My 1920s Wedding Dress

I have always loved anything antique or vintage, so when my boyfriend and I decided in 2006 to get married the following year, I knew I wanted vintage rings — something that wouldn’t look just like every other wedding set worn by women my age. I don’t do cookie cutter.

After we succeeded in finding a beautiful wedding ring set on eBay (for a steal of a price, I might add), it occurred to me to try the same approach in looking for my wedding dress. I wasn’t terribly fond of the kinds of dresses you typically find at bridal shops, although I did have a couple picked out that I could live with if I didn’t find anything better, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that they just weren’t me.

So I started searching on eBay, and miraculously fast, I found my perfect dress: an original wedding gown from 1929. It was champagne satin, sleeveless, with a short hem in front (falling a few inches below my knees) that dipped down to just barely trail on the ground behind me when I walked. The hem had a double row of champagne organdy scallops at the hem, and the matching satin belt had a dress clip in front that was in the shape of a grape leaf, adorned with rhinestones.

According to the measurements, I could tell the dress would fit, but just barely. It was perfect and I knew it, so I bid high and kept my fingers crossed — and got it for about $1,000, more than some wedding dresses but less than others. I considered myself incredibly lucky to have found a unique, one-of-a-kind wedding dress for only a few hundred more than the “back-up dresses” I’d found.

Not only had I found a wedding dress, though, I had also hit upon an entire theme for my wedding — and the subject of a blog that would prove to be surprisingly popular (and still is). Apparently I’m not the only one who likes the idea of a 1920s-themed wedding! I designed everything around my wedding dress: I found a vintage wax flower wreath and had a veil made for it, found 1920s T-strap shoes, dressed my bridesmaids in flapper-style dresses, and designed wedding invitations that would invoke the era. I even cut my hair short for the wedding! I also encouraged our guests to dress accordingly, and many of them did.

The finishing touch came unexpectedly the day before the wedding. It turned out the little town where we found our venue — a tiny old church-turned-winery — was having an antique show that very same weekend, and one of the sellers there had a 1920s cloche that matched my wedding dress perfectly!

Shopping for my wedding dress online encouraged me to plan a much more unique wedding than I would have had otherwise, and if you are planning a wedding with a unique theme, you will probably have to shop for your dress online. Whether your dress is new or old, here are a few general guidelines to follow to make sure you aren’t disappointed.

1. Check measurements. This is so important! If the seller doesn’t provide measurements or a size chart, ask. Measure yourself, and be honest! There’s nothing more disappointing than getting the perfect wedding dress and finding out it doesn’t fit.
2. Get as many pictures as you can. Especially if the dress is vintage, antique, or used, pictures really are worth a thousand words. If the seller hasn’t posted very many, ask for more! Also ask for detailed pictures of any flaws. You don’t want to be disappointed if something doesn’t look quite how you expected!
3. Find a good seamstress to do any alterations. Most women have their wedding dresses altered to improve the fit, so a good seamstress is worth her weight in gold. For my dress, I found one that knew how to work with vintage fabric, since it can be a bit tricky. To make sure there are no unpleasant surprises, get word-of-mouth recommendations from happy customers, or ask to see examples of current or prior work.