What should I do with my wedding dress

Pearlsaminger

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 wish I'd thought of doing this with my Mum's wedding dress. It dates from 1950, full length with a short train in a beautiful satin fabric and a matching Juliet cap. She died 5 years ago aged 94, and would have fitted into it even though it was tiny (think 22" waist!). I still have the dress and also her ATS uniform jacket and cap, and have no idea what to do with them.

I gave my to my daughter's school for the drama group. It was worn in several productions while she was still at school.

What an interesting thread about wedding dresses. We married in 78 and I made mine from Liberty cream Veruna wool , floor length with covered buttons all down the front- no meringues for me or bridesmaids!! I always joked to the family that I had kept it with the intention of me wearing to the Crem! For our 40th I wore it for our family party which caused great hilarity as you can imagine and rather a lot of breathing in! It's back in the wardrobe now waiting for 'the grim reaper'!

What a beautiful story ❤️

Oldest DD divorced after five years, and her wedding dress went to the local hospice charity shop. They raised £110 from the sale - we were delighted, and also surprised, as it didn't cost much more than that, bought in a local boutique.

My daughter had hers professionally cleaned last year. It had acid free tissue and was put in a special box. It cost £95. It is now residing in my attic, not hers.

Before I moved house in 2019 . Decluttered that much so decided to give it to charity as it had spent nearly 30 years in the attic . Properly boxed and wrapped in acid free tissue. Though am dram group might buy it or someone just for the fabric as it was cream satin and cream lace over lay plus the veil.

A friend put hers on a bonfire (when she got divorced) and revelled in watching it burn!

I know we don't think of ourselves as 'vintage' but in fact a dress from 1989 IS vintage!

My Gina Fratini wedding dress was in two sections. The shorter section was used by my daughter as an Angel Gabriel outfit at Primary school. The other part was used to make doll’s dresses.

My wedding dress, large hat and fancy lace gloves spent 40 years in a box in the loft. Clearing out the loft prompted me to try it all on…. Amazingly I could still do up the fastenings.
Washed the dress on delicate in the washing machine- dripped dry, ironed carefully then sold as “ vintage “ on e bay.

And this is why I rented mine! Worn for one day, very pretty, but when would I use it again?!

I made my wedding dress and a year later made a christening gown from it

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

Thank you Greenfinch

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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

What a wonderful way to give.