When you no longer have a place in your closet for your wedding dress, you can donate it to a worthy cause. From a bride looking to replace her lost gown in the wake of tragedy, to a young girl who dreams of her big day but can’t afford her dream dress, there are many charities and thrift shops that accept worn bridal wear. Some require the dresses to be professionally cleaned and boxed before they will take them. Most of these organizations have websites that walk you through their vetting procedures and donation guidelines.
While you may not be able to reclaim the cost of your dress if you donate it, your donation is still tax deductible. If you’re donating to a local charity, you can also claim it on your taxes.
Some of these charities are national, and others focus on specific causes. For example, Brides Across America sources gowns for military members and first responders, while Becoming a Cupcake helps Ugandan women who have survived sex trafficking and forced marriages. Other organizations focus on cancer awareness and early detection. If you are a breast cancer survivor, you can donate your dress to the Pink Ribbon Warehouse.
There are other ways to repurpose your old wedding dress if you don’t want to send it to a charity. You can give it to your daughter or granddaughter for their wedding, or repurpose the fabric into home decor and other cherished keepsakes. It’s possible to turn your wedding dress into a baby shower or baptism gown, or you can use the beads, buttons, and lace as embellishment for other projects.
Aside from being a great way to help others, donating your wedding dress to a worthy cause can also free up space in your closet and allow you to declutter. If you’re donating your dress to a nonprofit, make sure you keep any documents or correspondence for your records.
If you can’t find a place to donate your wedding dress, you can always store it. Just be careful with how you pack it, because wedding dresses are delicate and can be easily ruined. It’s a good idea to put your dress in a garment bag, or even better, use the box it came in for storage.
If you’re interested in donating your dress, the websites of most organizations will have a brief form for you to fill out or a contact number you can call. Some will even have tips on packing your gown for safe shipping. They also recommend having it dry cleaned before donating it. It will make the dress easier for staff to work with, and it’s a good idea during the pandemic, as COVID-19 can live on certain fabrics for days. If you can’t afford to have your dress dry cleaned, you can buy an inexpensive garment bag online and store it in a suitcase until you are ready to donate it. Just be sure to properly wrap the dress and use acid-free boxes for both storage and shipping.