Oxfam Sell Out of Bridal Dresses following Ethical Wedding Boom

A survey carried out by Oxfam has found a wealth of wedding dresses languishing in wardrobes around the country.

The survey found that 82% of brides hang on to their dresses after their weddings, but 75% have never put their dress on since their wedding day, and 77% think that they probably won't ever wear their wedding dress again.

In 2005 there were 283,730 weddings in the UK. If even half of these brides donated their dresses to one of Oxfam's ten bridal outlets around the country, this could raise a staggering £35 million for Oxfam - enough to fund Oxfam's emergency programme work in Chad and Darfur for three years.

Ethical

Oxfam's survey found that 15% of couples feel that having an ethical slant to their wedding is important, and this trend has seen a growth in the number of brides heading to Oxfam's bridal outlets.

Sales are booming, and the shops are being inundated with requests for dresses, selling up to seven a day. The Eastbourne Oxfam bridal shop has a month-long waiting list for appointments, and the shops are asking for donations from individuals and from bridal retailers to replenish their stocks.

Barbara Warmsley, Oxfam bridal coordinator says: 'I started selling wedding dresses for Oxfam in 1960, now we've got a business that is booming".

"It's great that so many brides are coming to Oxfam for their dresses, but we are desperate for donations to meet this growing demand. If a donated dress sells for £250, this can provide 100 people with clean water, build two toilets, train one midwife and feed a family for a month - its an easy and very special way to give to charity".

'Helping Others'

Rosemary Tyndall, who donated her wedding dress, veil and shoes to Oxfam's Southampton Bridal shop said: "Giving my wedding dress to Oxfam was a great way to round off our wedding. I fell in love with my dress the moment I saw it, but I love the fact that something which was so special to me is now being used to help other people."

The typical selling price of an Oxfam wedding dress is around £250 - a huge saving on the £826 estimated to be the price of the average wedding dress. Ninety per cent of Oxfam's wedding dresses are brand new, originating from catwalk shows and high-end wedding retailers, and many are from top designers.

But shoppers can also find unusual and vintage dresses at Oxfam - the Cambridge shop has recently received a donation of a vintage dress from a bride who got married sixty years ago. As well as dresses, the bridal shops also sell veils and shoes; and some also sell suits for grooms and outfits for the mother of the bride.

Barbara Walmsley said: "A bride-to-be recently came into the Heswall shop looking for a bargain. She'd set her heart on a dress worth £2000, but knew it was way out of her price range. Incredibly she found the same dress on sale in the shop for £129".

"And last week a girl came into the Chippenham shop and found a silk dress similar to a designer dress she seen on the internet, but for a fraction of the price. One of our dresses has even appeared in an episode of Hollyoaks, worn by the actress Gemma Bissix ".

Oxfam's survey found that 20% of respondents were only hanging on to their wedding dresses because they hadn't got round to doing anything with them yet.

If you have a wedding dress you no longer need you can donate it to Oxfam, along with other wedding clothes and accessories, by calling into an Oxfam bridal shop or calling Oxfam on: 0845 3000 311

Useful Links:

Oxfam Bridalwear Shops
Oxfam GB
Oxfam 'Wedding Dress Appeal'