Lyla Dejesus
Wedding dresses are often steeped in sentimentality, but they can also take up a lot of closet space. Donating your wedding dress can be a great way to free up space while also helping someone in need. There are many organizations that accept wedding dress donations, including Brides for a Cause, Brides Against Breast Cancer, and Brides Across America. These organizations use the donated dresses to raise funds for various causes, such as cancer research, supporting military brides, or providing discounted dresses to underprivileged women. Donating your wedding dress can also help reduce waste and pollution, and you may even be able to claim a tax deduction for your contribution. So, if you're looking to give your antique wedding dress a second life, consider reaching out to one of these organizations or doing some research to find a cause that resonates with you.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reasons to donate | Free up closet space, receive a tax deduction, help someone in need, give the dress a second life, reduce waste and pollution, and reduce your carbon footprint |
| Charities that accept donations | Brides for a Cause, Brides Against Breast Cancer, Brides Across America, Goodwill, Salvation Army, Adorned in Grace, Cherie Sustainable Bridal, Success in Style, The White Dress by the Shore, Fairytale Brides on a Shoestring, Wish Upon a Wedding, The Emma and Evan Foundation |
| Charity focus | Charities supporting women, breast cancer awareness and detection, military brides, couples facing terminal illness, underprivileged women, families who have lost newborns, and more |
| Donation criteria | Dresses typically need to be less than 4-5 years old and in good condition; some charities accept outdated gowns |
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What You'll Learn
Charities that accept antique wedding dresses
Antique wedding dresses can be donated to several charitable organizations that either pass them on to brides in need or sell them at a discount to raise funds for various causes.
Brides Against Breast Cancer
Brides Against Breast Cancer is a nonprofit organization that resells gently used wedding gowns to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and early detection. The organization has sold over 50,000 donated wedding dresses since its founding in 1997. They accept wedding dresses that are 3-5 years old and in excellent condition, as well as bridal accessories.
Brides for a Cause
Brides for a Cause is a bridal store that operates showrooms in Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Sacramento. They collect and resell wedding dresses, with the profits going to charities that support women in need, including those in the military, single mothers, and abuse survivors. They accept wedding dresses that are no more than five years old and in wearable condition, along with bridal accessories.
The Emma and Evan Foundation
The Emma and Evan Foundation transforms donated wedding dresses into Angel Gowns, which are burial gowns for infants who have passed away. These memorial gowns are offered free of charge to hospitals, birthing centers, funeral homes, and grieving families. The organization accepts wedding dress donations year-round and provides details for mailing or dropping off donations.
NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown Program
The NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown Program accepts wedding dress donations and uses the fabric to create gowns for photos and burial services honoring infants who have passed away. The organization connects seamstresses with nearby donations of wedding or bridesmaid dresses in light shades of blue, pink, and purple.
The Brides Project
Based in Michigan, The Brides Project raises funds for programs and services at the Cancer Support Community of Greater Ann Arbor. They accept donated wedding dresses from all over the country, including gently used and new dresses, and resell them to raise funds for support groups, counseling services, nutrition workshops, and more.
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Benefits of donating your wedding dress
Wedding dresses are often only worn once and can be extremely expensive. By donating your wedding dress, you can help a bride in need, give your dress a second life, and free up storage space.
Many brides struggle to afford their dream wedding, especially during the pandemic when millions of people faced unemployment or a decrease in income. Donating your wedding dress can help provide a dress for a bride experiencing financial hardship. Charities such as Brides for a Cause and Brides Across America pass on donated wedding dresses to brides in need, either for free or at an affordable price. Brides Against Breast Cancer, for example, resells gently used wedding gowns to raise money for breast cancer awareness and early detection.
Donating your wedding dress is also beneficial for the environment. The production of new clothes and textiles uses hundreds of gallons of water and causes 10% of global carbon emissions. Donating your dress helps to reduce your carbon footprint by ensuring it stays out of a landfill, where it would release carbon dioxide and other toxins into the air.
Additionally, you can receive a tax deduction for donating your wedding dress to a charitable organization. As a taxpayer, you can claim your charitable contributions as itemized deductions when filing your taxes.
Finally, donating your wedding dress can be a way to honor your dress and give it new life. Through your generosity, someone else can experience the joy your dress brought you on your wedding day.
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Charities that repurpose wedding dresses
Donating your wedding dress is a great way to give it a second life and support a cause or bride in need. Here are some charities that repurpose wedding dresses:
Brides Against Breast Cancer
Brides Against Breast Cancer is a nonprofit organization that resells gently used wedding gowns to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and early detection programs. The company, founded in 1997, is based in Atlanta and has sold over 50,000 donated wedding dresses, helping to prevent misdiagnosis and promote early detection of breast cancer.
Brides for a Cause
Brides for a Cause is a nonprofit bridal store with showrooms in Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Sacramento. They collect and resell wedding dresses to raise funds for various women-focused charities. Since 2012, Brides for a Cause has donated over $1.2 million to charities supporting women in the military, single mothers, abuse survivors, and more. They accept wedding dresses no more than five years old, along with bridal accessories.
