Only Dream Dresses is Australia’s first and only online marketplace for people to list their wedding dress for sale and rent. This website is for brides who have always dreamed of their perfect wedding dress but have first-hand experienced more than they bargained for on the journey of availability and price.
Natalie Churchill, the founder and owner of Only Dream Dresses, launched the business earlier in 2019 when she herself researched where to buy or hire a pre-loved dress and was staggered by the limited options available. The site now hosts dresses for sale from all over Australia, to suit all budgets and styles, starting from $150, with a portfolio of designer pieces from the likes of Connie Simonetti and Helen Constance. Natalie says there are many reasons why women across Australia are listing their pre-loved dresses online with Only Dream Dresses. From eco and fast fashion-conscious women to those who have bad memories tied to their pre-divorce wedding dresses, Only Dream Dresses have created a platform where for whatever reason you are parting with your dress, you can do so easily online.
Natalie says “The average price of a wedding dress in Australia is around $2,500 and can go as high as $10,000 for a piece that people never wear again! This to me was so expensive, wasteful and made absolutely no sense. Brides are beginning to come around to the idea of wearing second hand, and moreover, making some extra cash with a sale, rather than packing the dress away, never to be seen again.” Only Dream Dresses’ mission is to provide good customer experience and to give all brides-to-be the opportunity to wear a designer wedding gown without the hefty price tag. Natalie is currently focusing on growing the rental side of the business, developing a new area of the website to allow dress owners to hire out their gowns, if they are not quite ready to say goodbye to it forever. “Launching the site, we’ve been able to raise debate around the environmental and waste impact of weddings and gets us thinking about ways we can be more sustainable and considerate on the special day. I’d love for more people to think about buying a pre-loved dress. Vintage clothes have never been so on trend, so why not for your wedding day, like any other?”
Joining forces with Aussie sweetheart Lauren from Married At First Sight, Only Dream Dresses are auctioning off Lauren’s dress from the show with half the proceeds from the sale going to a charity close to her heart, Jeans For Genes. The foundation funds research that helps diagnose, understand and find cures or treatments for conditions affecting children, including genetic diseases, cancer, and epilepsy. Lauren’s haute couture gown was made by Paddington bridal designer Lilli Marcs from her 2018 Collection and designed to give the bride a picture-perfect romantic look but providing comfort and freedom at the same time. Valued at $4,200, and the belt $150, this dress will be a steal for a piece of MAFS TV history.
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