My friend spent £150 on my ugly bridesmaid’s dress – can I sell it?

Wedding planner and venue owner Alison Rios McCrone helps solve your dilemmas, no matter how big or small, in a weekly agony aunt column. Dear Alison,. My problem isn’t really about a wedding, it’s more about after it – because I’m stuck with a bridesmaid dress I don’t want.

My friend, who was the bride, spent £150 on dresses for me and her other two bridesmaids for her wedding last year. I didn’t like it at the time but obviously didn’t say anything! I just sucked it up (and got drunk). I didn’t care what I looked like because I wanted to be there for my friend.

At first I thought, maybe I could wear it again to a black tie event or something, but it’s very clearly a bridesmaid dress rather than an evening gown, and it’s not something I would personally choose. Now it is just taking up space in my wardrobe.

I definitely don’t want to throw it away but even donating it to a charity shop feels wrong. I can’t sell it either, because it doesn’t feel right to get money from something I didn’t pay for. Will my friend be really offended if I say something? Why can’t people buy bridesmaid dresses that can be worn again!?.

Thanks,. Weddings are joyful occasions – but they’re also incredibly stressful. Whether you’re a bride or groom, best woman or man, family member or friend of the couple, the run up to the big day can be very tense. If you need a bit of help with your quandary, Alison, who has run a venue for 10 years and helps couples plan weddings, is here to offer a helping hand.

Email platform@metro.co.uk to share your issue anonymously with Alison and get it solved. Dear Abbey,. It’s lovely that you got to play such an important role in your friend’s wedding! You wore the dress, supported your friend, and helped make her day special, and that’s what truly counts.

I see that now, you are left with a dress that occupies your wardrobe and wondering what to do with it. While you may have issues with it – it’s important to remember that the dress served its purpose on your friend’s special day. However, you are right that you are not obligated to keep it, since the dress was given to you for a single occasion.

It’s doubtful that your friend is expecting you to hold onto it – in fact, she may not have even thought about it since her big day. Nonetheless, there are plenty of ways to ensure it goes to good use. If you are crafty or know a skilled seamstress, you could have the dress altered into a more wearable outfit. You could transform it into a cocktail dress, a skirt, or even stylish separates that you would wear again.

Alternatively, many second-hand high street charity shops specialise in wedding and formalwear, reselling items at an affordable price for those looking for elegant attire on a budget. Some charities collect formal dresses for people getting married quickly due to a terminal illness and do not have the budget to buy everything new in such a short timescale – for example, the Wedding Wishing Well Foundation.

So your dress could find a new purpose, helping someone else create their special memories and at the same time for a good cause. You could casually mention to your friend that you’re thinking of donating the dress to one of these organisations that specifically helps those needing wedding attire.

Ask her if she minds if you do this, and if not, ask if she has a preference for where the dress is donated. This way, you are framing it as a thoughtful decision rather than simply no longer wanting it. Alternatively, you could sell the dress online through Vinted or eBay or check local community groups or Facebook Marketplace for affordable formalwear.

If selling it feels uncomfortable, you could donate the proceeds to a charity of your friend’s choice. This way, the dress serves a greater purpose and you can feel the joy of knowing it’s helping someone else. When I married my husband, I chose and paid for all our bridesmaid dresses. I picked something that could be worn again from a high street store, but I always knew that not everyone would reuse them.

Whether my bridesmaids resold them, donated them, or kept them tucked away in their wardrobes was entirely up to them – I never thought about it after the wedding. Your friend may very well feel the same way. It’s terrific that you want to ensure it continues to be used rather than sitting unworn or ending up in a landfill. Finding a new home for it – whether through donation or resale – means it can bring joy to someone else.

I am sure your friend will understand and support you in your choice of ways to find a new purpose for the dress. Best wishes,. Alison. Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk. Share your views in the comments below.

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