For some of you, it was the most expensive, extravagant and beautiful piece of clothing you’ve ever bought, let alone worn. But let’s be honest. Your special day has come and gone and now you’ve realized this garment is not something you can pull out of your closet and wear again.
Fortunately, there are many options for your dress depending on what type of bride you are. If you’re the more sentimental type, you may like the idea of preserving it in a box for a future bride, like your daughter. Or you may want to express your artistic side by getting photos taken in unique locations, like a field or the ocean, while donning your gown. Whatever your sentiment, there’s a solution to suit you.
Sell It
If you’re the average bride then you’ve spent upwards of $1,000 on your dress. It sounds pricey for a single-occasion garment, but you can get some money back on your return. Before you even head to a consignment shop, have your dress professionally cleaned. That drop of champagne can turn a nasty shade of yellow if not treated properly and stores will turn away any gowns that are not almost perfect. Make sure you have pictures, including close-ups, before you follow-through with the storing process. Buyers (especially online) want to see what it looks like!
Sites like ebay.ca, thedressmarket.net and sellyourweddingdress.com are good online options. Give full details like the size, condition, beading and original price. And don’t underestimate the power of a picture.
Donate It
Maybe you got a great deal, don’t need the cash or are just looking to pass on the happiness. A bride short on cash will be more than thrilled to get your find. There are also charities that will find your gown a happy home. In Canada there’s the Salvation Army, Goodwill and The Brides’ Project—an organization that also helps children with cancer. Brides Against Breast Cancer and the I Do Foundation are both American charities that will accept your donation.
Preserve It
Those looking to keep the memory of their gown alive may opt to preserve it. Find a specialist who can properly store it at museumcare.ca. They can direct you to a wedding gown specialist in your area. The difference between just getting it cleaned and putting it in a bag in your closet is that these experts have a thorough system they conduct, as well as an international guarantee.
Your dress is hand-cleaned, given an anti-sugar stain treatment (which ensures all seen and unseen stains are removed) and placed in an acid-free museum-quality chest. You’ll be able to relax knowing you’ll still have a beautiful garment years down the road.
Trash It
A controversial, but artistic, option is what’s called “Trash It” and it’s definitely not for everyone. The idea is for the bride to get photos she wouldn’t normally get if she were concerned about the condition of her gown. Some women have been photographed in water, on city streets, or in the forest. Jake Oldenkamp, co-owner of Kamp Photography in Winnipeg, offers this service to his clients and suggests it as a fun, no-pressure experience.
“The shoot doesn’t have to be in a dingy place,” says Oldenkamp. “It can be places you wouldn’t customarily go on your wedding day.” He also says that your dress won’t necessarily get destroyed. He admits that 90% of gowns based around water come clean.
Not for the faint of heart, there are some women who go for the drama—think scissors. However, looks can be deceiving. Oldenkamp shares, “The bride bought a different, cheaper gown for that.”
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Posted by Stephanie on September 11, 2008 at 2:54 a.m.
A few of my friends had their wedding dresses cut up and remade into a baptism gown for their kids. It's a nice way to keep the sentiment of the dress and still get to put it to some use.
Posted by Ryan on September 19, 2008 at 8:06 p.m.
I have seen some really neat designs come from wedding dresses.. a guy in Calgary, Alberta Paul Hardy Design I believe reworks dresses into formal wear so you can wear the dress a couple of times yet not have such a huge princess feel to them....
Just a thought. Personally, I love the idea of "trashing" the wedding dress. In Jasper I saw a bride horseback riding it was very editorial and she said she loves that photo more than the staged wedding party ones.
Posted by Allie on September 24, 2008 at 3:58 p.m.
facing facts, the next generation will not want anything to do wiht this generations style, i most certainly wouldnt be seen dead in my moms wedding dress. so saving it for a daughter is out.
preserving it for my own memories.... thats what a scrapbook is for.
trashing it... fun indeed! this would be a blast, and in my opinion, a waste.
Selling it: after spending over 10,000 on a wedding its nice to get a bit of a refund for selling it, and some other bride on a budget benifits from it too, this is my favourite option
Posted by Mariam Zeton on October 21, 2008 at 10:28 p.m.
My wedding dress is the most beautiful thing I have ever laid eyes on and although I would love to pass it down to my future children to wear, I realistically know that by their generation my dress will be out of style just like my mothers hopes of me wearing her dingy high neck lace and pearl 70's wedding dress. I have oppted to box it to one day on our 25th wedding anniversary to renue our vows wearing the dress.
Posted by Jacintha on January 7, 2009 at 6:48 p.m.
I'll probably be trashing mine. The dress is huge and the amount of storage space that it would take to keep it is one good reason for it. The save-it-for-your-daughter thing never works anyhow - I don't know a single woman who've actually worn her mothers dress. So when the party is over I and my DH will probably finish it off with a crazy food fight or something - it will be a relief to go wild a bit after all the stress and all the attempts to have everything go perfect. I'm sure we'll have a blast !
Posted by Laura on February 9, 2009 at 1:22 p.m.
Does anyone know of any companies I can send my wedding dress to and have them make somethings out of it for me...like a blanket or pillow?
Posted by Christy on June 5, 2009 at 7:52 p.m.
I'll be riding side saddle in my dress, so I may end up with the trash it option, unfortunately. I'm prepared for that, but having spent weeks sewing it and beading it, I'd be sad if it was ruined. Regardless, I am going to have it preserved, if for nothing other than sentimental reasons. Though, my dress is made from historical Victorian patterns and very timeless, and I actually could see it being worn by one of my daughters or grand-daughters. It isn't trendy by any means, and shouldn't be too out dated a few generations on. As for the fabric remnants from my dress and all of the rest of the party's attire, I am making dolls for my girls to carry instead of flowers, and cutting the rest into squares for a quilt. The white fabric left over from my petticoat is perfect to have my close family sign their well wishes on.
Posted by Cadie on March 25, 2010 at 6:40 p.m.
I'm looking into altering my wedding dress (shortening it, removing the corset, possibly dying it?) with the idea of wearing it again somehow. Does anyone have reports of women doing this successfully? Thanks!
Posted by Anisa on April 28, 2010 at 10:58 a.m.
My dress is beautiful, to me... I know, and my husband has reminded me that our future daughter(s) won't want to wear it... and now that that sentiment is gone I'm thinking of the idea of making a baby blanket or quilt with it. The money's gone, but it would be a way to keep the dress, get use out of it and still have the sentiment... Now I just have to actually do it. Maybe for our one year anniversary or the birth of our first child...
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