Wedding Dress Hire in Leeds: How It Works and What It Costs
You don't have to buy your wedding dress. At Bridal Apparel in Rawdon, Leeds, you can hire one and wear a designer gown for less than half its retail price.
We're a family-run bridal boutique with over 40 years' experience dressing brides, grooms and wedding parties across Leeds and West Yorkshire. This guide explains how wedding dress hire works, what it costs, and how to decide between hiring and buying.
Why hire a wedding dress?
Brides choose to hire for three main reasons.
- It costs less. Hiring costs less than half of a dress's retail value. There's no cleaning charge, and you avoid paying to store or preserve a dress afterwards.
- It's a greener choice. A hired dress is worn again by another bride, so it doesn't spend the rest of its life in a box.
- You can wear more than one look. Hiring makes it affordable to have one dress for the ceremony and another for the evening.
The money you save can go towards the honeymoon, the entertainment, or life after the wedding.
How wedding dress hire works at Bridal Apparel
Hiring a dress with us follows five steps, and it starts the same way as buying one: with an appointment.
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Book an appointment about 12 months ahead. Not every dress is available to hire, so we go through the hire range with you. Shorter notice can work too, so it's always worth asking. Call us on 0113 250 1616, or visit our appointments page.
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Choose and reserve your dress. Most of our hire dresses are new. When you find one you love, we take it out of stock so you can check its condition before you reserve it.
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Have your fittings. A hire dress is treated exactly as if you had bought it, with the same alterations and pressing. Bring the shoes and underwear you plan to wear on the day.
- Collect your dress three days before the wedding.
- Return it after the wedding. After a Saturday wedding, the dress comes back on the Monday. After a weekday wedding, it comes back the next day. If you're going abroad, ask us about extra time.
Some dresses can be redesigned, for example with a sleeve added or a lower back, if the style allows. Any change is agreed with the designer first, so a consultation is the best place to start.
If we can order a dress but don't have it in your size, we can look at ordering it for an extra cost.
How much does it cost to hire a wedding dress in Leeds?
Our hire prices run from £400 to £1,000, and occasionally a little more. The price is based on the dress's retail value, and hiring costs less than half of it.
There is no cleaning charge. We do ask you to take out insurance in case the dress is damaged, and the cost of that depends on the dress's retail price.
Should you hire or buy your wedding dress?
Hiring suits brides who care more about the day than about keeping the dress. Buying suits brides who want a gown that is theirs to keep or made to their measurements.
| Hiring may suit you if | Buying may suit you if |
|---|---|
| You'd like a designer dress on a smaller budget | You want to keep your dress afterwards |
| You don't want to store or preserve a dress | You'd like a gown made to measure |
| You'd like a second look for the evening | You want it altered to your own taste |
| A dress worn more than once matters to you | You may pass it on to family one day |
If you'd like to buy but are short on time, our Purchase Now collection has dresses you can take home straight away. We're happy to talk through all three options at your appointment.
Veils, headdresses and the groom's party
You can hire your veil and headdress from us along with your dress. We don't hire bridesmaid dresses, but you can buy them from our bridesmaid collection.
For the men, we hire suits for grooms and groomsmen, and the bride and groom come to the menswear appointment together. Our For The Groom page has the details, and our blog post Wedding Suit Hire in Leeds: A Groom's Guide explains the process step by step.
Dressing everyone in one place means one set of appointments, and colours and styles that work together.
Wedding dress hire FAQs
How much does wedding dress hire cost in Leeds?
Our hire prices run from £400 to £1,000, and occasionally a little more. That is less than half of each dress's retail value.
How far in advance should I book?
About 12 months before the wedding is ideal, because not every dress is available to hire. Shorter notice can work, so it's always worth asking.
When do I collect and return the dress?
You collect it three days before the wedding. After a Saturday wedding it comes back on the Monday, and after a weekday wedding it comes back the next day. If you're going abroad, ask us about extra time.
Can a hired wedding dress be altered?
Yes. A hire dress is treated exactly as if you had bought it. Some dresses can be redesigned too, for example with a sleeve added or a lower back, if the style allows. Any change is agreed with the designer first.
Do I need to clean the dress before returning it?
No. There is no cleaning charge. We ask you to take out insurance in case the dress is damaged.
Can I hire a veil or bridesmaid dresses too?
You can hire your veil and headdress with your dress. We don't hire bridesmaid dresses, but we do hire suits for the groom's party.
Where is Bridal Apparel?
Our showroom is at 15 Harrogate Road, Rawdon, Leeds LS19 6HW, between Horsforth and Yeadon. Viewings are by appointment.
Book your viewing appointment
The best way to find out whether hiring is right for you is to come and try some dresses on. Call us on 0113 250 1616 to arrange a viewing, or visit our appointments page.
You can read more about wedding dress hire in Leeds on our Hire Service page.