How It Works - Buying & Selling

Since 2008, Once Wed has been connecting buyers and sellers of new, sample, and pre-owned wedding dresses and bridal party gowns. 

Buying & Selling with us is safe and simple! Read below to learn more about both.

What is OnceWed.com?

We are an online-only listing service. This means we do not consign or buy gowns, do not have a store location, and every dress and item listing is being sold by a real person just like you.

OnceWed connects buyers and sellers of wedding items who then transact directly with each other so that the buyer saves, and the seller recoups as much investment as possible.

Take advantage of a free OnceWed account, giving you access to secure messaging, saved search alerts, a dedicated support team, and integrated invoicing with Payment Protection for both our buyers and sellers. Remember: Never communicate with a buyer privately via phone, text, or personal emails. Stick within our built-in messaging system to protect your privacy and your dress.

How Does Selling on OnceWed Work?

  1. List
    We charge a one-time $19.95 listing fee upfront to post your new or used wedding dress until it sells ($5 per accessory or bridal party dress). There are no renewal fees and no commission on the sale. You’ll keep the dress or item with you until sold, the buyer will pay you directly, and you’ll ship directly to her.
  2. Connect
    Interested brides will message you directly (we filter initial inquiries to help weed out spam) and from directly inside our built-in messaging system you can chat with, send pictures to, and invoice your interested bride-to-be!
  3. Sell
    Negotiate directly with your buyer on the selling price and terms of sale. We strongly encourage you to use our recommended payment methods for a safe and happy transaction.
  4. Splurge!
    Use the proceeds from your dress and enjoy a second honeymoon, an item for your new home, or a piece of jewelry, perhaps. Whatever you decide!

Tips & Tricks On Selling With OnceWed

How Does Buying on OnceWed Work?

  1. Shop
    Use our advanced search features to browse thousands of gorgeous gowns. Create a free "OnceWed" account to save, sort, and make notes on your favorite listings or sign up for new listing and price reduction alerts.
  2. Connect
    Once you find a gown you want to know more about, use the "email seller" button to contact the seller directly. No account sign up or registration required!
  3. Buy
    When you find THE dress, you’ll communicate directly with the seller to negotiate the price and terms of sale. We strongly encourage you to use our recommended payment methods for a safe and happy transaction.
  4. Celebrate
    Wear the dress of your dreams at a fraction of retail. Look and feel beautiful. If only all wedding planning was this easy and affordable!

Tips & Tricks For Buying Safely On OnceWed

There are a couple of ways you can protect yourself during a transaction

  • Buy Within Your Size Range
    It is important that you buy a dress within your size range. It is much easier to take a dress in a size or two than to try and let it out.  Especially if the dress has already been altered; most manufacturers only leave 1/2-1" of materials to allow for letting a dress out.

    If a dress does not fit when you receive it you will not be able to return it for a refund via PayPal unless the seller misrepresented the tag size or alterations done.
  • Look Up The Designer's Sizing Chart
    Every designer will fit differently - try to find the size chart for the dress you are buying to confirm if an unaltered version of the size you are looking to buy would fit, then consider the alterations the seller has done and determine if the dress will work for your body.
  • Use a Protected Payment Method 
    We recommend Paypal and have integrated it directly into our messaging inbox! The seller can invoice directly inside your conversation and you'll be fully protected if your item doesn't ship, arrives damaged, or arrives and isn't exactly as described. Learn more here about safe payment methods.
  • Get All of The Details 
    • Ask Questions. Confirm the authenticity and condition of your item. Ask the seller lots of questions about its current condition, the size & alterations done, the color, and ask if they offer a return policy and HOW the return policy works.
    • Ask for Pictures. SO IMPORTANT! You need to see the dress in its current condition as of today. An honest seller won’t mind – a scammer will make up a reason they can’t send you pictures of the item as it looks right now in their hands.
  • Take Pictures of The Box and Your Item The Moment It Arrives
    • When you receive the dress take pictures of you unpacking the box and of the dress's front/back/fine details while you inspect it.
    • Try it on! If you receive a dress that was not as described (damaged or different size/designer than listed etc) we recommend attempting to resolve it with the seller. If they are not willing to resolve it directly with you, you’ll want to navigate to the resolution center on PayPal to begin the process of getting a refund. 

Read our Tips for Buyers on How to Avoid Online Scams When Buying Wedding Dresses

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