When Heather Dudley was planning her wedding, she was determined that it would be at a reasonable cost but still look good.

That meant finding used items that looked new. But the task did not prove easy in the Waco area.

“I wanted to go to a wedding consignment shop, but we didn’t have any,” Dudley said.

Wedding gowns are the biggest sale item at Heather Dudley’s “I Do” on a Dime, a wedding consignment shop that opened recently in Robinson.
Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald

After getting married June 20, Dudley took steps to make sure Waco-area brides would no longer be forced to face the same challenge.

She opened “I Do” on a Dime in the Elm Mott home she shares with her husband, Tony Dudley, in July. The business moved into a shop space on Deanna Drive in Robinson in January.

Dudley said there’s no denying the savings on used things that once adorned another’s wedding. One of the more expensive items, the wedding dress, typically goes for between $600 to more than $1,000. After being worn once at a wedding for a few hours and dropped off at the store, it may be resold for between $100 to $600.

Although many see the gown as a priceless heirloom, others take another view.

“A lot of people realize it is just going to sit in a box,” Dudley said.

Dudley requires any clothing she accepts to be cleaned and in current fashion.

Not only dresses

Besides wedding gowns, Dudley’s inventory includes accoutrements such as tiaras, jewelry and mothers’ dresses. She also accepts bridesmaid dresses, if the dresses are dropped at the store in a set of at least three.

Dudley splits the money from sales 50-50 with the customer.

Another consignment shop owner, James Lyons, said that because there are no other shops specializing in bridal consignments, Dudley has found a great niche market. “She filled a good gap,” said Lyons, whose store is called Retails Alternative.

Lyons’ shop specializes in purses, diamonds and high-end jewelry. Wedding gowns are the bread and butter of bridal shops, and there is not enough space in his shop to accommodate the dresses, Lyons said.

Belva Harvey, the owner of Georgio’s Bridal & Prom, a shop that sells only new bridal items, said she doesn’t think “I Do” will change her business. For those who need something on a tight budget, it’s a good service to have in the area.

“It’s great to have it. There’s a need for it,” Harvey said.

Mexia resident Misty Phillips was shopping at the store last week in preparation for her July wedding. “I like to go with consignment, most definitely you can save a bunch,” she said.

Her visit was prompted by a listing for the store on Craigslist, and she was pleased with the selection, she said.

Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald

Dudley, 26, grew up in Robinson, and she graduated from Robinson High School. She earned a teaching degree from Tarleton State University in 2007 and taught second grade for two years before getting married and starting the business.

The couple had saved money for the wedding. For start-up capital, she used money left over from the wedding and a loan from her husband’s retirement account, she said. It has cost her between $6,000 and $8,000 to get started, Dudley said.

She was also open to taking advice, which she got in the form of free consulting help from the Small Business Development Center at McLennan Community College.

Moving the business into its own space last month was gratifying, Dudley said.

“It was stressful and very exciting at the same time,” she said.

As a business owner, she finds that being honest with customers and caring about the customers’ needs are important in doing business, Dudley said.

“Definitely you have to be honest, and you have to be concerned about the customer,” she said. “I want to help people who are struggling have an awesome day.”

bteeter@wacotrib.com

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