A wedding dress is one of the most expensive—and sentimental—pieces of clothing a woman can own. And while some brides choose to preserve their dresses for future wear, many brides decide that the benefits of donating their bridal gowns outweigh the sentimental attachment. Donated dresses are passed on to brides in need for free or sold at a discount to raise money for various charities and causes. If you’re considering donating your wedding dress, it’s important to do your research before choosing the right charity.
Many thrift stores accept donated wedding dresses, and proceeds from sales support job programs, housing, veterans, and more. To avoid contamination, thrift stores often require that donated dresses be professionally cleaned before being accepted. It’s also best to donate your wedding dress in a garment bag rather than an old box, as lace and beads can easily get ripped and stained.
Founded in 2012, this nonprofit bridal store sells used and vintage wedding dresses to raise funds for dozens of women-focused charities. The proceeds from each sale help women in need, including military wives and single mothers, and the store donates more than $1.2 million to date. You can donate your dress to the store online, through its mobile app, or at one of its many drop-off locations and roadshow events.
In addition to selling wedding dresses, Brides for a Cause is a great place to donate bridal accessories and other bridal items. All donations are tax-deductible, and the store’s online form makes it easy to schedule a pickup or drop-off. It’s worth contacting the store directly before donating to find out their specific donation policies.
Librarian Adele Puccio knows that picking out a wedding dress can be one of the most emotional and costly aspects of a wedding, and she’s aiming to give brides a chance to say “yes” without breaking the bank. Puccio started collecting dresses in her spare time and now has a collection of more than 100 that she lends to brides-to-be at the Maurice M. Pine Free Public Library in Fair Lawn, New Jersey.
As her collection of dresses has garnered more publicity, brides-to-be have flooded her with requests for dresses to try on. Her ever-growing stock is even more valuable in the current pandemic, when couples are struggling to afford their dream weddings.
While some bridal boutiques donate their unused gowns to charities, Emma and Evan repurposes the dresses into infant burial or angel gowns, bonnets, and other keepsake items for families who’ve suffered the loss of a child. The organization accepts any wedding gowns, as well as flower girl and prom dresses, and even bridal accessories and shoes.
Donated wedding dresses are usually passed on to brides for free, but this nonprofit also sells gowns and other bridal items to raise money for its various breast cancer-related causes. The nonprofit offers financial assistance to breast cancer patients, as well as free mammograms and other screening services for those in need.