Donating a wedding dress is an amazing way to give a gown that has been sitting in your closet a new life. Whether you want to keep it as an heirloom or give back to a cause that is meaningful to you, there are many charities and thrift shops that are looking for dresses to help brides in need.
Many charities that accept bridalwear have their own guidelines and vetting procedures, so make sure to look at the websites of these organizations before making a donation. They may ask that the dress be professionally cleaned and in good condition before accepting it as a donation. Some may also have restrictions on brands and styles of dresses that they accept.
One of the most popular places to donate your wedding dress is Angel Gowns, a non-profit that began in 2013 and offers support resources, mentoring programs, and custom-made burial gowns for families who have lost an infant due to pregnancy loss or early preterm birth. The nonprofit is run by a group of women, including mothers and former nurses, who volunteer their time to create the garments, which are given free to anyone who needs them.
The Cherished Gowns organization is another charity that works to provide funeral clothing for babies who have died, whether from miscarriages or stillbirths. They use donated dresses to create burial gowns and buntings that are given to grieving parents at the end of their baby’s life. The charity has about 180 seamstresses around the country who work on these gowns, and they are always seeking more donations.
Octavia is a UK retailer that offers bridalwear, and their proceeds go towards community projects that benefit local people. Among the causes they support are youth projects, and their stores host high fashion events for local brides to attend. The store will take all kinds of wedding dresses and accessories as donations, and their guidelines specify that they must be in good condition with no rips or stains.
A few other charities that will accept wedding dresses as donations are Adorned in Grace and NICU Helping Hands. Both of these organizations have been in operation for a while, and their online forms allow you to enter your information and submit photos of your dress. They will then send you a package with detailed instructions and shipping details.
Another option is the Dresses for Girls charity, which has been in operation since 2015. This UK-based charity sells wedding dresses at affordable prices to help cash-strapped brides and provides a new dress to someone in need. They have 15 stores, and their guidelines stipulate that the dress must be in excellent condition with no rips or stains. The dress will also be professionally cleaned before being sold to a customer. The money raised will go to a number of charities and organisations supporting global poverty and other projects. The charity has a dedicated bridal department in Mealcheapen Street in Milton Keynes, and they will also take wedding dresses at their other stores across the country.