Being a bridesmaid comes with a handful of perks, such as parties, gifts and pampering. Unfortunately, it also comes with a few expenses that can add up quickly. Taking inspiration from groomsmen’s tuxedo rentals, the newly launched website Vow to Be Chic founded by six-time bridesmaid Kelsey Doorey simplifies the experience by offering affordable bridesmaid dress rentals. "Traditionally bridesmaids have to make appointments with salons, drive
around to numerous boutiques and tailors, pay $300 for the dress, and an
additional $100 for alterations. All for a dress you'll never wear
again," notes Doorey. "Guys have been renting tuxes forever so it finally dawned on me -
why can't women enjoy the same concept and rent designer bridesmaid
dresses?"
The process couldn’t be easier: Create a free account, view a curated selection of designer dresses, enter your measurements and rent. Then, a few months before the wedding, each bridesmaid is sent the selected dress in two sizes to ensure a perfect fit. A week before the wedding, they’ll receive their dress with prepaid return packaging. And with a growing portfolio of designer dresses that include JLM Couture, Tadashi, Nicole Miller, Jill Stuart, Watters, Jim Hjelm, Alivina Valentya, LulaKate and Jenny Yoo--just to name a few. In addition, Vow to Be Chic offers free stylist consultations to help brides find the dresses that best suit her wedding style, and coordinates directly with the bridal party, giving the bride one less thing to worry about.
And it's easy to create a modern look, says Kelsey, by mixing and matching different styles in
the same color family from various designers. "Everyone gets to choose a
dress that fits their personality." Plus, there's something for the bride, too, the Little White Dress collection is perfect for all the events leading up to the big day, from engagement shoots to bridal showers to the rehearsal dinner--any maybe even the honeymoon.
