We were meant to be, I have found a love so true. Fill my soul with you…
You’ve fallen in love!
… And last night you announced your engagement to family and friends.
Now comes the planning.
In the next days, weeks and months, you’ll receive advice from all sorts of people who want to influence your wedding. Remember that they mean well, but it’s your day, not theirs.
What if you have a dream of a perfectly modern vintage wedding? How do you describe it to a wedding planner? Where do you go to find stylish, classic vintage wedding items?
If you’re like me, you’ll google “vintage wedding.”
Unfortunately in today’s Internet search engines, paid sponsorship of “vintage wedding” keywords usually leads right into links for faux vintage sites. While there are super bargains to be found, it can be rather difficult for some sellers to replicate vintage. Some satins, laces and American sequins are just impossible to find nowadays.
The good news is that there is plenty of “old” for sale on the web. Just like all businesses unfortunately, there are actually people who might try to cheat you by selling items that are far less than what was described. Mint vintage may mean one thing and vintage-style, another. The seller may not understand the difference. So what do you do?
Do your research and ask questions. Even if your seller is a legitimate dealer or a retired Mom and Pop, they must make a claim. They may claim that their item is a certain vintage, when it is absolutely not. Is that fraud? Not if the seller believes it in his or her heart to be true… So, if you’ve paid for a “Victorian Wedding Veil” that’s actually nylon, you may have trouble convincing the seller that nylon wasn’t invented until 1938. Hence the caveat, “Let the Buyer Beware.”
So how do you protect yourself when buying online?
Know what you want. Buy it when you see it, but educate yourself first to the pitfalls of impulse shopping. Is it too small? Does it need cleaning? Will you have time to ask questions?
Shop around. Take your time.
You can tell if a Seller is willing to work with you by the way they present their terms of Sale. Ask the dealer if they’ll stand by their estimation of condition, especially if it is sold as MINT. If they become indignant or communication doesn’t feel right, walk away…
If you’re absolutely in love with an item and have questions about its authenticity, insist on a guarantee from the seller. If you are unable to get one, walk away from the purchase.
This truly is a new chapter of your life.
But it’s also the most important time to keep a cool head, or your vintage wedding dreams could turn into a big headache.
Don’t panic! You can really almost have anything you want, providing that you know how to avoid the pitfalls of “vintage racketeers.” This isn’t as scary as it sounds, because luckily, there are far more vintage wedding companies that are honest and fair (it’s actually hard to find the dishonest ones.) But there are a few rules that you should follow to make sure you get all of the vintage you’re paying for.
Just follow these rules! The rules are absolute.
Serving Brides on the Web since 1997, Gulden & Brown at Vintagegown.com specializes in finding authentic vintage wedding gowns and period accessories from the 1920's to the 1990's. We love vintage and we're glad you do too!