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By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
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With the average American wedding costing around $35,000, it's no surprise that many couples look to cut costs wherever possible. Most brides may be unwilling to compromise on the cost of the all-important white dress, but that wasn't the case for Rachel Spencer, whose dress set her back only $14.
Two weeks before her nuptials in June 2023, Spencer, of Toronto, Canada, had completed most of the planning for the big day, and her long white gown was ready for the ceremony. But, after walking into a thrift store, she noticed a stunning white mini dress that would be perfect for the reception, and it seemed meant to be.
Spencer, 30, told Newsweek that she "didn't plan on having a second look" for her wedding initially, but she loved the idea of repurposing this traditional custom-made Chinese dress. What made the decision even easier was the price tag of just $14.
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"My fiance was in the store with me, and he encouraged me to try it on, and my mom did, too. I did, and it ended up fitting perfectly," Spencer said.
"Hopefully, from one cool Asian bride to another, the tradition has been passed on. I cannot believe I found that because the workmanship is just beautiful. It didn't have a brand label, so I knew this was custom-made. These dresses are made specifically to fit somebody's measurements. It really did feel like a fairy godmother moment that it fit me perfectly."
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A 2023 survey by wedding website The Knot found that the average bride will spend around $2,000 on their wedding dress, but not Spencer. She couldn't have been happier to thrift her reception dress for just a fraction of that price and give the garment a second lease of life.
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Indeed, Spencer loved the dress so much and she didn't just want it to remain in her wardrobe without being worn, so what better opportunity than to don it once more on her one-year anniversary?
"I didn't love the idea of having something in my wardrobe that I wouldn't be able to wear again. So that's what led me to wearing it again for my anniversary.
"I love being able to wear it again and create more memories in the dress, other than just my wedding," Spencer added.
This certainly wasn't the first thrifted piece that Spencer found, but it remains one of her favorites. Last year, she also purchased a red Chinese tea ceremony dress that she also wore for her wedding celebrations.
The Social Media Reaction
Spencer shared the story of her thrifted wedding dress on Instagram (@rachspeed) to highlight the wonderful hidden gems that can be found in thrift stores. Since the video was shared on June 19, it has gone viral with over 9.2 million views.
The online reaction has been incredibly positive so far, and Spencer has connected with many fellow thrifters who wore secondhand pieces for big milestones.
Spencer said: "I didn't expect it to resonate with so many people because weddings are very expensive. But I think it's great to change the notion that weddings have to cost a certain amount of money in order to be beautiful.
"There's a lot of negative bias associated with shopping secondhand, but that idea has changed a lot. There's no negative to thrifting because it's great for the environment, you save money, and often you find some cool vintage pieces that you wouldn't be able to find otherwise."
Among the 500 comments on her viral Instagram Reel, social-media users have been full of praise for Spencer's thrifting find. One comment reads: "It was meant for you!!"
Another person responded: "Outfit repeating is honestly the best."
A third Instagram user added: "this is probably the greatest thrift find I've ever seen."
Do you have any amazing wedding stories that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@newsweek.com and they could appear on our site.
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