A bride who bought her dream wedding dress for just £2 is urging brides to ditch designer gowns.
Gina Dodds stumbled across the gown while browsing a Hope House charity shop pop-up store after getting engaged to her husband, Jacob, 32.
Everything in the temporary shop was priced at £2 as it prepared to close before reopening in new permanent premises.
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But the 32-year-old couldn’t believe her luck when she spotted a full-length wedding dress among the rails.
Gina, a barista and musician, immediately saw its potential and snapped it up, despite not being able to try it on.
“It didn’t look like it had ever been worn,” Gina, from Wolverhampton, told What’s The Jam.
“Although it was beautiful as it was with its Disney princess vibe, I felt it could be altered easily into something unique.
“I had a feeling about it, but I was unsure if the material was what I wanted.
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“I couldn’t try it on in the shop because there were no changing rooms, but for £2, I wasn’t going to leave without it.
“I was pleasantly surprised when I tried it on as I didn’t know if it was going to fit or look good.
“There wasn’t a changing room to try it on in the pop-up shop.
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“It fit me perfectly around the bust but sat a little weird around the waist and was very long.
“I had already started getting ideas as to how I was going to make it my own.
“My husband was laughing and so surprised.
“He was wondering how it was possible that I’d found my wedding dress for £2.”
She later had the gown altered by her friend Grace Patton, who is launching her own bespoke wedding dress business.
Grace transformed it into a stunning one-of-a-kind design for the couple’s wedding on 12 August.
The couple, who met while studying Popular Music Performance at the University of Chester in 2013, had been together for more than a decade before Jacob surprised Gina with a proposal on Calgary Beach on the Isle of Mull at sunset in July last year.
Gina said: “I laughed and swore at him as I was overcome with emotion and surprise at the question.
“It was very unexpected as he had always said he didn’t believe in marriage.”
Although Gina never intended to spend thousands on a wedding dress, she said finding one so cheaply meant they could spend more on experiences that reflected their personalities.
Gina said: “It let us spend more money on things that meant a lot to us, like the gypsy jazz band Manouche North, as we love this music and allowed us to embrace things that really matter.
“I was never going to spend thousands on a dress, as my partner and I have always tried to live sustainably and buy second-hand or from charity shops, so it wasn’t something I’d thought about.
“I was more than happy to spend that money having saved so much on the original dress and to help someone’s independent business.”
On the morning of the wedding, Gina became emotional as Grace helped her into the finished gown.
Gina said: “I felt very emotional, especially as Grace was there to help me into it.
“It was the perfect end to a very emotional and wonderful journey for us.
“Jacob said he didn’t know how to react when he saw me walking down the aisle.
“He said I looked incredible.”
The couple married at the vintage-style cinema inside Storyhouse in Chester, with 60 guests attending the ceremony and around another 60 joining the evening celebrations.
They encouraged guests to wear charity shop or pre-loved outfits.
She hopes her story encourages other brides to think differently when searching for their perfect dress.
Gina added: “I think brides should have an open mind and get creative with their ideas.
“Stay true to yourself, your style and what makes you truly happy.
“Don’t feel the need to conform to social expectations and don’t be afraid to express yourself.
“You don’t need to spend a million dollars to feel a million dollars.
“Jacob and I both wear mainly charity shop clothes.
“We have also bought furniture, vinyl records, trinkets and last year we bought all of our family’s Christmas presents from charity shops.
“They unexpectedly loved it.
“It goes without saying that fast fashion is bad for the environment.
“Styles always come back around, and you can find some real gems in charity shops and second-hand shops.
“If you buy something and don’t end up wearing it, you have at least, if bought from a charity shop, raised money for charity to help great causes, communities and people around the country and beyond, and you can always donate it back.
She added: “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.”
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