If you’re on the fence about letting go of your wedding dress, consider donating it to a charity instead. Then, you’ll be able to give it a new life and help someone else have the wedding of their dreams.
Donate It to a Local Nonprofit
If your dress is in good condition, you can donate it to a local nonprofit or charitable store. Often, these organizations will provide a tax deduction, and they also make sure that your gown is in pristine condition.
Some of these nonprofits will even let you wash your dress before donating it. This is a great way to protect the integrity of your gown and will save you time from having to worry about it getting dirty or moldy.
Donate It to a Military or First Responder Bride
If your wedding dress is less than four years old, you can donate it to a nonprofit that gives them away to military and first responder brides for free. To find out if your dress is eligible, fill out an online form with your information about the dress, veil, and jewelry. If your dress meets the criteria, they’ll send you further instructions on how to ship it.
Donate It to a Child Marriage-Empowering Organization
Many of these charities accept donated wedding dresses, which they resell in order to support the work they do. For example, Brides Do Good is a bridal boutique that works with new and gently used designer gowns to support projects around the world that aim to end child marriage.
Donate It to a Breast Cancer-Friendly Organization
Several of these charitable organizations will take your dress and use it to create beautiful dresses for young women who are struggling with breast cancer. To get your gown to one of these groups, check their donation guidelines and follow them carefully to make sure it’s in good condition.
Donate It to an Angel Gown Organization
NICU Helping Hands is a volunteer-run, nationwide organization that sews donated wedding and bridesmaid dresses into burial gowns for parents who have lost their babies. This helps grieving families cope with their loss, and the proceeds from the sales go to the charity’s cause.
Donate It to a Recycled Clothing Store
Most of these stores will sell your dress and use the proceeds to recycle it into other materials. To find one near you, do a quick Google search or call a local recycling center to see what they have to offer.
Donate It to a Homeless Shelter or Women’s Center
A number of homeless shelters and women’s centers around the country will take your dress and use it to decorate their facilities. You’ll feel good about the donation while helping those who need it most.
Donate It to a Children’s Hospice
The KEMP Wyre Forest Hospice, based in Devon, England, is another charitable organization that accepts wedding dress donations. The funds raised through these donations will fund the organization’s care for patients, their families and carers.