Thinking of wearing a vintage wedding dress for the big day?

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Vintage wedding dresses are timeless, beautiful, totally unique and are a trend that's on the rise again. When Princess Beatrice wore the Queen’s Norman Hartnell dress and upcycled it for her intimate July wedding, she reignited an interest in vintage and sustainable wedding dresses. Once quite difficult to source, there are now lots of lovely boutiques and online stores popping up everywhere catering for every style, from the 1920s up to the 1990s and to suit every budget. Buying an original vintage wedding dress is not going to work for everyone for various reasons (things like not finding the right size or style etc.) but if your heart is set on wearing vintage we have researched the best places for you to pick up your dream vintage dress. Our finds include the old and the new from the spectrum of vintage styles - from glam 20s Gatsby style dresses to retro 50s 'New Look'...

Photo by Remain in Light Photography via One Fab Day

Truly Original Vintage Wedding Dresses

Owned by sisters Kathy and Caroline, Dirty Fabulous stocks divine gowns, perfect for brides, bridesmaids and of course extra stylish guests. Based in Monaghan, the girls also have a stellar range of vintage accessories.
Hidden just off Grafton Street, Jenny Vander on Drury Street is a treasure trove of vintage finds. Each dress is handpicked and restored to its former glory to be enjoyed by a new generation all over again.
Bella Bleu in Cork City stock vintage wedding dresses from the 1920’s to the 1970’s as well as some great vintage inspired labels.
Based in Cork Miss Daisy Blue offers a small but beautifully curated collection of vintage wedding dresses. Miss Daisy Blue also stocks vintage-inspired numbers, giving a fabulous range of choice.
Since Etsy has literally everything a bride or groom could ever need for the big day, there's of course an entire section dedicated exclusively to vintage wedding dresses for sale.

Photo by Kathryn Taylor Photography via One Fab Day

Circa Vintage in London, boasts an impressive designer vintage collection, with lots of gorgeous bridal options.
Vintage Lane Bridal in Manchester specialises in vintage wedding frocks, and has a big selection of 1970s dresses, for those of you whose style is positively boho. All their vintage wedding dresses are available worldwide online through their Etsy store.
A collector of vintage wedding dresses, London Based Jane Bourvis is your lady if you're looking for authentic vintage wedding dresses. She stocks handpicked and lovingly restored vintage dresses dating from between 1860 to 1970 sourced from all around the world.

Where to Find Vintage Wedding Dresses | One Fab Day — Photo by Emma Russell Photography via One Fab Day

Abigails Vintage Bridal is a beautiful UK based bridal boutique founded by designer Abigail , offering one of the UK’s largest collections of original vintage wedding dresses as well as creating dreamy reproduction dresses from original fabric and patterns.
Helena of London-based Heavenly Vintage Brides specialises in fantastic original vintage wedding dresses from Edwardian times to the 1970s which you can shop through her Etsy store.
Hope & Harlequin Bride in Brighton specialises in vintage finds carefully sourced from all around the world.
Those Were The Days Bridal in Edinburgh specialises in a vintage wedding dress collection that has been hand-selected and expertly curated from around the world and spans the Edwardian era to the 1990s.

Looking for vintage wedding dresses? We have all the details on where to find your dream dress | onefabday.com — Photo by White Cat Studio via One Fab Day

Miranda Park, owner and founder of Miranda's Vintage Bridal, has over 17 years experience in the bridal industry working as a lead seamstress before deciding to venture out on her own and open her own vintage bridal boutique filled with rare and romantic bridal finds which you can shop through her online store.
Vintage Bride is a salon & atelier in Canada specialising in sustainably sourced, authentic vintage and antique wedding gowns dating from 1867 through to the early 1990s.
With boutiques in LA & NYC, Happy Isles features a vast collection of vintage designer gowns—with picks dating from the 1950s to the 1990s. You can shop through their Instagram and shipping is worldwide.

