Junior Rasmussen
Wearing your mother's wedding dress is a popular trend that many brides are following, especially due to the resurgence of vintage aesthetics. It is a sweet way to honour your mother and incorporate a sense of nostalgia and family tradition into your wedding celebration. However, the style of the dress may not be to your taste, or it may not fit you. In this case, there are many ways to repurpose your mother's wedding dress, such as altering it to create a more modern look, or using the fabric to create accessories like a veil, garter, clutch, or bouquet wrap.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wear the dress | Wear the dress as is or with some alterations |
| Repurpose the fabric | Create a veil, garter, clutch, handkerchief, ring pillow, bouquet wrap, or a patch on the inside of the bridal gown |
| Create accessories | Use the fabric to create accessories such as rosettes, hair accessories, or a chuppah |
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What You'll Learn
Wear the dress as it is
Wearing your mother's wedding dress is a thoughtful way to honour your family matriarch and incorporate a sense of nostalgia and tradition into your wedding celebration. While you can wear the dress in its original condition, the vintage garment might look outdated, and it may not reflect your personal style or work with your body type.
If you are set on wearing the dress as it is, you can still make small adjustments to the dress to make it more comfortable and movable. For example, you could shorten the length and remove the sleeves. If the dress requires more work, a skilled seamstress will be able to transform the gown into a more modern and flattering piece.
If the dress is too big, you could convert it into a jacket, which you could wear on your wedding day or save for other occasions. You could also remove the fabric from the front of the dress to create a high-low hemline, keeping a longer skirt at the back. This alteration creates a playful look while preserving the original design.
If you are happy with the overall design of your mother's wedding dress, wearing it as it is can be a beautiful way to honour your mother and include her in your wedding celebration.
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Create a custom veil
Creating a custom veil from your mother's wedding dress is a beautiful way to honour your mom and include her in your special day. This process can transform her old wedding veil or gown into something special for you while preserving the family legacy.
Firstly, you must decide whether to engage a professional or undertake this project yourself. If you opt for a professional, you can send your dress to a company like One Blushing Bride or Unbox the Dress, who will work with you to create a cherished heirloom. They will guide you through the process, offering design consultations and supplementary fabric to maximise the transformation of heavily damaged or low-fabric dresses.
If you decide to create the veil yourself, you must carefully deconstruct the dress, preserving the elements you wish to incorporate into the veil. This could be the beading, lace, or satin. You will need to carefully remove each tiny stitch to avoid damaging the fabric. Then, clean and dry the fabric, laying it flat to avoid wrinkles. You can also soak the fabric in lukewarm water with a restoration fabric restorer to remove stains and dirt.
Once the fabric is prepared, you can begin designing your veil. Consider the style and length you desire, and whether you wish to include any embellishments like beading or crystals. You can also add a personal touch by attaching a section of beading or lace from your mother's dress near the comb of the veil. This process ensures you honour your mother's legacy while creating something that represents you and your style.
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Make a wedding garter
If you're looking to make a wedding garter using your mom's wedding dress, there are a few ways to go about it. You can choose to make it yourself or work with a designer to create a custom garter. Here are some detailed steps and ideas to guide you through the process:
Working with a Designer:
The Garter Girl, Julianne Smith, is a popular designer who specialises in creating custom wedding garters using a bride's mother's wedding dress or veil. She offers a unique service where she incorporates the dress's fabric, lace, or veil into the design of the garter, turning it into a cherished heirloom. You can contact her through her website or email to discuss your specific requests and design ideas.
DIY Wedding Garter:
If you're feeling crafty, you can also make a wedding garter using your mom's wedding dress at home. Here's a simple process to follow:
- Measure the bride's leg and multiply that measurement by 1.5 to get the length of fabric needed. Cut a strip of fabric about 3" wide. You can use the lace, satin, or any suitable fabric from your mom's wedding dress.
- Fold the fabric in half with the right sides together and stitch along the long edge. Press the seam with an iron.
- Cut two pieces of tulle slightly longer than the fabric strip and a little wider. Place the satin or lace fabric on top of the tulle, close to each edge, and sew them together.
- Take a piece of ribbon and centre it on top of the lace. Pin it in place and stitch along the edges of the ribbon.
