One of the most memorable, and often emotional, parts of getting married is choosing a wedding dress. It can also be one of the most expensive. And all too often, those once-loved gowns end up in storage. Instead of letting your gown collect dust, give it a new life and donate it to a worthy cause.
Many charities, from Goodwill to wedding dress-specific ones like Brides Against Breast Cancer, accept wedding dress donations and resell them for a fraction of the original price at their thrift stores. The money from the sale goes back to the charity, which in turn supports their charitable programs. In addition, donating your wedding dress gives you a tax deduction.
Most of the charity shops that accept wedding dress donations do require that the dresses be professionally cleaned before they are donated. They may also have other requirements, such as the year and size of the dress. The best way to know if your dress will be accepted is to contact the charity directly.
For example, Adele Puccio, who works at a library in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, collects pre-loved wedding dresses as part of her hobby. She also runs a website called Brides Do Good, which is a nonprofit that accepts wedding dress donations and turns them into wedding dresses for brides who can’t afford to buy their own. The company has also partnered with organisations such as Plan International UK and Sanitation First to use the funds from the dresses to provide education for young girls.
Other charities repurpose wedding dresses into infant burial gowns, christening gowns, and bonnets for babies who have died before their due date. NICU Helping Hands, for instance, works with seamstresses from all over the country to create these gowns to be given to families for free. The organization says it has outfitted more than 26,000 mothers and fathers since 2008.
St Ann’s Hospice, which is based in Stockport, Greater Manchester, is another worthwhile charity to consider. It hosts several speciality shops, including a bridal department, which seeks both new and pre-loved bridal gowns and attire. The proceeds from the sale go back to the hospice to make a difference with people who are facing life-limiting illnesses.
While most general charities like Goodwill and Salvation Army will accept wedding dresses, they aren’t as specialised as the bridal-specific charities. If a wedding dress is worn multiple times or has visible stains, it will only add to the stress of the staff who will be cleaning it up.
Donating your wedding dress to a specialty charity also means that your gown has a higher chance of being used, versus potentially being packed into a large box, sold by weight and shipped off to a remote destination in the world. While it may be difficult to part with your beautiful gown, it’s a small sacrifice to make to ensure that it helps someone who really needs it. Just remember that donating your wedding dress is the right thing to do.