If you’re like many brides, you want to save your wedding dress as a keepsake or hand it down to your daughters. However, if you don’t think you’ll ever wear it again or are simply tired of the draping and heavy material, you may feel like your bridal gown isn’t getting much use anymore. Instead of letting it collect dust in your closet, consider giving it a new life by donating your dress. Besides helping someone else and potentially getting a tax deduction (if you’re able to do so), this is an eco-friendly option that keeps your gown out of the landfill. Plus, it frees up storage space!
You can donate your dress to a variety of charities and thrift shops. However, you should contact each one in advance to determine what their specific needs are and how they will clean the dress. Many of these options also require the dress to be in good condition and no more than five years old.
Some charities may even charge an extra fee for cleaning the dress, but you’ll likely be able to get that money back when you file your taxes at the end of the year.
Brides Against Breast Cancer is an example of an organization that specializes in reselling bridal dresses to help raise money for breast cancer awareness and early detection. Founded in 1997, the nonprofit has sold more than 50,000 donated dresses over the past two decades.
The proceeds from the sales of donated wedding dresses help the organization fund educational programs and support services for women battling breast cancer, including support groups, counseling, nutrition workshops, and more. This organization accepts all styles of dresses, but prefers trumpet, A-line, and ballgown designs. If your dress isn’t in good shape, you can add a $50 donation to have it professionally cleaned before sending it to the charity.
Another option is to donate your dress to a local sex trafficking prevention organization such as Adorned in Grace, which operates stores throughout the country to sell used and new gowns to help fight human trafficking. The organization’s three dress shops also host outreach events and provide professional counseling for victims of sex trafficking, among other things.
Lastly, if you’re in the area of a NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown program, based about an hour north in Albany, NY, you can donate your wedding dress to be made into an infant burial gown for families who have lost their babies too soon. The program is run by a network of volunteer sewers who turn donated wedding dresses into beautiful burial gowns for these grieving parents.
You can also donate your dress to a thrift shop in your area or the Salvation Army. Some thrift stores will even pick up your dress from your home, but you should check with each location to determine what their specific policies are. Most charities and thrift shops will only take donations if the dress is in good condition and no more than 5 years old.