What should I do with my wedding dress

Greenfinch

Thanks Rosie I will give it a try once I get it out of the attic!

Years ago my friend's daughter bought a second hand wedding dress.
Her mother put it in the bath with warm water and 'delicates' laundry detergent. Hung out to drip dry. Perfect. Happy bride. Still married.

Held on to my dress for 43 years. No idea why. On our house move 14 years ago found the box and was stunned at how slim I was in 1966. Still looked okay, white velvet, took it to a city charity shop who eagerly accepted it. Haven't missed it, think it shocked seeing the size difference. Also have a long dress from 1975, still in wardrobe, and I'm keeping that in case my GD goes vintage.

Vintage is 20 years and more.

Some people have them made into teddy bears, they are adorable

You could do that and still donate the rest

I folded mine up and put it in a bag way back in 1973! I meant to look at it on our anniversary but forgot.

I have mine (from 2011) hanging in an open wardrobe in our guest bedroom which I can see every time I walk past. It cost me enough so I like to see it!

My DD says it’s like staying in Miss Havisham’s bedroom whenever she stays 😂

What a lovely idea Pearlsaminger

The groups who turn wedding dresses into dresses for still births don't mind if a dress is unwashed as they wash them again on receipt.

I put my 1980’s wedding dress in the children’s dressing up box. All the kids loved dressing up in it even the boys.

Not relevant to the question but 51 years ago I lent my dress, veil and shoes to the pregnant daughter of a pal of my dad's who was pretty penniless. I never got it back, nor any payment, nor even a thank-you from her.

I sold mine as soon as I got back from honeymoon and bought a beautiful cream leather calf length Russian style leather coat with the money. Never regretted it. Gran saw the dress and bought it for me when we went with my mum to try it on. We'd all seen it independently in the shop window. Unfortunately it was a windy day and various bits of it blew indifferent directions; the veil across my face....we were then positioned at the hotel in front of hideous orange and brown curtains - it was 1971!...which looked terrible with the amethyst bridesmaid dresses and my dress was adjusted wrongly by the photographer so I can't bear to look at the photos....DH is still DH, though!

I went to a christening recently where the baby had an outfit made from his grandmother’s wedding dress. It was really lovely.

In some European countries there are annual brides ball arranged and brides get to dance again in their lovely dresses. I think it’s a brilliant idea

What a wonderful way to give.

Greyduster, how gorgeous. Also the Poster whose dress became confirmation gowns.
And so poignant, today, the dresses made into gowns for wee babies.

Just sell it on Vinted for a small fee - and let somebody else enjoy it.

It sounds the kind of dress a lot of young and youngish brides would want right now, so advertise it for a moderate sum,

If it is pure silk and the silk has not rotted I expect someone will want it.

if no-one bites, give it to a charity shop if the local amateur dramatic group isn't interested.

I was married in 1969 in a straight white satin dress that had a white lace coat with a train over the top. My younger daughter wore it for her wedding in 2008 after I’d washed it with trembling hands! She is keeping it hoping her daughter will wear it one day!

silverlining48

In some European countries there are annual brides ball arranged and brides get to dance again in their lovely dresses. I think it’s a brilliant idea

My DD2 would like this. It took months for us to source a particular discontinued dress she’d set her heart on. We finally found it on a Dublin bridal shop website and it was shipped over. It fit perfectly! She loves it so much it’s still hanging in her wardrobe 12 years later, and I can’t see her ever parting with it.

I hired mine for £25 and it went back to the shop spattered with mud two days later. We picked a very rainy, windy wedding day - my veil had to be chased across a car park after the reception. Good job the £25 included damage insurance.

For my goddaughter’s Christening, I made her a long satin and lace robe from her mum’s wedding dress. And a matching one for her doll.

You could try on vintage or similar a local hospice like dresses as very sadly they have ocassions of couples marrying in final days 😔 they have a seamstress to tuck in alter etc
That and for still borns makes a lovely touch

My wedding dress circa 1970's got trashed when my mother's house was broken into while she was abroad. I let the DD's who were little have a day or two to play in it with the long veil then put it in the dustbin.DH didn't go out with it.
My mother went crazy and I promised to look after DD's when she married. I got it cleaned,shoes and all and it came back all stuffed in a box like a coffin costing well over £100. It is in our loft gathering cobwebs.
My other DD who always had to be different had a short Missoni diffusion line with a big scooped back and antique hair clips. She was the sensible one and wore it to most of her friend's weddings with a colourful embroidered jacket.

Anything over 25 yrs is considered retro or vintage. I would take to a resale shop. Someone WILL be very happy with it, even if they have to make minor alterations.

Whether clothes are 25 or 50 yrs old, fashion is cyclical and can be repurposed. Perhaps use the materials for creating christening gowns for babies.
USA Gundy

Thank you Greenfinch

We think of her reunited with her beloved hubby, dancing on a cloud to their wedding song

I give mine to a charity shop after my divorce don’t know what I kept it for to be honest it’s not like I was going to wear it twice lol