Wedding Dress

Looking for name change advice or some tips for newlywed life? The MissNowMrs experts have created state-specific name change articles and checklists for you. We’ve chronicled our recommendations for how to travel while changing your name AND how to handle voting during the transition.

We’ve also compiled our best guidance for how to handle difficult sister in laws, holidays as newlyweds, the ever-annoying baby questions, and much more. Why? Because, while we are name change experts, we’re also newlywed wives, moms, and sisters.

We hope our name change advice articles help smooth your transition to your new name, and a whole new phase of life. Congratulations and best wishes from the entire MissNowMrs team!

3 Gowns We Love at Nordstrom Wedding Suites

Have you ever visited a Nordstrom wedding suite? Each of their 18 suites has a different selection of bridal gowns, so you can peruse a unique assortment at every location. Below we’ve highlighted three of their amazing gowns along with the weddings and accessories that we envision pairing with them.

Artsy bride, married within the vines of a winery, or somewhere on a Mediterranean coast
Classic clad groom
Minimal makeup and jewelry needed, but one could add a fun shoe (probably a wedge in a bright color) and a colorful headpiece. A cool bangle in the laid back wedding colors would work as well.
They are definitely honeymooning on a road trip through the southwest

Married in the city, at a funky museum
All members of the bridal party (guys included) are wearing different color Wayfarers for photos
This bride doesn’t need a lot of flash or jewelry, this dress speaks for itself
Her groom is in suspenders and funny socks
Definitely honeymooning in Miami, on a yacht
Their dog was the best man
After the wedding, she’ll remove that tulle, and dye the lace for use at a cocktail party

Tied the knot at an upscale venue in San Francisco.
She’s going to add a bejeweled belt to match her headband
He’s sporting a luxe custom tux
They have a small wedding, but it’s exclusive: an amazing dinner cooked by someone famous and designer gift bags

She’s marrying someone who made a big splash in Silicon Valley, now they are retired
They are honeymooning for 30 days minimum
I would change the flowers to make it all greenery and succulents, which the groom is wearing too

Are one of these dresses perfect for you or an engaged friend? We’d love to hear your thoughts in a comment, and don’t forget to pop into a Nordstrom Wedding Suite for more unique finds!

Should you be interested in changing your name. Don’t miss our 20 step name change checklist. It’s super helpful.

Wedding Dresses: Pre and Post Wedding Advice

Pre and post wedding advice is important, especially when it comes to wedding dresses. Are you recently engaged and looking for your wedding dress? There are so many dresses to choose from, at so many different stores and at so many different prices! Feeling overwhelmed? Here’s a tip: check out PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com to find your dream dress at an amazing price. This site has over 20,000 new, sample sale and used designer wedding dresses for sale. Their site is gorgeous and allows you to search by designer, size, price point. location, and silhouette! You can also browse for bridesmaid dresses, flower girl dresses and accessories.

Newlywed and wondering what to do with your gown? You can preserve it for posterity (mine’s currently in a lovely museum quality box in my closet.) Or, you can pass your dress along to another bride. Over 60% of brides say they will consider re-selling their wedding dresses after saying “I do”. Interested in making a little cash back post-wedding? You can list your dress for a one-time fee of $25, and it will remain posted on PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com until it sells. There are no other fees or commissions to pay!

I’m curious…are any of you readers planning to sell your dress or considering purchasing a used gown? Did our pre and post wedding advice on dresses help you? Let me know in a comment.

Expert Advice: 7 Tips To Sell Your Wedding Dress

Looking for tips to sell your wedding dress? Now that wedding season is winding down and wedding bills are piling up, we chatted with our friends at Poshmark to get some tips on how to recover some money from your recent wedding.

If you do decide to sell your wedding dress, wedding accessories and wedding décor items online, you can:
• Recover about 50% of the cost of your items
• Clear up space to make room for shared closets
• Love the Earth! Recycling a wedding gown reduces carbon emissions from shipping
• Get karma points by helping another bride save on her wedding

Sounds great, but wondering how to get started?

Here are 7 tips to help you sell your wedding dress:

1. There’s no time like the present!

Post your dress for sale as soon after your wedding as possible. You’re not going to wear it again, so why leave it hanging in your closet? Used dresses continue to hold their resale value for roughly 2 – 3 years after they’re purchased and worn (depending on the style) but generally sell for the most money within the first year when they are most current.

2. Price it Right

Many recently married brides wonder what exactly to sell their dress for. Here’s our recommended pricing guideline:
• 50 – 70% of the original value for a NEW designer gown that’s still in stores
• 50% of original value for a USED designer gown from the last two years
• 30% to 40% of original value for a USED custom-made gown
• Reduce the price further if your dress has not been cleaned, is stained/damaged or is more than two years old

3. Use a Fabulous Photo

Buyers will want to see your dress looking its best, so be sure to use photos that show it off! After all, it could be someone else’s dream wedding dress!
When selling your dress online it’s best to include:
A full length picture of the front & back of your dress (preferably on a person or mannequin)
• A close-up picture of any detailing, beading or embellishments on your dress
• A close-up picture of any damage or stains on the dress (if applicable)
• A picture from the manufacturer
Posting less than stellar photos (i.e. on a hanger, a badly lit photo etc.) or no photo at all, will make it more difficult for the bride-to-be to visualize the dress and could hurt your chances of selling.

4. Be Specific

• Brides will be scanning many listings in their search for a wedding dress, so providing more information will likely sell your dress more quickly
• Be specific about color, brand and model number. Often, brides-to-be will try the dress on in a store before they search online for a budget-friendly version, so the more information you can provide, the better.

5. List any Alterations

It’s important to be up-front about the condition of your dress. Describe any alterations that were made and specify whether or not they’re reversible.
For example, the original dress might have been a size 10, but if it was altered to fit a size 6, buyers need to know. Let brides-to-be know of any damage to the dress such as stains, tears or runs. Be honest and you won’t waste your time or their time.

6. Get Your Dress Cleaned

It’s important to clean your dress right away. A clean dress shows that you have cared for and loved your dress, and helps it present better.

7. Be Prepared to Sell!

Once your dress is posted with great pictures and all the details, ensure both you and your home are ready to show the dress to potential buyers.

3 easy steps to prepare for the sale:
• Make time to meet interested brides-to-be. Try to be available on evenings and weekends if possible.
• Create a place for brides-to-be to try on the dress, preferably a private space with a full length mirror.
• Be ready to negotiate the price and know your limits so you can make decisions on-the-spot.

Have you ever considered selling your dress? What would you do with the money you made back from its sale? Did you pay down wedding debt or purchase something for your new home?