After months of flipping through bridal magazines and Pinterest and trying on gowns you have finally found your dream wedding dress. On your wedding day, you looked like you’d just came out of a fairy tale walking down the aisle, your mom and dad cried, your husband swooned and your friends couldn’t hold back the compliments. But now, as the wedding is over and it’s time to go back to reality – what do you do with your wedding dress?
Whether you want to keep it forever, give it a new purpose, or sell it to recover from blowing your budget, here are some things you can do:
Sell Your Wedding Dress
Your wedding dress may not be just another piece of fabric, but some brides are just not that emotionally attached to it. If you are a girl that prefers looking into the future than looking back, it might be a good idea to sell your bridal gown. Selling your wedding dress is a great way to recoup some money after your wedding. Your first instinct might tell you to list it on eBay or Craigslist, but we suggest that you take look at some of the websites specialized in selling used wedding dresses like stillwhite.com or PreownedWeddingDresses. These sellers make it easy for you to list it online, where thousands of potential brides have access to it.
Donate it
Many non-profit organizations accept wedding dress donations. Brides Across America can pass on your precious wedding gown to a military bride in need. Brides for a Cause will take your wedding dress, sell it and use the proceeds to raise money for various causes. You can always look for local organizations that help brides-to-be undergoing financial hardship. You’ll make a difference, feel great, and you will have another awesome story about your wedding to tell your grand-kids.
Repurpose a Wedding Dress
Your wedding gown is probably the most amazing (and the most expensive) dress you have ever owned, so why wear it just once. If it’s a two-piece you can pair a bodice with a different skirt from your everyday wardrobe and rock this chic ensemble. If your wedding dress has a long tulle skirt you can pair it with a colorful top, and a leather jacket to get a completely different look. In some cases you can even cut it, dye it and turn it into a beautiful party dress that you would be able to wear for different occasions. If you are one of those brides that donned a simple gown, you can even stylize it with non-bridal accessories and wear it as it is. Here is how one woman turned her wedding gown into a beautiful cocktail dress she wore for her and her husband’s anniversary.
Keepsakes Made From Wedding Dresses
Chances are that your wedding gown has a lot of fabric, which can be used to make lots of different things – from christening outfits for your kids, to pillows for your bedroom, a quilt or purse or a tote bag. There are so many wonderful ideas for turning your bridal gown into something else, and if you happen to love some DIY-ing and arts & crafts, you will be very excited about these projects.
Wedding Dress Preservation
Ultimately, you might just want to keep your wedding dress and cherish it as a reminder of a magical day you and your significant other pledged your eternal love to each other. Zipping it into a plastic bag and hide it in the beck of your closet is not the best idea, as it is made form delicate fabric that does not handle the test of time well. To make sure that your gorgeous gown stays in pristine condition for the future generation, you need to have it treated professionally. It is not just a dry cleaning, wedding gown preservation begins with an experienced specialist’s assessment. The specialist will create a unique plan according to the fabric, details and stitching, unavoidable stains and possible rips and tears. To make it easier and more convenient, some companies are offering mail-away services. They will send you a mailing kit with instructions and have it back to you within six to eight weeks.
