Lyla Dejesus
Wedding dresses are often expensive and carry a lot of sentimental value, so it can be difficult to decide what to do with them after the big day. While some brides choose to keep their dresses, others decide to get rid of them by selling, donating, or upcycling them. If you're considering getting rid of your wedding dress, it's important to weigh up your options and decide what feels right for you.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reasons to get rid of a wedding dress | It is costly, takes up storage space, and is worn for less than 24 hours. |
| Emotional aspects | Many emotions are attached to the decision; the dress holds memories and can be seen as a priority item. |
| Donation | Charities such as Oxfam, Barnardos Bridal, St. Vincent De Paul, Wishing Well Foundation, and Gift of a Wedding accept donations. Some organisations require professional cleaning, and there may be age limits for the dresses. |
| Selling | Websites like Stillwhite and Sell My Wedding Dress allow for direct sales or consignment sales. |
| Upcycling | Wedding dresses can be altered into new styles, Halloween costumes, or baby gowns for stillborn infants. |
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What You'll Learn
Donate to charity shops or organisations
Donating your wedding dress is a great way to give another bride the chance to enjoy it. It is also a practical way to give your dress a new lease of life and spread kindness.
There are several charities that would be happy to take your wedding dress off your hands. Brides Across America, for example, accepts dresses that are five years old or less and passes them on for free to military and first responder brides. Brides for a Cause is another great option. They collect and resell wedding dresses to raise funds for women-focused charities. They accept new and once-worn dresses, and you can either pop your dress in the mail or drop it off locally.
If you're looking to donate your wedding dress to a charity shop, Cherie is a great option. They are a nonprofit charitable organisation that offers comprehensive fashion consultations and high-quality professional clothing for interviews, new jobs, and other major life events, such as weddings. You can drop off your dress in person at Cherie or at their sister store, Charity's First Picks.
It's important to note that most organisations require your dress to be professionally cleaned before donating. Additionally, some places have a limit on how old your dress can be, so it's best to donate sooner rather than later.
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Sell it online or to a store
If you're looking to sell your wedding dress online, there are several websites that can help you do so. Stillwhite, for example, is the world's largest marketplace for preowned wedding dresses, with over 97,000 wedding gowns for sale. You can list your dress for a small one-off fee and set your own price. The website offers a secure payment system and allows you to keep your contact details private.
Nearly Newlywed is another online marketplace where you can create a listing for your wedding dress, along with bridal party gowns and accessories. They offer guidance on optimizing your listing for their internal search engine and Google, suggesting that you include as many details as possible, such as the designer and style name, alterations, fit, and any unique features (like pockets!). You can also list accessories separately for a small fee.
If you prefer to sell your dress to a store, you can look for consignment bridal stores in your area that will consign for you. You can expect to receive around 30% of the cost of the dress back when selling through consignment.
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$115.05
Upcycle into a new garment
Upcycling your wedding dress is a great way to keep a tangible memory of your wedding day, and it's better for the environment too. There are many ways to transform your wedding dress into a new garment.
One option is to dye your dress a different colour. This can make it more wearable for non-wedding special occasions. While it is possible to dye a dress at home, it's recommended to go to a professional, as the outer and lining can shrink at different rates. Not all wedding dresses can be dyed, so check the label first. Silk dresses, for example, are usually a better choice for dyeing than those made from man-made textiles.
You could also transform your wedding dress into a completely new garment. For example, you could turn it into a skirt, or a bright yellow pleated skirt with pockets. You could also cut and sew the fabric into a new dress, like a blue formal dress. If you're handy with a needle and thread, you could even create a simple drawstring bag using the fabric from your dress.
Another option is to turn your wedding dress into a christening gown for your baby. This is a great way to create a new beautiful memory. A local seamstress should be able to help with this, or you could use a specialist company such as Little Doves or Infinity Keepsakes.
Finally, you could create a miniature replica of your wedding dress to keep as a keepsake. You could also use a piece of your wedding dress to create a wedding memory pillow, hand-sewn with the initials of the bride and groom and the wedding date.