Photo by Moat Hill Photography via One Fab Day

Vintage-Inspired Wedding Dresses

It can be difficult to find an original dress to suit you, in your size, in your preferred style. Vintage by its nature is very one-off and so finding the perfect dress involves a lot of searching and a lot of luck. But if you can't find the perfect vintage dress, do not despair, the craze for vintage is reflected in the designs of lots of new wedding dresses.

Eliza Jane Howell designs gowns for the modern day bride who would love to wear a dress that oozes the glamour, sophistication and decadence of the golden age of fashion.
Dig For Victory in Brighton is the passion project of designer/maker Eleanor Calla ghan who creates dresses by original 1940s and 1950s styles
Taking inspiration from exquisite vintage gowns, the Vicky Rowe bridal collection is the epitome of grown up glamour.
House of Mooshki is a North East of England based wedding dress design company specialising in the custom design of vintage inspired 1950’s short tea length wedding dresses and more.

Photo by Siobhan Hegarty via One Fab Day

Deco Haus in Hollywood, California is the leading design house for vintage-inspired 1920s dresses.
Claire Pettibone's dreamy designs have iconic vintage silhouettes inspired by the glamorous 1920s right up to the boho 1970s with plenty of silk and lace designs.
Blending a vintage aesthetic with modern silhouettes and boho styling, Katya Katya wedding dresses are a match made in heaven for modern vintage-loving brides.
Oh My Honey is a Brighton based label started 15 years ago by designer Louise O'Mahony and specialises in 1950's inspired dresses that have been skillfully handmade in the UK.

Candy Anthony offers a fun range of made-to-order dresses inspired by the 50s and 60s.
Kate Halfpenny of Halfpenny London weaves Brit cool with vintage inspiration to create truly stunning modern bridal wear.
British designers Alice and Hannah of Belle & Bunty reference the past in many of their beautiful designs.
Sassi Holford's gorgeous gowns take inspiration from bygone eras.
For brides looking for a gown with a distinct punk rock era feel, a Vivienne Westwood might just be the one.

Exclusive and made in limited-run designs, the Rixo Bridal collection features vintage-inspired gowns and dresses as well as some bridesmaids options.
Known for creating some of the most pinned wedding dresses in the world, Grace Loves Lace is a must see for lovers of vintage boho style.
Vivien Of Holloway offers a budget-friendly line of 1950s inspired dresses and a variety of bridesmaids options.
If you want something really different, then Joanne Fleming Design in the UK is the one to go to for a beautiful bespoke dress with a distinct vintage feel.

Finding Your Dream Vintage Wedding Dress

If you're just embarking on your search for a wedding dress and you're considering vintage, here are a few tips...

Seek and ye shall find: if your heart is set on wearing vintage, then be prepared to spend the time and effort looking everywhere for it - check all the boutiques we mention (and others - please let us know), sign up for emails and give your details and wish list to the owners/buyers so they can keep an eye out for you on their next buying trip. Don't be afraid to try online, especially Etsy where you can pick up great vintage gems.

Know your measurements: Online vintage sellers tend to sell by garment measurements rather than size so it's a good idea to know your bust, waist, hip and arm measurements.
Altering: wedding dresses are usually handmade, so they were created especially for the original wearer. This means that it's highly unlikely to fit you perfectly. Don't be put off if your dress needs to be altered (this also applies to those that do have a size label - apparently we're a bit bigger than our mothers and grandmothers).

Photo by Danielle O'Hora via One Fab Day

Inspect carefully: like anything second-hand, it's a case of buyer beware. Vintage wedding dresses can be up to 100 years old and are likely to have some damage somewhere (flaws, pinholes or stains). Good boutiques or online stores will be completely upfront about any problems, but you have to inspect carefully and make sure you're happy you can live with any imperfections. Make sure you check thoroughly as many vintage stockists do not do returns.
Don't Delay: if you find a dress you love, don't dilly dally, vintage wedding dresses are one of a kind, if you don't buy it, someone else will and you may never find another like it.