When you’ve reached the point where your once-bridal gown is just taking up too much space in your closet, there are plenty of charities that would love to give it a new home. Just make sure it’s in good shape, says Chapman. Stains and mold can devalue your dress, and a charity might have to throw it away if that happens.
If your wedding dress doesn’t meet the criteria of a few charities that accept them, try repurposing it for your home decor or as an infant baptism gown for your kids. You can also use the fabric to create something else entirely, like a quilt or a sewed-on pillow.
Some bridal or wedding expos organize gown giveaways. These events can be a great way to find brides in need and to help spread the word about your dress. But be careful to check the organization or event out beforehand, because some of them may be scams.
Often, these dress donations are given to women who can’t afford their dream dresses. Others are used as backups in case the original dresses get damaged or lost. Still others are donated to support breast cancer awareness and detection programs, or to reduce the environmental impact of wedding dress manufacturing.
The movement to donate wedding dresses started when a woman named Stulgis from Champion Township in Trumbull County, Ohio, created the Facebook group Shared Dream Dresses. The private group has more than 19,000 members. People who want to donate their dresses will post photos of them on the page, along with size information and other details. Anyone who’s interested in the dress will comment on the post and reach out to the donor.
Some brides even ask for specific dress types or styles to match their tastes. For example, a bride in Champaign, Illinois, who wanted to have a vintage look for her big day asked the Facebook group if any of its members had a vintage-style ivory or blush dress that fit. Another bride who had a small wedding asked the group for a bridesmaid’s dress in a similar style to her own.
When donating your gown, you should clean or dry-clean it before putting it in the box. This will save the charity volunteers time and effort and protect the dresses from bacteria. It’s also a good idea to label the box with helpful information, such as the dress size, brand or designer, and year of purchase. This will help them keep track of the gowns and identify them for future brides.
The Angel Gown Program by NICU Helping Hands is unlike any other charity that will take your wedding dress. It repurposes your dress into tiny baby dresses for families who lose their newborns before they’re born. Each donated dress can provide up to 12 of these special gowns for families who have suffered the loss of a child.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, you should clean your wedding dress before donating it to a charity, as it can potentially carry the virus and pose a risk to other donors. The CDC says the virus can remain on surfaces and certain fabrics for a couple of days, so it’s best to clean your dress in advance.