The Emma and Evan Foundation
The Emma and Evan Foundation transforms donated wedding dresses into Angel Gowns, which are burial gowns for infants who have passed away. These memorial gowns are offered to hospitals, birthing centers, funeral homes, and grieving families free of charge, providing comfort and support during a difficult time. The foundation has a network of volunteers across the US dedicated to helping families facing the loss of a baby.
NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown Program
The NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown Program accepts wedding dresses and bridesmaids' dresses, which seamstresses remake into gowns for photos and burial services honouring infants who have passed away. This organization connects seamstresses with nearby donations and works to support bereaved families.
Adorned in Grace
Adorned in Grace is a bridal store in Oregon and Arizona that sells wedding dresses, formal attire, mother-of-the-bride dresses, and other wedding-related items. The company uses its profits to support efforts to prevent and raise awareness of sex trafficking. Donating your wedding dress to Adorned in Grace can help make a difference in this important cause.
By donating your wedding dress to one of these charities, you can give back to the community, support important causes, and provide joy to others.
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Organisations that accept wedding dress donations
Wedding dresses are often only worn once, and if you're not planning on wearing yours again, it will just be taking up valuable closet space. Donating your wedding dress can be a great way to give back to the community and support a variety of causes. Here are some organizations that accept wedding dress donations:
- Brides Against Breast Cancer: This nonprofit organization resells gently used wedding gowns at affordable prices to raise funds for breast cancer awareness, early detection, and misdiagnosis prevention. They accept wedding dresses that are 3-5 years old and in excellent condition, as well as bridal accessories. You can use their donation form, email them, or contact their client service for shipping instructions.
- Brides for a Cause: This nonprofit collects and resells wedding dresses to support various local and national women-focused charities. They accept new and once-worn dresses that are five years old or newer. You can mail your dress or drop it off at one of their four locations: Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, or Sacramento.
- Brides Across America: This nonprofit provides free wedding dresses to military and first responder brides at their Operation Wedding Gown events held twice a year. They accept wedding dresses, veils, and jewelry that are less than four years old and in wearable condition. You can fill out their online form to see if your items meet their acceptance criteria.
- The Emma and Evan Foundation: This organization transforms donated wedding dresses into Angel Gowns, which are burial gowns for infants who have passed away. These memorial gowns are offered to hospitals, birthing centers, funeral homes, and grieving families at no cost. They accept donations year-round and provide details for mailing or dropping off your wedding dress.
- NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown Program: This program accepts wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses (in light shades of blue, pink, and purple) and uses them to create gowns for photos and burial services honoring infants of bereaved parents. They maintain a waitlist and connect seamstresses with nearby donations.
- Adorned in Grace: This bridal store in Oregon and Arizona uses the profits from the sale of donated wedding dresses and other formal attire to support efforts to prevent and raise awareness of sex trafficking.
- Cherie Sustainable Bridal: Located in Maryland, Cherie Sustainable Bridal donates gowns to Success in Style, a nonprofit that provides professional clothing and interview skills to clients in crisis. They accept designer gowns that are less than five years old and also sell donated bridesmaid dresses at their partner store.
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How to donate your wedding dress
Donating your wedding dress is a great way to help a bride in need, give your dress a second life, and free up closet space. There are many organizations that accept wedding dress donations, and choosing the right one for you may depend on the age of your dress, your personal values, and the location of the organization. Here is a guide on how to donate your wedding dress:
Choose an organization
Firstly, you should select an organization to donate to. You can do this by conducting a simple internet search for "donate your wedding dress", which will bring up many great resources and directories of wedding dress donation options. You can also search for organizations local to you. Some organizations, such as Brides for a Cause, have multiple locations, so you can choose the one closest to you.
Research the organization
Once you have found an organization that you think may be a good fit, it is important to research them thoroughly. Ensure that it is a reputable company and confirm what charity or cause it is benefiting. You may also want to select an organization that supports a cause that has significance to you.
Check the dress criteria
Some organizations have criteria for the dresses they accept. For example, Brides Against Breast Cancer accepts dresses that are 3-5 years old and in excellent condition. Cherie Amour accepts outdated gowns, but other charities may only accept dresses less than 5 years old.
Donate
Once you have found an organization that you are happy with, you can donate your dress. Many organizations will allow you to mail in your dress, or you can drop it off in person.
Claim your tax deduction
As a taxpayer, you can claim your charitable contributions as itemized deductions when filing your taxes. So, once you have donated your dress, be sure to keep any relevant receipts and claim your contribution.
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Frequently asked questions
Brides Against Breast Cancer is a nonprofit organisation that accepts wedding dress donations to resell and raise money for breast cancer awareness and early detection.
The Emma and Evan Foundation transforms donated wedding dresses into infant burial gowns, also known as Angel Gowns. These are offered free of charge to grieving families.
Cherie Amour and its sister organisation, Success in Style, are charitable organisations based in Maryland that accept outdated wedding gowns. Cherie Amour uses the proceeds from the sale of donated wedding dresses to fund Success in Style, which offers professional clothing and basic interview skills to clients in crisis.