- Fold the garter in half with the ribbon on the inside and stitch the back seam, being careful not to stitch over the ribbon area.
- Attach a safety pin to one end of a piece of elastic and insert it into the casing between the ribbon and lace. Guide the elastic through, and the lace will begin to gather.
- Stitch over the back seam to secure the elastic, and then stitch again for added security.
- Embellish the garter with any remaining fabric, lace, or ribbon. You can sew on additional decorations or use a glue gun for a secure hold.
Remember, you can always adapt this process to fit your specific design ideas and the amount of fabric available from your mom's wedding dress.
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Sew a ring cushion
Sewing a ring cushion is a great way to repurpose your mom's wedding dress. Here is a step-by-step guide to creating a beautiful and meaningful ring cushion:
Selecting the Fabric and Preparing the Cushion Pieces
Start by choosing a fabric that holds sentimental value and complements your wedding theme. Cut two squares of fabric, one measuring 7.5 inches by 7.5 inches for the back and the other 7.5 inches by 17 inches for the top piece. On the longer top piece, make small chalk marks at 2-inch intervals along the long sides, ensuring they are directly opposite each other.
Folding and Stitching the Fabric
Use an iron to press the fabric, folding it so that every other chalk mark matches up. Pin the pieces together, keeping the right sides of the fabric facing each other. Stitch the pieces together using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. You can use a sewing machine or sew by hand. Remember to select the appropriate stitch plate and needle settings if using a machine.
Creating the Cushion Shape
Trim the pillow top to a 9-inch by 9-inch square. Turn the pillow cover right side out and stuff it with fiberfill to achieve your desired fullness. Hand-stitch the opening closed. You can also add a decorative touch by sewing or gluing ribbons, beads, or buttons that match your wedding colors.
Attaching the Ribbons and Rings
Cut a 30-inch piece of ribbon to tie the rings to the cushion. You can adjust the length to your preference. Sew or tie the ribbon to the center of the cushion, creating a bow. You can also add a shorter ribbon handle to the bottom of the pillow for the ring bearer to hold. Finally, tie the rings onto the ribbon, and your ring cushion is ready!
Feel free to add your own creative touches and embellishments to make this ring cushion unique and reflective of your wedding vision.
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Craft a bridal purse
If you want to use your mother's wedding dress as part of your bridal outfit without wearing it as a dress, one option is to craft a bridal purse or clutch from the material. This is a great way to keep a piece of your mother's dress with you throughout your wedding day and beyond.
There are a few ways to go about this. Firstly, you could use the material or lace from your mother's wedding dress to craft a bridal purse. If you're handy with a needle and thread, you could attempt this yourself, or you could enlist the help of a professional dressmaker or a craftsperson who specialises in this type of work. There are artisans on Etsy who can create bridal purses from your mother's wedding dress, using either the entire dress or just details from it, such as lace and pearls, to decorate the purse.
Another option is to use your mother's wedding dress as the lining of your bridal purse. This way, you can carry a piece of your mother's dress with you in a more subtle way. You could also use the fabric from your mother's dress to create a purse or clutch for a flower girl or bridesmaid, or even for the ring bearer's pillow.
If you're not keen on cutting up your mother's wedding dress, you could instead opt to use a sample of the fabric to decorate your bridal purse. Alternatively, you could use the fabric to wrap your bridal bouquet, creating a beautiful and sentimental accessory.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to repurpose your mother's wedding dress for your wedding. You can get alterations made to the dress to make it more modern, or you can use parts of the dress for other purposes, such as wrapping fabric from the dress around your bouquet or making a wedding garter.
A skilled tailor can work wonders on an outdated design. You can work with a specialist to remove the sleeves from the dress to create an off-the-shoulder or strapless neckline, or cut off the train to create a mini or high-low hemline. You can also transform the dress into a completely different type of garment, such as a pantsuit or jacket.
You can use the fabric from your mother's wedding dress to wrap around the stems of your bouquet. You can also make a wedding garter, a ring bearer pillow, or a bridal purse.
You can wear the dress as it is, or you can incorporate parts of it into your outfit, such as wearing it as a skirt or using the fabric as a wrap for your bouquet. You can also include the dress in your photos by having your mom or another family member hold it while you pose in your wedding outfit.
