Dreamy, unique, sustainable and (mostly) affordable… why aren’t more brides wearing secondhand or vintage dresses? Often it’s simply a case of not knowing where to find them. So we’ve done the hard work for you. Here are our top tips for the best wedding dress vintage boutiques, both online and around the UK.
Manifesto Woman’s top picks
Glory Days
Vintage dresses for the modern bride – even the site itself is beautifully designed. You can make a pressure-free private appointment at their York studio to try on as many dresses as you’d like. And if your dream dress doesn’t fit? They’ll do the alterations for you. They have a strong sustainable ethos that runs though the brand – everything from limiting waste to paying their staff living wages. Be inspired by their themed photo shoots. Love.
Hope and Harlequin
Based in Brighton (and online), expect to find a range of vintage dresses from across the eras, all gorgeous and very reasonably priced (from £200). Browse their range here.
Cambridge Vintage Bridal
Based in Cambridge, as the name suggests, they stock a wide range of ethereally beautiful dresses. Visit their site to make an appointment or buy directly from their Etsy shop.
Heavenly Vintage Brides
Superb quality and a wide range of styles to suit all tastes. Find out more on their site or shop their range in their Etsy store. They currently have a 1930s satin number that is spectacularly beautiful.
Brides Do Good
A tightly edited collection of secondhand wedding dresses with a charity element thrown in – save the planet, look incredible on your wedding day and help support vulnerable young girls. Shop their site here or book an appointment at their Fulham (London) showroom.
Abigail’s Vintage Bridal
Abigail’s Vintage Bridal source, restore and alter vintage wedding dresses from a wide range of eras – from the turn of the (previous) century to the late 1970s. Make an appointment at their atelier in Oakham, Rutland to see their full range.
Heartfelt Vintage
Based in Bristol, Heartfelt Vintage offers a wide range of more traditional vintage wedding dresses as well as modern showstopper numbers, like this 1950s Frank Usher ballgown in the image above. Book an appointment for a fitting or get a group of girlfriends together for one of their afternoon tea parties, photo shoots and much else besides. Well worth a visit.
Vestiaire Collective
A huge range of fantastic secondhand wedding dresses (and a few vintage) at surprisingly affordable prices. Shop the full range here.
Also worth a mention…
- Lines of London: a very tight collection of glorious vintage wedding dresses
- Pennies Vintage: a small range of jaw-droppingly beautiful vintage dresses
- Oxfam: a huge range of very affordable secondhand options. Requires a bit of trawling but I spotted more than a couple of desirable options
- Laura Dols: if you fancy a trip on the Eurostar, head to this Netherlands based vintage wedding store. Looks very much worth the trip
Please do let us know if you find your dream dress in any of these stores. We love a happy ending.
Manifesto Woman 