Lyla Dejesus
What to do with a wedding dress after a divorce is a difficult question and a very personal decision. Some people may want to keep the dress, perhaps for a daughter to wear at her own wedding, or to donate to an organisation that makes gowns for babies who have passed away. Others may want to get rid of the dress, by selling, donating, or destroying it. Some people may want to keep the dress for a period of time before making a decision about what to do with it.
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What You'll Learn
Donate it to a charity that helps women in need
Divorce is a difficult time, and it can be hard to know what to do with your wedding dress, which may bring up conflicting emotions. Donating your dress to charity can be a great way to help other women in need, while also giving your dress a new life and meaning.
One option is to donate your dress to an organisation that will pass it on to a bride in need. Brides Across America, for example, gives dresses to military brides and first responders. Other organisations, such as Every Girl's Dream in Michigan, accept dresses for brides facing financial hardship. Brides for a Cause operates showrooms in Washington and Sacramento, where they resell wedding dresses to benefit women-centred charities. Cherie Sustainable Bridal in Maryland is another great option, as they support the Success in Style nonprofit, which offers job search skills and clothing to clients in crisis.
If your dress is no more than five years old, you could donate it to Adorned in Grace, which helps in the fight against human sex trafficking. They have shops in Oregon, Washington, and Arizona, where women can purchase donated wedding dresses, with proceeds supporting awareness and prevention efforts.
Another heartwarming option is to donate your dress to the NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown Program, which transforms wedding dresses into beautiful burial garments for babies who have passed away. This program provides grieving families with a special garment for their baby's final journey home, as well as free mentoring and resources to help them through this difficult time.
Donating your wedding dress to a charity that helps women in need is a meaningful way to give back and support others while also bringing new purpose to your dress.
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Turn it into a family heirloom
Passing down your wedding dress as a family heirloom can be a great way to repurpose it after a divorce. While some people may associate the dress with their ex-partner, others may associate it with their family and the love and support they received on their wedding day.
One idea is to pass down the dress to your child. They may choose to wear it at their own wedding, as their mother did, or they may opt to alter it and make it their own. Alternatively, the dress can be passed down to future generations as an heirloom. It can be preserved and stored away until the time comes for it to be worn again.
Another option is to repurpose the wedding dress into something new. For example, the dress can be used to create costumes for grandchildren, as a way to involve them in the family heirloom. The dress can also be donated to organisations such as NICU Helping Hands, which provides comfort to grieving families who have lost a newborn. Volunteer seamstresses transform donated wedding dresses into beautiful baby gowns for their final journey home. Similarly, Brides Across America is an organisation that gives away wedding dresses to military brides, first responders, and veterans.
While passing down your wedding dress as a family heirloom can be a meaningful way to repurpose it, it is important to consider your own emotions associated with the dress. For some, the dress may carry too much pain and emotion, and it may be better to part with it in a different way. It is also important to consider the time that has passed since the divorce. Keeping the dress out of sight for a few years and then deciding what to do with it may be a better option for those who are newly separated or divorced.
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Have a post-divorce photoshoot
A post-divorce photoshoot can be a powerful way to celebrate your new beginning and close the chapter on your marriage. It can be a therapeutic way to express your emotions and a fun way to move on. Here are some ideas for a post-divorce photoshoot with your wedding dress:
Wear Your Wedding Dress with a Twist
If you want to give your wedding dress a new life, style it differently for a post-divorce photoshoot. You can wear it with a pair of leather boots, just like one woman did on her wedding day, and still does every winter. You can also wear it with some "hot boudoir lingerie" to feel sexy and powerful, exploring your sensuality and reclaiming your power.
Get Creative with Props
Add some creative props to your wedding dress photoshoot to make it fun and playful. You can use signboards with powerful and witty quotes, or even a "Just Divorced" banner. If you want to be more subtle, simply rip up photos of your ex or your wedding day. You could also add a bouquet or some cake for a glamorous touch.
Destroy Your Dress
If you want to truly let go of the past, you can destroy your wedding dress in a symbolic way. You could burn it, rip it, paint on it, or even use it for a food fight. One idea is to attach it to a large stick, douse it in gasoline, and then wave it like a flag as it burns. Alternatively, you can cut it up and use the fabric to create something new, such as costumes for your grandchildren.
Involve Your Ex
If you and your ex are on good terms, you can even involve them in the photoshoot. You can do a fun activity together, such as a paint fight in your wedding outfits, or simply strike some playful poses. This can help you mend fences and move on amicably.
Include Your Support System
A post-divorce photoshoot doesn't have to be a solo endeavour. You can involve your support system, such as your children, friends, or even a bridesmaid. Dress up together and create some fun memories to celebrate your new beginning.
Remember, a post-divorce photoshoot is about embracing your newfound independence and closing the chapter on your marriage. It's a chance to express yourself freely and move forward with confidence.
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Repurpose the dress into something new
Repurpose the wedding dress into something new:
If you are handy with a needle and thread, or know someone who is, you could repurpose your wedding dress into something new. This could be a way to symbolically move on from your divorce, while still retaining something that may hold sentimental value.
One idea is to turn the dress into a new outfit for yourself. You could alter it into a shorter dress for a more casual look, or even turn it into a blouse or skirt. If you have children, you could repurpose the dress into a special outfit for them, such as a christening gown or a flower girl dress.
If you're feeling creative, you could try dyeing the dress a different colour, or adding embellishments such as beads or lace to give it a new look. You could even cut the dress up to create something completely different, such as a quilt or cushion covers.
If sewing isn't your forte, you could always donate your dress to a charity that repurposes wedding dresses. For example, Brides Across America donates wedding dresses to military brides, while Adorned in Grace sells dresses to fund the fight against human sex trafficking. Alternatively, you could donate your dress to an organisation that makes gowns for babies who were stillborn or died as infants, such as the Angel Gown Program.
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Store it away for now
If you're not sure what to do with your wedding dress after a divorce, storing it away for the time being is a good option. This gives you time to process your emotions and make a decision about the dress when you feel ready.
You could store the dress in a preservation box, which will keep it in good condition. You might want to consider a professional wedding dress cleaning and preservation service, which will clean and preserve your dress using advanced fabric technology. This will ensure your dress stays in the best possible condition if you decide to take it out of storage in the future.
If you don't want to pay for a professional service, you can store the dress yourself. Consider storing it in a box in a cool, dry place, such as an attic or basement. You could also keep it in the back of your closet, although you may want to avoid this if seeing the dress causes you pain or negative emotions.
Some people choose to keep their wedding dress in storage for many years after a divorce. For example, one person kept their dress in an airtight preservation box in their basement for 13 years before opening it again. Another person stored their dress under their bed.
Storing your dress away gives you the option to try it on again in the future, which could offer a path to healing, acceptance, and peace. It also allows you to hold onto the dress for sentimental reasons, such as passing it on to a daughter who may want to wear it at her own wedding.
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Frequently asked questions
There are many options for what to do with a wedding dress after a divorce. Some people choose to donate their dress to charity, either to be resold or repurposed, while others decide to keep their dress as a memento. Alternatively, you could sell the dress, give it to a friend or family member, or destroy it as a symbolic act of moving on.
There are several organisations that accept wedding dress donations. For example, Brides Across America gives dresses to military brides, while Adorned in Grace resells dresses and uses the proceeds to fight human sex trafficking. You could also donate your dress to a thrift shop or a local domestic violence resale shop.
Some people repurpose their wedding dresses into costumes for their children or grandchildren. Others donate their dresses to organisations that turn them into gowns for babies who have passed away, such as the Angel Gown Program.
