After your wedding and honeymoon, many brides hang their gowns in a closet, only to let them go to waste. Instead of packing it away for good, give your dress a new life and help someone in need! There are several meaningful charities that accept preowned bridal dresses and many fun ways to reuse the gown.
Donate Your Dress
There are many local charities and thrift shops that will take your used wedding dress for free! Before you donate your gown, it’s important to ask the charity or shop what their specific guidelines and requirements are. Some may have a minimum age requirement and other items that must be included with your donation.
For example, The Brides Project, a nonprofit bridal boutique in Ann Arbor, provides eco and budget-friendly wedding gowns to brides. The proceeds from each sale helps support adults and children impacted by cancer. If your dress is within five years old, you can drop off at the shop or mail it to them following their mailing instructions.
Another option is to donate your dress to Brides Across America, an organization that gives military and first responder brides their dream wedding gown at no cost. Brides Across America outfits more than 2,000 brides each year! To donate your gown, fill out an online form and include the dress, veil, and accessories.
Donating your dress also allows you to declutter your closet and make room for more clothes! However, if you do decide to keep your wedding dress for a future little one to wear, make sure it’s properly stored. Check out these general tips for clothing storage to ensure your gown will last for generations to come.
Keeping your wedding gown for a later date can be a great way to remember the day, but it can also be an expensive and time-consuming investment. If you’re interested in preserving your gown for a future daughter, you can hire a professional or do it yourself. Just be sure to follow the guidelines in your preservation kit.
A simple and cost-effective solution to preserve your wedding gown is to have it dry cleaned and pressed. Your dress will be more likely to sell on the secondhand market if it’s clean and in good condition.
If you don’t want to sell or donate your dress, you can always use it as a prop in photographs. You could also frame it and display it on a mannequin to add some flair to your home decor. If you’re a creative DIYer, you can transform your wedding dress into other cherished keepsakes and home decor items, such as pillows or baptism gowns for kids.