There are three main reasons I’ve decided to start renting my wedding guest dresses. The first two go hand-in-hand; I’m reaching an age when more and more people I know are getting married, and the rising cost of living aside, there’s no way I can afford to buy a new dress for each one.
But perhaps the most important reason is that buying a brand-new dress isn’t exactly sustainable. Of course, we’re not telling you it’s wrong to buy yourself a frock you feel great in—and you’ll get a tonne of wear out of an LBD or floral midi, for example—but there’s no need to splurge every time you get an invite in the mail. By renting instead, you can show up in something that’s new to you, but that won’t be shoved to the back of your wardrobe and forgotten about post-reception.
Claudia wears a Stine Goya dress rented from HURR.
It’s also a great way to try out trends that you know won’t be around forever, or that you know you’ll likely tire of. Personally, I lean towards timeless style, so I know my interest in more out-there trends will probably be short-lived. But that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the experience of sporting something outside of my comfort zone from time to time, so renting is perfect for me.
By now, you might be thinking “Sounds great! But how do I do it?” Well, the good news is there’s now a host of clothing rental platforms dedicated to making your dream wedding guest dress more accessible. Whether you’ve been lusting after a particular designer buy that’s way beyond your budget, or you didn’t manage to get your hands on a popular piece before it sold out, you might just find what you’re looking for on one of these rental sites.
Scroll on for a run-down of our go-to platforms and a brief guide to how they work, plus the dresses I’ll be considering for the weddings in my calendar.
HURR was the first rental platform I was introduced to a few years ago, and to this day it has one of the most impressive selections. You can rent dresses from designers like Ganni and Rixo and high-end labels including Chloe and Dior for a fraction of their retail price. Choose the length of time you’ll need the item for—from four to twenty days—and select your dates. At the end of your rental period, all you need to do is package up the dress and send it back—HURR takes care of the dry cleaning, making the process as seamless as possible.
This is the exact dress Sara is wearing; how perfect is that print for a summer wedding?
This colour would really pop with black accessories.
This is a dress that could work year-round—though maybe not for balmy destination weddings.
I remember this dress was everywhere a few seasons ago, and it’s still just as desirable as ever.
With a catalogue of over 65 thousand items—from Jimmy Choo shoes to Réalisation dresses—By Rotation will leave you spoiled for choice. When you’ve managed to whittle it down to one piece you love, send a request to the lender with all the important details. Once the lender accepts, voilà! Your designer gem will arrive on your chosen day, and when the time comes to hand it over, By Rotation can arrange for it to be collected from your home. Easy peasy.
Best saved for black-tie occasions.
You can’t tell from the photo, but this is actually made from vegan leather. So cool.
I love an abstract floral print in the warmer months.
Sometimes simple is best, especially for a low-key ceremony.
John Lewis’ rental service is powered by HURR, but there are marked differences between the two. First off, listings are combined and most pieces are available in a range of sizes, rather than just the one. And secondly, there’s no information about individual lenders on John Lewis’ site, which makes it feel more like we’re shopping direct from the retailer and are therefore in safe hands (though this is absolutely the case with HURR, too). It really depends on your preferences.
Let me assure you, the ‘rule’ that you shouldn’t wear black to a wedding is a thing of the past.
You’ll turn heads on the dancefloor in this shimmery number.
This print resembles a wildflower meadow.
When in doubt, a slinky slip can easily be dressed up with the right accessories.
If you’re panicking and in need of a last-minute dress, turn to Rotaro. This innovative platform offers next-day delivery in the UK, so you don’t have to sit around and wait for your dream dress to show up. The handy calendar view on each listing shows clearly when a piece is available, and when it’s already been reserved for someone else’s special do. Also, if you sign up for Rotaro’s newsletter, you get 20% off your first rental. I’m sold.
Lime is one of the key colour trends for 2023.
Wear with neutral accessories, or colour-pop shoes.
An easy option for springtime nuptials.
This shape is so elegant—get ready for compliments.
Okay so you’ve found your perfect dress—now it’s time to accessorise. Cocoon is a luxury handbag rental service, and it operates in a pretty unique way. Instead of borrowing pieces individually, you pay a membership fee and this includes access to a wide selection of bags. It’s like joining an exclusive club. There are two membership tiers, Premium and Deluxe—the latter includes access to a whole separate edit—and you can pay monthly or quarterly. Find more information about the different options right here.
Included in membership. This one isn’t just for weddings.
Included in membership. Bottega’s clutches come with a hefty pricetag, so this is a great way to try the look for less.
Included in membership. This would go with whatever dress you choose to wear.
Included in membership. The perfect size for your wallet, phone and a lippie.
