How to Rent Your Bridesmaid Dresses: 14 Steps (with Pictures) (2024)

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Co-authored bywikiHow Staff

Last Updated: January 21, 2021

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   Determine your budget. Before renting a bridesmaids dress, think about your personal budget. If the wedding party is paying for dresses, they should be able to give you a rough budget of how much to spend. If you're paying for the dress yourself, think about your personal budget.^[1]

   • Think about how much income and expenses you have each month and how much disposable income you have. Try to see how big a chunk of your income you can spend on a dress.
   • Talk to the other bridesmaids. Think about their lifestyles and finances. You do not want anyone feeling uncomfortable if their dress is a lower price than others. Collaborate with all the bridesmaids to establish a reasonable budget for everyone.
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   Try Rent the Runway. Rent the Runway is an online rental site which has a large selection of dresses. If there is no rental place in your area, this can be a great option to get an affordable bridesmaids dress.^[2]

   • You can browse selections online, looking at pictures on the site's website. When you find a dress you like, you can book it for four or eight days.
   • In order to help with shipping, Rent the Runway sends you a prepaid envelop. You will use this to rent and return the dress. You also pay for dry cleaning ahead of time, so you don't need to worry about cleaning the dress before returning it.

   See Also

   A Guide To Renting Bridesmaid Dresses In Every StyleWhere to Rent Bridesmaid Dresses in 2021 | Nuptials PHBridesmaid Dress Hire | View Our Bridesmaid Collection Today!The Best Bridesmaid Dress Rental Websites
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   Use Vow To Be Chic. Vow to be Chic is one of the more affordable rental sites. You can find dresses for as low as $50, although other costs like shipping may be included. The site includes a lot of designer labels.^[3]

   • You send your measurements to this website and there are actually two different sizes to try on.
   • You can send back the size that does not work. After using the dress you like for the ceremony, you mail it back in the prepaid packaging.
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   Look into Weddington Way. On Weddington Way, someone registers for an account. From there, you and your fellow bridesmaids can all log on. There are a lot of social features. You can, for example, add dresses to your list of favorites and share them with other bridesmaids.^[4]

   • You and other women in the wedding party can vote on your favorite dresses. Once you've selected a dress together, you can add it to a cart and all rent the dress in your size.
   • This site would work best if the bride wants you all to have matching dresses.
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   Try Little Borrowed Dress. If everyone is on a different budge, collaborate with other bridesmaids to rent on Little Borrowed Dress. The site allows you to search by budget, finding similar dresses that are affordable for everyone. If the bride isn't attached to the idea of everyone having the exact same dress, Little Borrowed Dress can be a great site to use.^[5]

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   Look for a rental place in town. It may be a good idea to find a local dress rental place. This way, you can try on a dress ahead of time to make sure it's flattering on you. However, not all areas have rental places, and you may not be able to find a place in your budget. In the event you don't find a suitable rental place in town, you can always go online and rent something.

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   Send in your measurements. You will need to take your measurements to make sure the dress fits. You may want someone to help you with this, as taking your measurements alone can be difficult. Use a cloth measuring tape to take your measurements and take them on your bare skin.^[6]

   • When measuring your chest, measure the fullest part of your bust. Place one end of the tape on the front of your chest and wrap the tape around your body to get a measurement.
   • Your waistline is located just above your belly button. To measure your waist, circle the tape around the circumference of your waist.
   • To measure your hips, put one end of the measuring tape on one hip. Measure around the largest part of your bottom, wrapping the tape around until it circles both hips.
   • If possible, try the dress on in person. Some rental sites have locations in various cities where you can go and try on a potential dress or get measured there.
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   Figure out how to make a reservation. Different sites and rental stores will have different requirements for making reservations. Follow instructions carefully when renting your dress. You will probably have to provide basic information, like your name, phone number, and address. You will also likely include your measurements.

   • It's a good idea to book your dress well in advance. You want to make sure you have a dress in time for the wedding.
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   Review the store policies. You will usually sign some kind of agreement when renting a bridesmaids dress. Review any agreement you sign closely to make sure you know the policy. For example, know what your financial responsibility is in the event the dress gets damaged while you're using it.

   • Also, make sure you know how long you have the dress for so you can send it back in time. You don't want to get a late fee for keeping the dress too long.
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   Send the dress back after the wedding. After wearing the dress to the wedding, you can send it back. Usually, you will have received a prepaid bag to mail your dress back in. If you need to get the dress dry cleaned before sending it back, make sure to do so. Many rental sites, however, do their own dry cleaning once you return the dress.

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   See Also

   The Bridesmaid Rental Edit | HURR

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   Ask about the dress's shade. Most brides have specific wedding colors they're using. Make sure you know what color dress the bride and groom prefer. You want to make sure your dress matches the bride and groom's dream on their special day.^[7]

   • In addition to making sure you know the color, make sure you know the precise shade. A color like pink, for example, comes in many different shades.
   • Collaborate with the other bridesmaids if possible to make sure your dresses all look good together.
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   Look outside the bridesmaid section on websites. If you're struggling to find a bridesmaid dress you like, look outside the bridesmaid section. You can look outside the box a little by examining other formal dresses. Just because a dress is not specifically marked as a bridesmaids dress does not mean it won't work for the wedding.

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   Follow the style of the bride's wedding. Talk to the bride before settling on a dress. The bride may want a particular style for her wedding. There may be religious or other cultural customs to follow. For example, the bride may want modest dresses, so you will have to make sure not to pick anything too revealing.

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   Choose the right undergarments for your dress. The type of bra you wear under a dress can make a big difference. Some bras may look lumpy or awkward with certain cuts. If you go for a strapless dress, you will need a strapless bra. Make sure to experiment with different undergarments when your bridesmaids dress arrives.^[8]

   • You may have to spring for a new bra if none of your bras go well with the dress, so keep that in mind when budgeting.

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