Ask any bride and she’ll tell you why the phrase “dream wedding dress” exists.  It’s because for many women, there is a “THE dress”, the one that’s an absolutely perfect expression of their style and personality.  And one they look and feel their most beautiful in.

But sometimes, the perfect dress comes with a costly price tag. Enter “Pre-Sale”, the clever bride’s way to afford the dress of her dreams.

Pre-Sale is listing a wedding dress for sale before the original owner wears it.  Since the dress is on  the market before the wedding, the bride has the opportunity to sell it before she wears it (and walk down the aisle knowing that part of her dress investment has already been recovered).

Here’s how it works: The original owner lists the gown for sale once she purchases it, usually 6-8 months before her wedding.  Interested buyers can connect with her at anytime.  If the buyer and seller agree on the sale, they can make an agreement that is executed once the seller’s wedding date passes.

We’ve seen buyers who make a deposit on a pre-sale dress – and others who rely on a verbal agreement to purchase.  Whatever the buyer and seller feel most comfortable with is what works.

Pre-sales benefits the seller, but it also benefits the buyer.  Now she knows exactly when her dream dress, in her size, will be available – at a price that works for her.  It’s win-win.

Many brides tell us about their great experiences with pre-sale.  Like Kathleen, who sold her Vera Wang Gemma before her wedding and became friends with the bride who bought it.  You can read her sweet story here.

Pre-Sale can help a bride afford her dream dress…and that’s why we love the idea.  All of the gowns in the post are listed as pre-sale.  If one of these is your perfect dress, now could be your opportunity!

The end of summer traditionally brings a wave of wedding dress listings.  After all, brides realize their beautiful gowns should be shared with another happy bride, instead of tucked into a closet.

If you’ve smartly decided to sell your wedding dress, here are 5 ways to help it sell faster.

1. Price it right
Brides looking for a pre-owned wedding dress are looking for savings.  So start by knowing what your gown is worth. (Hint: it depends on the age and condition of the dress). Here are our guidelines:

2. Use amazing photographs
Pictures really do tell a thousand words.  Upload pictures of the front, back and detail of your dress.  And pictures on a person always show the dress better than a hanger.

3. Give a detailed description
Pretend you are describing your (awesome) dress to someone who doesn’t know anything about it.  Discuss the fit, the fabric, the details. Talk about how the dress feels and how it moves. You’ll also want to be sure to include your dress in the right categories so that it can return in as many searches as possible. (If you need to you can brush up on your wedding dress 101 here).

4. Provide full disclosure
A complete and accurate description is key to a fast sale.  Not only is honesty the best policy, but being truthful about every aspect of your gown’s condition will prevent any surprises and prevent the transaction from failing to complete.

5. Share your listing with your social circles
Use your friends to your advantage.  Share your listing on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or whatever social sharing site you use…and tell your friends (and their friends, and their friends) about your gown for sale.

I received this email recently from a bride who just sold her dress on the site.  I loved her story about why she decided to sell her dress…and how happy she felt when she did.

So many brides tell us they want to sell their gown because a wedding dress should be enjoyed again instead of tucked away in a closet.  I couldn’t agree more.

The seller in her Priscilla of Boston wedding dress

“My reception dress sold in no time while listed on PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com, and now my gorgeous couture Priscilla of Boston gown, is off to a new loving home.

I have to confess, when I first shared with my girlfriends the news that I was selling my wedding dress, they couldn’t fathom why, and almost all of them said I would regret it someday. They brought up things like what if your daughter wants to see it, or you could cut it up and use it for a baptismal gown. All of their arguments made sense, but nevertheless I responded to emails from brides wanting to know more.

Finally, the day arrived when a bride and her girlfriend made the 6 hour drive to try on the dress. I wasn’t sure how I would feel seeing another girl try on something that only months before had meant everything to me. However, after seeing how much another bride loved my dress and how beautiful it was on her, I never doubted for a second that I made the right choice. I was happy the dress brought her as much happiness as it brought me, and to see it go home with her just felt right.

I know for sure that my beautiful (and very pricey gown) will be loved, photographed, and admired once again, and isn’t that what we all secretly hope for for the dress we waited our whole life to wear?

Now instead of storing my dress for the next 30 years and hoping for a daughter to pass it on to, I am using the money to buy my hubby and I a new hot tub to enjoy for years to come.

In the end, not only did I earn a little much needed cash by selling my dress, I made a new friend.”

Tell us.  Why did you decide to sell your wedding dress?

Hopefully, anyone who uses PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com is aware that we recommend Escrow.com for all transactions.  Simply put, it offers the most protection for both the buyer and the seller. (Read how and why here).

I’m always glad to share a bride’s personal experience with the service.  So when I received Trudy’s sold notice and comments about her escrow.com experience, I asked her to share it on our blog.  Here is what she said…

Trudy's dress will soon be part of another big day.

“Escrow.com was the key to my transaction on PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com.  The gown I was selling had some minor damage that would need to be repaired, and that understandably made it a little harder to buy sight unseen.  The buyer wanted to send me half of the money up front and then half after she saw the dress, which made me a little uncomfortable.

Luckily, I had seen that PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com recommended using Escrow.com, so I decided to look into it.  It turned out to be the perfect solution to our dilemma!  The buyer and I simply agreed that she would have 7 days to inspect the dress, and I would pay for the service as long as she decided to keep it, and then Escrow.com did the rest.  We both felt comfortable and fully informed throughout the process, and I got my check in just a couple of days.  Thanks to Escrow.com I was able to sell my wedding dress in less than a month, and I even got my full asking price!”

Escrow.com’s fees are comparable to paypal’s, but the protection for the buyer and seller is better.  We’d love to see every online buyer and seller experience the safe transactions it offers.

Note: PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com is not affiliated with escrow.com in any way.  To help decrease fraud, Escrow.com does not accept credit card payments for apparel purchases.