Choosing your wedding gown is one of the most emotional and expensive parts of a bride’s big day. Sadly, many wedding dresses only get worn once and then end up boxed away in a closet never to be seen again. However, there are plenty of ways to give a new lease of life to your special dress. Whether you want to give it to a daughter or niece, use it as a backdrop for an art project or simply transform it into something entirely different, there are plenty of ways to put your beautiful bridal gown to good use.
There are several charities that accept donated wedding dresses. Some charities resell them for profit and the proceeds go to a specific cause, while others donate the dresses directly to someone who needs it. Typically, charity shops will only accept wedding dresses that are less than five years old and will ask you to have them professionally cleaned before donating.
The Wishing Well Foundation and Gift of a Wedding are two examples of charities that will take your dress and give it to a terminally ill bride so they can have the wedding of their dreams. These charities are based in the United States and have a number of stores across the country where you can drop off your dress for donation. You can also contact the individual charities directly for more information on how to donate your wedding dress.
Another option for a bride is to donate her dress to an angel gown sewing group that will turn it into a final photo and burial gown for infants who are sadly lost. These special gowns are given to families who have suffered the unimaginable loss and they can be a small comfort in their time of grief. Angel Gowns for Angel Babies, a non-profit organisation based in the US, is just one of many groups that will make a angel gown from your wedding dress.
Thrift stores are another great place to donate your wedding dress, as they usually sell them and the profits help support job programs, housing, veterans and much more. There are numerous thrift stores across the US that will accept your wedding dress, so be sure to check online for a list of locations and their specific donation instructions.
You can also try selling your wedding dress at a consignment shop to recoup some of the money you spent on it. This option is more time consuming and requires you to find a reputable seller and get the gown professionally cleaned and photographed before putting it on display. However, it’s a great way to get some extra cash for your dress and help a bride who needs it at the same time.
Another benefit of donating your wedding dress is that it will help to reduce your carbon footprint. The production of new clothing uses hundreds of gallons of water and creates 10% of global carbon emissions, so donating your wedding dress is a great way to help the environment.