Rhiannon Hendricks
Wedding dresses are often expensive, and many brides struggle to afford their dream gown. Donating your wedding dress can help make a couple's wedding dreams come true. It also helps the environment by reducing waste and pollution and frees up storage space. Many charitable organizations accept wedding dress donations, including Goodwill, Salvation Army, Brides Across America, Brides for a Cause, and Brides Against Breast Cancer. These organizations resell the donated dresses at affordable prices or give them away for free to brides in need, such as military brides or first responders. Some organizations also use the proceeds to fund various charitable programs and causes, such as cancer research, disaster relief, human rights, and environmental protection.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reasons to donate | Free up closet space, help someone in need, receive a tax deduction, reduce waste and pollution, give the dress a second life, help the environment |
| Donation centers | Goodwill, Salvation Army, Brides Across America, Brides for a Cause, Brides Against Breast Cancer, Cherie Sustainable Bridal, NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown program, The Brides Project, Adorned in Grace, Cherie Amour, Success in Style, The Emma and Evan Foundation, Wish Upon A Wedding, Fairytale Brides on a Shoestring |
| Donation criteria | Most organizations accept dresses that are less than 4-5 years old, in good condition, and recently cleaned |
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What You'll Learn
Charities that accept wedding dresses over 100 years old
Wedding dresses hold immense sentimental value, but they can also take up a lot of storage space. Donating your wedding dress is a great way to honour it and give it a new life. There are several charities that accept wedding dress donations, and here are some options for you:
Brides for a Cause
Brides for a Cause is a bridal store based in the Northwest with showrooms in Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Sacramento. They collect and resell wedding dresses to raise funds for local and national women-focused charities. They accept new and once-worn dresses, and you can either mail your dress or drop it off in person.
Brides Across America
Brides Across America is a nonprofit organisation that provides free wedding dresses to military and first responder brides at Operation Wedding Gown events twice a year. They accept wedding gowns, veils, and jewellery that are less than four years old and in wearable condition.
Adorned in Grace
Adorned in Grace has stores in Oregon and Arizona and offers wedding dresses, formal attire, mother-of-the-bride dresses, and other wedding accessories. Their profits support efforts to prevent and raise awareness of sex trafficking.
Cherie Sustainable Bridal
Cherie Sustainable Bridal in Maryland donates wedding 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 do not require professional cleaning before donation.
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 grieving families free of charge to provide comfort and support during their time of loss.
Brides Against Breast Cancer
Brides Against Breast Cancer is a nonprofit organisation that resells wedding dresses to raise funds for breast cancer awareness, early detection, and environmental impact reduction. They accept wedding dresses that are 3-5 years old and in excellent condition, as well as bridal accessories.
While these organisations typically accept newer dresses, you can contact them directly to inquire about donating your vintage wedding dress from 1910. They may have specific programs or suggestions for how your dress can be used to support their causes.
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Charities that repurpose wedding dresses
Wedding dresses are often only worn once, and if you're never going to wear yours again, it's likely taking up valuable space in your closet. Donating your wedding dress is a great way to give it a second life and help out a good cause. Here are some charities that repurpose wedding dresses:
Brides for a Cause
Brides for a Cause is a bridal store that raises funds for charity by reselling donated wedding gowns. They have showrooms in Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Sacramento, and since opening in 2012, they have donated over $2.5 million to charities supporting women in the military, single mothers, abuse survivors, and more. They accept wedding dresses no more than five years old, as well as bridal accessories, and you can mail or drop off your donation at one of their store locations.
Brides Against Breast Cancer
Brides Against Breast Cancer is a nonprofit organization that resells pre-owned wedding dresses to raise money for breast cancer awareness, early detection, and reducing the environmental impact of wedding dress manufacturing. 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 client service to receive shipping instructions.
The Brides Project
Based in Michigan, The Brides Project raises money for programs and services at the Cancer Support Community of Greater Ann Arbor by reselling donated wedding dresses. They accept gently used dresses from former brides and brand-new dresses donated from bridal salons.
NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown Program
The NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown Program accepts wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses, which seamstresses then remake into gowns for photos and burial services for infants of bereaved parents. They maintain a waitlist and connect seamstresses with nearby donations as needed.
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.
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Charities that support women
There are many reasons to donate your wedding dress. You can help a bride in need, reduce waste and pollution, and free up storage space. Charities that accept wedding dress donations include Brides for a Cause, Brides Against Breast Cancer, Brides Across America, Adorned in Grace, and Cherie Sustainable Bridal.
- Women for Women International: This organization works at the intersection of women and conflict, providing skills, knowledge, and resources to create sustainable change for women, their families, and communities in 17 countries affected by conflict. You can donate to help a survivor of war learn life-changing skills.
