When it comes to preserving wedding gowns, many brides opt to keep their gown as a keepsake or pass it down to the next generation. Others participate in the popular “destroy the dress” trend, taking their wedding gown out for a swim or allowing it to be artfully slashed. But wedding gowns can have a much longer life when they’re donated to a charity, according to Zola, a wedding website.
The site lists several ways brides can give their dresses a second life, including passing them on to family members or donating them to local thrift stores or charities. Some of the charities that accept wedding dress donations have a singular focus, like breast cancer, or are meant to help women who can’t afford a traditional wedding gown.
In the US, Goodwill accepts almost any item of clothing and sells them in its thrift stores at a discounted price. But wedding dresses aren’t usually accepted because they are a bit more difficult to store and maintain than most other items. And one wrong move could rip the delicate lace or pull the beads apart.
That’s why it’s important to make sure your dress is in great condition before attempting to donate it, explains Beth Chapman, owner of The White Dress by the Shore. The first step is to contact the organization to check their specific donation requirements. For example, most charities and thrift shops that resell gowns will only accept ones that were designed within the last five years.
Another option is to contact a bridal store in your area to see if they have a gown donation program. For example, the Brides Project in Ann Arbor, Michigan, accepts wedding dresses and sells them to raise money for free programming for families impacted by cancer. Its gowns must be from the last five years to be accepted, but the charity offers a tax deduction for donors.
The faith-based organization Adorned in Grace accepts wedding dresses for sale in its shops in Oregon and Washington. The sales proceeds are used to support its youth mentoring programs, outreach events, and more in its fight against human trafficking.
Other organizations that accept gowns include Brides Against Breast Cancer, which sells wedding dresses and other bridal accessories to benefit early breast cancer awareness and detection. And Wish Upon A Wedding, which helps military brides and their families by offering free wedding gowns to them during Operation Wedding Gown twice a year. Brides Against Breast Cancer and Wish Upon A Wedding also offer online donation forms. And for a more global impact, you can send your wedding gown to Oxfam, which is an international organization that strives to reduce poverty through fair trade and fighting injustices and inequalities.