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Pass it down to future generations
If you want to pass your wedding dress down to future generations, it is important to take the necessary steps to preserve it. Wedding dresses are perhaps the most special piece of clothing a person will ever own, and they are often passed down as family heirlooms. They hold significant sentimental value and are a living memory and symbol of love.
Preservation involves more than just dry-cleaning and hanging your dress in a garment bag. In fact, hanging a gown can do more harm than good over time, as the weight of the fabric can distort its shape. Similarly, storing a gown in a plastic bag or container can cause the fabric to yellow and deteriorate. Instead, it is recommended to store your dress in a preservation box or acid-free bag, away from light and moisture. Conservation scientists advise that textiles should be stored in a controlled climate with a temperature of 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 40 to 60 percent relative humidity.
Professional wedding dress preservation services can help you properly clean and store your gown. These services can vary in price, ranging from $300 to over $1000 for high-end couture cleaners. Preservation plays a crucial role in extending the life and beauty of a gown by protecting it from environmental factors and preventing discolouration.
If you plan to pass down your wedding dress, consider turning it into a veil or another wearable garment that can be worn again and cherished by future generations. You could also use the fabric to create household items such as pillows, tablecloths, or napkins, allowing you to enjoy a piece of your wedding day in your daily life.
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Give to organisations that make baby gowns
Wedding dresses are often costly and take up a lot of space, so it's understandable that you might want to get rid of yours. Donating your dress to organisations that make baby gowns is a meaningful way to recycle your wedding dress. Here are some organisations that you can consider donating to:
Angel Gowns for Angel Babies
Angel Gowns for Angel Babies is a charity that uses donated wedding dresses to create tiny baby gowns for newborns who have passed away. These dresses are then sent to hospitals, with each dress providing around 12 gowns. This organisation is a thoughtful way to bring comfort to grieving families and honour the precious lives of babies who have passed away too soon.
Little Angel Gowns
Little Angel Gowns is a charitable organisation that transforms wedding dresses into infant burial attire. They provide beautiful, handmade garments to grieving families at no charge, offering a personal way to acknowledge their loss. The organisation was founded by a career NICU nurse in Indianapolis in 2014, who recognised the need for appropriate burial garments for infants who do not survive. Little Angel Gowns offers a range of sizes and designs, including angel pods for infants too small for a gown.
Angel Gowns of Western New York (WNY)
Angel Gowns of WNY is a nonprofit charity that creates final photo and burial gowns for babies who never make it home from the hospital. They accept donations of new or used wedding gowns and work with volunteers to craft Angel Gowns. These gowns are then donated to hospitals, bereavement organisations, and funeral homes to provide comfort and support to bereaved parents.
Angel Gowns of North Texas
Angel Gowns of North Texas is an all-volunteer organisation that provides Angel Gowns to Texas families in need. They create gowns in a range of sizes, from the tiniest preemie to full-term, ensuring that no family has to bury their baby in clothing that doesn't fit. Their mission is to offer these Angel Gowns free of charge to any Texas family experiencing the loss of their baby.
By donating your wedding dress to one of these organisations, you can bring comfort to grieving families, honour the memory of babies who have passed away, and give your dress a new purpose. It's a meaningful way to spread kindness and support those going through an incredibly difficult time.
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Frequently asked questions
Some ways to get rid of a wedding dress include selling it online or to a store, donating it to a charity, or repurposing it.
Websites such as Stillwhite, Sell My Wedding Dress, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace are great places to list your wedding dress for sale. You can also sell it to a consignment bridal store.
Brides Across America accepts wedding dress donations of dresses that are five years old or less. Other charities that accept wedding dress donations include Oxfam, Barnardos Bridal, St Vincent De Paul, Wishing Well Foundation, Gift of a Wedding, and Angel Gowns for Angel Babies.
Some charities only accept clean dresses, so you may need to get your dress professionally cleaned before donating it. If you don't want to pay for professional cleaning, you can try gently hand washing it in the bath or machine washing it on a gentle cycle.
You can repurpose your wedding dress by altering it to fit your personal style, such as turning it into a cocktail dress. You can also get crafty and transform it into something new, such as decorative pillows or handbags. Alternatively, you can pass it down to the next generation as a vintage piece.