- MADRE: This charity helps women in marginalized communities reach leadership positions and have their voices heard.
- UNICEF: UNICEF provides girls with learning environments and tools to receive a quality education, regardless of their resources. They also have programs focusing on preventing gender-based violence, ending child marriage, eliminating female genital mutilation, and supporting menstrual health management, among other issues affecting girls and women.
- National Women's Law Center (NWLC): The NWLC advocates for women's rights and LGBTQ+ rights through litigation, policy, and cultural change initiatives.
- Global Fund for Women: This fund supports the work of feminist activists by providing funding for women's rights initiatives worldwide.
- Women's International League for Peace and Freedom: This feminist organization promotes peaceful and sustainable alternatives to crises and conflicts, amplifying the voices of women and their allies.
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Charities that support military brides
If you're looking to donate your wedding dress from 1910 to support military brides, here are some charities to consider:
Brides Across America (BAA)
Brides Across America is a non-profit organisation that gifts weddings and wedding gowns to military personnel and first responders. They accept donated wedding dresses and pass them on for free to military and first responder brides at Operation Wedding Gown events twice a year. BAA has outfitted more than 28,000 women since 2008. To donate, fill out their online form with details about your gown, veil, and jewellery. Items should be less than four years old and in wearable condition.
Brides for a Cause
Brides for a Cause is a bridal store that raises funds for charities supporting women in the military, single mothers, abuse survivors, and more. They accept wedding dresses no more than five years old and bridal accessories. You can mail or drop off your donations at one of their store locations or roadshow events.
The BAA Outlet
The BAA Outlet in Andover, Massachusetts, features over 1,000 wedding gowns in stock, ranging from sizes 00 to 24, donated by individuals, designers, bridal salons, and manufacturers. Dresses start at $99, and the proceeds support the BAA's mission of gifting weddings and wedding gowns to military personnel and first responders.
Donating your wedding dress from 1910 to these charities can be a meaningful way to support military brides and first responders. Your donation can help make their dream weddings a reality while also honouring the history and sentiment of your dress.
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Charities that support bereaved parents
There are several charities that support bereaved parents. Here are some options:
Winston's Wish
Winston's Wish provides digital bereavement information, advice, and support for grieving young people across the UK. They also advise adults who are caring for grieving young people, including parents, school staff, and healthcare professionals. You can contact them via phone, email, or online chat.
Bereaved Parents USA
Bereaved Parents USA is a national bereavement service for grieving families, with 56 chapters across the United States. They provide resources and support groups for grieving parents and siblings. You can donate directly through their website, start a local chapter, or sign up for their newsletter.
Judi's House
Judi's House was founded by Brian Griese and his wife, Dr. Brook Griese, after Brian lost his mother at a young age. They offer comprehensive grief care, as well as training, research, and education to grieving families. Judi's House has a 3-star rating from Charity Navigator and a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.
The Compassionate Friends
The Compassionate Friends is a non-profit organization that has been providing support to bereaved families after the death of a child for five decades. They have a network of over 500 chapters across the United States, as well as Washington DC and Puerto Rico. They offer friendship, understanding, and hope to those going through the grieving process. You can connect and share via their online support groups or private Facebook groups.
Evermore
Evermore is a national, nonpartisan nonprofit founded by Joyal Mulheron to improve bereavement support in the United States after experiencing a lack of support while grieving the death of her daughter. They work to improve bereavement support for all bereaved children and families through policy and practice change.
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Frequently asked questions
Charities such as Goodwill and Salvation Army accept wedding dress donations and sell them in their thrift stores across the US. Brides for a Cause, a bridal store that raises funds for charity, also accepts wedding dress donations and has showrooms in Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Sacramento. However, most charities only accept wedding dresses that are less than 5 years old, so your vintage dress may be too old for many of these organizations.
Donating your wedding dress is a great way to give it a second life and bring joy to a bride-to-be who may not be able to afford a wedding dress. It also helps the environment by reducing waste and pollution and frees up closet space.
You can donate your wedding dress to organizations such as Brides Against Breast Cancer, which resells gently used wedding gowns to raise money for breast cancer awareness and early detection. You can also donate to Wish Upon A Wedding, which helps couples facing terminal illness celebrate their dream wedding or vow renewal.
Yes, you can donate your wedding dress to organizations such as the Emma and Evan Foundation, which transforms wedding dresses into beautiful infant burial gowns, also known as Angel Gowns, for families who have lost a baby. Cherie Amour is another charity that accepts outdated gowns and has volunteer designers and seamstresses who transform the dresses into contemporary styles.
