What should I do with my wedding dress

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

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

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!

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

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.

What a lovely idea Pearlsaminger

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 😂

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.

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

You could do that and still donate the rest

Vintage is 20 years and more.

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.

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.

My sister made my wedding dress and she made it into a christening dress which I used for both my daughters.

My elderly friend recently passed away. She was 84. She always said her wedding day was the happiest day of her life.

And it would have been her 50th anniversary this year.

She had no family left, so as her next of kin, and power of attorney, it was decided (along with her executors) to send her off to be reunited with her long departed hubby, in her beautiful ivory satin dress.

I guess that might sound a bit weird to some, but she would have loved knowing she still fitted into it after all those years ❤️🥹

I was married in ‘73. The dress was sheath-style satin but the real feature was a ribbon lace coat with hood (reminiscent of the Sc****tish Widows advert - but white). Both were embroidered with little pearls and I’ve never seen it’s like since! I’ve also only once made anything that labour-intensive since, but in the end I took it to a charity shop last year. GD & DIL much too short in any case and DD wanted new, so I felt the time was right.

Give it to people who make burial gowns for preemies.

I knew someone who was given a pre-loved wedding dress and who washed it by hand, using Ariel.
It came up beautifully.

It wasn't a meringue, tho.

My mother in law cut mine up to make confirmation dresses for our daughters

A local amateur dramatics group happily accepted mine.

silverlining48

No need to have a wedding dress cleaned, in the old days they were simpler, mine fits in a small box, I looked online fir advice and put it in the bath, rinsed and it looked as good as new when it dried, no need to iron either.

Any dress with lace/embellishments/layers of different fabrics will be ruined if soaked in a bath! And I've not idea how you would dry it properly. It would weigh a ton!

I have a similar problem with my Mum's wedding dress. I was quoted £60.00 to get it cleaned, and even then they didn't think they could get some of the marks out. I wanted to get it cleaned and donate it to a local charity shop which specialises in pre loved wedding dresses. If anyone has any tips on how to clean it I would be very grateful.

I'd hung on to my first one from 1982, until a couple of years ago when moving house. I sold it on e-bay, along with the bridesmaid dress! They were classed as 'vintage'

JayDee60

I would take it to a vintage dress shop where someone would appreciate it.

It’s not vintage, it was bought in 1989, not 1909.

I would take it to a vintage dress shop where someone would appreciate it.