You’re still basking in post-wedding bliss. You’ve opened your gifts, started sending your thank yous, and are now wondering what to do with all your wedding stuff, especially your dress. Many brides are looking for new and creative ways to reuse, repurpose, or store their dress. This list of what to do with your wedding dress after your wedding encompasses both traditional and nontraditional uses, making sure you can remember your special day in your own unique way!
Preserve it!
To keep your dress looking brand new for years to come, consider getting it professionally cleaned and preserved. Preserving your dress means not only getting it deep cleaned, but then professionally packaged to keep it in pristine condition for years to come. Some brides may worry that preserving their dress means storing it away without the chance to see it again, but storing the dress in a viewing box allows you to be able to view your dress without the fear of it staining or yellowing.
Memories works directly with the nation’s largest wedding dress preservation company and offers a preservation service that makes it easy to have your dress (and up to 3 accessories) cleaned, preserved, and shipped back directly to your home in an heirloom viewing box perfect for long term storage. Plus, brides who have bought their dress from Memories also get $50 off this service! To learn more about Memories' Gown Preservation Service, visit https://dresslikeyou.com/bridal/gown-preservation/. You can either pick up a kit and send your dress in at your leisure or bring your dress into Memories and we can ship it out for you.
Make a memory with it!
If you’re looking for a fun photoshoot to have after your wedding, try a “trash the dress” shoot. Take photos in water, in the woods, or wherever else you’re looking to get out and dirty. These make for great stories and amazing artistic shots and can be a thrilling end to the wedding experience. Get inspiration on photo ideas from others, or make up your own unique locations and poses!
Pass it on!
Remember that old saying, “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue?” Who didn’t get that “something old” from their grandma or mom? Timeless dresses, kept in good condition and preserved, can be a great heirloom to pass down to your future daughter, niece, or granddaughter. Remember, however, that styles and trends change over the years, so the next person to wear your dress might want to alter it to fit their taste. Even with it altered, the act of passing down your dress to another family member is a great tradition that can be continued for generations.
Another way to pass on your dress is to use it to create a family heirloom. Have a seamstress use the fabrics from your wedding dress to create a baptism or christening gown for future children in the family. Beads, embellishments, and other accents can also be used to create jewelry, headbands, and other mementos that can be passed on to future generations.
Rewear it!
Who says you shouldn’t be able to wear your wedding dress again? While brides used to only wear their wedding dress once, it’s now common to see wedding dresses pop up in different ways, some of which include:
Your Anniversary: Celebrate a big anniversary by taking anniversary photos while wearing your dress. Convince your husband to wear a suit and retake some of your old wedding photos, and the side-by-sides from both dates would be great additions to your wedding memorabilia.
An Adventure: Take your dress with you on your next big vacation or adventure and take amazing pics in exotic locales and watch your social media go crazy!
Halloween Party: Get creative and make a DIY zombie bride costume. You can get as extra as you want with this idea, or keep it simple and just add a few accessories. You can be even more specific and make a Bride of Frankenstein costume!
Wedding Dress Party: Host a party that gives you and all your friends a chance to wear your wedding dresses again. It could be for a birthday, anniversary, or just for fun!
Alter it!
Another option for rewearing your dress is to alter it. Many dresses can make great cocktail dresses or other articles of clothing with the right alterations. Considering altering your dress into a fun party dress that you can rewear for a special date each year on your anniversary!
Or go more extreme - some brides have dyed or airbrushed their wedding dresses different colors to switch up the look and turn them into works of art. This is a great option for brides who want to do a bit of DIY on their dress, and it presents them with even more options for re-wearing their dress.
Repurpose it!
Use your wedding dress to make something special for your home. Consider creating a throw pillow, quilt, artwork, or even a teddy bear out of it. Moms (or future moms) can create a baby pillow out of their wedding dress, which is also another way to pass it on. For seasonal decorators, Christmas decorations such as tree skirts, ornaments, and stockings can be made out of your wedding dress.
Finally, many brides will create a photo book in order to preserve their special day, but have you thought about incorporating your dress into the book itself? Decorate the outside of the photo book with pieces of the dress, veil, or other accessories to make it one of a kind to you and your special day.
Donate it!
If you want to pass along your dress to someone in need, donating it is a great option for brides. Some don’t have the space to keep their wedding dress, and reselling it can get tricky. Donating your wedding dress not only frees up some closet space, but it supports recycling of clothing and brides in need. Additionally, eligible charities will give brides the option for a tax deduction for donating their dress.
Some of the organizations that accept donations include Brides Across America, Cinderella's Closet, Brides for a Cause, Angel Gowns, and many more. Many organizations will allow you to ship your dress to them if you aren’t in their drop off areas. Be sure to take a look at each charity’s website in order to ensure they’re taking donations when you’re ready to donate your dress.
There are endless possibilities to reuse, repurpose, and rewear your wedding dress. Every bride is different, so find a use for your dress that is unique to you and makes you happy. Many of the options mentioned above require preserving your dress, and Memories wants to help with that. All Memories brides get $50 off their Gown Preservation Services, and the process is simple. To learn how to get started on preserving your wedding dress, visit https://dresslikeyou.com/bridal/gown-preservation/.
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