Take a look around Bedford's new vintage wedding shop where you can buy a dress for £450

Thinking of getting hitched but the spiralling expense from the cost-of-living crisis is turning you into a bridezilla?

Well, help is at hand as a new wedding shop had popped up in Bedford – and what’s more, it sells vintage.

Called Gown Up (we love a pun), it’s in The Arcade and opened at the beginning of the month.

The shop specialises in vintage/preloved dresses which you can buy – or hire, if you’d prefer.

Monika Byrne, who runs the store, said: “We were part of The Wedding Warehouse which opened in March 2023 but suddenly closed its doors after four weeks – leaving us and other 30+ wedding suppliers stranded.”

But what made her come up with the idea of preloved wedding dresses?

“The cost-of living-crisis – not everyone can afford a dress that cost £2,000.

“We wanted to give the brides of Bedford a chance to buy or hire a beautiful gown for less. The average dress in the UK cost about £1,600 – our dresses are about £450 and never go over the £1,000 tag.”

And Monika’s also thinking about the planet too.

"The wedding industry creates tons of waste. So in order to help our planet, we give preloved gowns a new lease of life. Buying or renting our preloved dresses is more sustainable and it just makes sense.

“We believe the sustainable wedding is not a trend, it's the future.”

She added: “I was thinking about women like my sister and my friends and all those hard working women who are struggling financially but would loved to look beautiful on their wedding day.

“I was also thinking about the non-traditional brides who are thinking about eloping or brides who are in favour of micro-wedding or a simple register office wedding.”

Monika sources the dresses from auctions and marketplaces, as well as buying sample dresses from other wedding boutiques.

"We also allow brides to leave their dresses in our shop so we can help them to sell it – as we know it's almost impossible sell your own dress online.”

The shop plans to expand its collection in the future and also carries new dresses.

The video above is courtesy of Love Bedford