Would you say yes to a second-hand wedding dress?

Would you say yes to a second-hand wedding dress? 8 hours ago

Sian Elin Dafyddand Michela Riva ,BBC Wales Chloe Hayden is getting married in 2028 and is on the hunt for the perfect dress.

The 23-year-old has a mood board of different styles she likes, but she knows one thing for sure - it won't be second-hand.

She's not alone in her hesitation.

Research from the University of South Wales, Derby University and Manchester University showed modern brides are reluctant to buy pre-loved gowns because they're worried about stains, smells - and even "curses".

"There can be positive connotations, if it's been gifted by friends or family for example, but if they don't know the history of the dress they become a little bit more suspicious," said one of the researchers, Dr Lauren Thomas.

Hayden, from Cardiff, said she did briefly consider wearing her mum's old wedding dress but decided against it because it was no longer in fashion.

She's instead set her sights on a new, modern dress. "I've got many, many different shops that I've looked at and I'm also sort of keeping an up-to-date board, like a little file with all the new dresses that are coming out each season. "

When university researchers interviewed brides, they asked them to bring images of things that would explain their attitudes towards second-hand wedding dresses.

"Some of the brides used very dark imagery, including images of the Grim Reaper. We weren't really expecting to see dramatic images like this," Thomas says. "Conversely, when brides were familiar with the story of the dress, like with a hand-me-down, they were far more positive about it and treated it more like treasure than a cursed item. "

Thomas, an expert in fashion and consumer behaviour, said most brides in the study cared about the environment and liked the idea of greener choices, but sustainability rarely shaped their final decision.

"The UK, and Wales in particular, has a long, rich, and sometimes complex history with religious belief, superstition, and tradition, all of which can be experienced during a wedding," Thomas added. She said communities had long memories and couples often engaged with local and national customs during their big day, from serving certain foods to throwing the bouquet. Bronwen Barclay had no concerns about "curses" when she got married in a second-hand dress. In fact, she said she "loved" the fact someone had worn it before her.

The 35-year-old from the Vale of Glamorgan said the previous bride paid £3,300 for the dress, and she was selling it for a third of the price at her boutique Bridal Reloved Cardiff, which she opened after being inspired by her own wedding dress search.

"I just thought that it was really exciting.

The dress is obviously not cursed, I'm happily married, as is the bride I bought it from," she joked. According to a wedding industry report by Hitched UK, the average UK wedding in 2026 now costs nearly £22,000.

Meg Rolley, who is getting married next year in Brecon, said cost was one of the driving factors in choosing a pre-loved dress.

"There is an infinite amount of money you can spend on a wedding… for me the day is about the people and the environment, not about what I wear," said the 26-year-old.

"That's why I don't care about the dress, and so the cheaper the better. "

Thomas said UK brides were typically less interested in renting wedding dresses than brides in other countries around the world.

"The rental market for wedding dresses reflects this, being smaller and with fewer choices, than the market for men's items like suits. "But in many European countries, bridal rentals are much more common, and further afield, in countries like South Korea, the bridal rental market can be as large as 75% of the market," she added.

Thomas said a new wedding dress also signalled the start of a new journey into married life for many brides - and perhaps that's why the dress is so important