accepted there was no time to change her dress and squeezed herself into it for walking down the aisle.
She sighed: “The morning of the wedding, I had my daughters getting ready with me and I was running around steaming everyone’s dresses and putting finishing touches to the cake and bouquets.
“When I finally put on my dress, I saw it from different angles in the mirror and felt so insecure. My daughters told me I looked fine, but I felt really sad.
“I tried to avoid looking in the mirror because I knew if I did for too long, I’d start to cry.
“I’m an introvert, so I’m not great at being the centre of attention anyway. But wearing a dress I didn’t like certainly made things [walking down the aisle] worse.
“I had a veil, which I used to cover the tops of my arms and I remember walking down the aisle and constantly holding on to it to make sure it didn’t move.”
Despite her insecurities about the dress, loved up Samantha said her husband “made her feel beautiful” on the day, while other guests showered her with compliments.
But the bride still confessed: “I tried to receive the compliment but in my head I was constantly thinking about my arms.”
She added: “I tried to ask the photographers to avoid capturing me at certain angles, but that’s really hard to do. I also hate staged photos, as I feel they’re inauthentic, but candid shots aren’t always flattering.
“There’s one photo where my husband and I are walking back down the aisle, and all I can see is my back fat. I can’t really look at photos from the day. I hope one day I will be able to look back but right now, I’m too focused on how I look.”
She still has zero regrets about cutting costs on her dress, however,
But she advises future brides to pay close attention to styles that suit them and flatter their figure.
She said: “If I could go back to the wedding planning, I would prioritise finding a dress that suited my shape.
“I don’t believe you have to spend thousands but I should have picked something that covered my arms, as they are a big insecurity of mine.
“If I could go back, I would try and listen to what my husband was telling me and stop beating myself up. Since the wedding, I have tried to work on my confidence and accepting myself a bit more. But it is hard.”
How to find the right wedding dress for you
Worried about bridal dress regret? Picking the right style is a big decision.
Your wedding day is something you want to look back on with happy memories, so be careful to rush into a dress decision. Speaking to Guides for Brides on behalf of bridal retailer TDR Bridal, Molly shares her top tip to feel your best on your big day.
Trust your gut AND your stylist
Your wedding dress should make you feel incredible every time you put it on. Remember it’s only you who has to wear it and know how you truly feel. Trust your stylist’s advice, especially when they tell you to go with your instincts. Be open and honest and always share what you love and even what you don’t like, as this helps your stylist guide you to the perfect gown with the elements that suit you best.
Look at photos
Most of the time, sample dresses don’t fit perfectly, and your phone’s camera angles and quality won’t do the gown justice – especially in a busy appointment. If you want to take photos, ask your stylist to capture the best angles. Also, trust how you feel in the dress and if you have any doubts, come back into the boutique to try it back on.
Don’t follow trends
Trends come and go, but your wedding photos will last forever. Choose a dress that makes you feel special and like your ideal version of a bride. Looking at celebrity weddings and social media photos can be helpful, but usually clouds the vision of reality. When you look back in 10 years, you’ll want to see a gown that still feels like you and not just something that was just ‘on trend’ at that time.
Give yourself time
Start shopping early to give yourself plenty of time to explore, try on and adjust. Dresses often need alterations 6-8 weeks before your wedding, so avoid last-minute pressure by starting your search well in advance. If you don’t have a six to nine month lead time before your wedding, this also isn’t a problem and at TDR we have seven in-house seamstresses who can turn this around very quickly in whatever time frame you require.
Comfort is key
You’ll be wearing your dress all day, so comfort is non-negotiable. Make sure you feel good sitting, dancing, and walking in your gown. A dress that looks stunning but feels uncomfortable will only cause regret.