The dream wedding outfit is costing brides thousands of pounds for just a few fleeting hours of wear, according to new research.
The dream wedding outfit is costing brides thousands of pounds for just a few fleeting hours of wear, according to new research. In fact, the cost-to-wear time ratio is becoming exponentially expensive, as the average Londoner is spending £440.97 per hour on their outfit for the big day.
The new study from Gumtree, one of the UK’s most popular online marketplaces, highlights that bridal outfits for the wedding ceremony are more expensive than ever, especially in the capital. Londoners are the biggest spenders on their wedding dress, dishing out an average of £1,631.60—a staggering 64% more than the overall UK average of £997.20. They also ditch the dress as soon as they can, with an average wear time of just 3.7 hours, compared to a national average of 5.1 hours.
Nationwide, millennial brides are spending an average of £1,356 on their ceremony dress and alterations, and Gen Z brides are shelling out an average of £2,256, vastly exceeding the £301.90 spent by their Baby Boomer predecessors.
This escalating cost is causing considerable stress, with 79% of London brides unhappy with wedding outfit prices, and 10% stating they are completely unaffordable. A staggering 77% of UK wedding outfits are worn once and then stored away forever, receiving only 5.1 hours of use in their lifetime on average.
Despite the financial strain, only a tiny fraction of British brides – an average of just 2% – looked to second-hand marketplaces for their dream dress. This reluctance was primarily due to concerns about a pre-loved outfit’s condition (14%) and worries it wouldn’t fit (13%).
However, a significant shift is underway among younger generations. Millennial brides are proving to be the thriftiest, as one in ten (10%) chose to buy their wedding outfit second-hand. This reflects a broader trend, as half (50%) of Gen Z brides either bought or considered buying second-hand, compared to only 13% of their Boomer counterparts.
This growing interest is reflected on second-hand platforms like Gumtree, which has seen a significant 94% increase in enquiries to listings of wedding dresses in the past 12 months, indicating a clear shift towards more cost-effective and sustainable bridal solutions.
Currently, 68% of wedding dresses spend an average of 12.5 years gathering dust in storage despite the potential to recoup significant costs, as the average Londoner who sold their dresses earned £891 from the sale.
Commenting on the findings, Kim Faura, Consumer Expert at Gumtree said: “Our research clearly shows the immense financial burden and emotional stress that comes with purchasing a traditional wedding dress. We’ve observed a significant rise in costs across generations, with Gen Z spending nearly double that of Millennials. This escalating expense may be driven not only by inflation, but also by social media pressures.
“With thousands spent for just hours of wear, it’s understandable that younger generations, particularly cost-conscious Millennials, are increasingly looking for smarter, more sustainable alternatives. At Gumtree, we’re passionate about giving items a second life, saving money, and reducing waste. By offering a free tailoring service for second-hand wedding dresses, we’re removing the common barriers to buying pre-loved, making it easier than ever for a bride to find her perfect, unique outfit, and then pass it on for another love story.”
