You can try selling it, or if there is a community theater or school
drama department that accepts donations of clothes fo costumes, they
might be really happy to have it. You would be surprised how many
people shop thrift stores for costuming, so a donation to your favorite
thrift store is another option.

No one in my area takes dirty clothing... gowns included.

You can have it cut up to make christening gowns, or photo album covers, etc.

What might be of use to someone is the lace trim or fabric. I would put in on Craigslist(for free)or Freecycle.

You've got me thinking now too. I have mine(25years old) which was preserved but it is not something my daughter will wear or use. She did say she would like the headpiece. Why am I keeping this? I didn't even really love it!

Yes! Yes, you can.

I donated my 1980's era dress to the local high school's theater, and they've used it as is several times, and then recently remade it into a totally different style. It was a whole lotta dress, LOL - Princess Di era.

But had I known about the Mary Madeline Project, I might well have sent it there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mary Madeline Project

This is a hard one!

Recalling the time, love, money put into the selection of this one article of clothing makes getting rid of it so hard for me too! I even have my prom dress; it was special too because up to that time it was the only fancy dress that was ever bought for me as opposed to a hand me down or Goodwill.

I free cycled mine :). Had a lot of interest, too. I think Freecycle or Craigslist are good options.

In 1979 I bought my wedding dress "off the rack" at a nice ladies' dress shop. I still have it in my closet. I had stored it for years in a downstairs closet that was a "little" damp and I saw mold/mildew developing along the bottom hem. Had it dry-cleaned and got it beautifully clean and it now hangs upstairs in my bedroom clothes closet. I was quite thin in those days (92 lbs) so (of course) it no longer fits. My two daughters are in serious relationships but I'm sure neither would want my dress. But I can't let it go.

If you want to donate it, call your local charities and ask if they will take it in its current condition (i.e. not cleaned). I've bought quite a few articles of clothing that needed some cleaning after purchase, but it depends on the extent of the grime and what the store policies are. I've gotten some great items at great prices by being willing to take a chance on cleaning them.

Others have mentioned the option of freecycle or craigslist. My DD's teacher last year liked to do non-traditional quilting, and wedding dresses were one of her favorite fodders. I've turned a few garments into more traditional quilt pieces over the years, and had never thought about doing it with fancier clothing- although, that is what a lot of Victorian quilts were based on. So people who sew and do that kind of crafting might be interested in it.

Mary C, Loved the idea of the Mary Madeline project, but their site says they are not accepting any gowns at the moment.
I think I might try to spot clean the hem of the gown and maybe try freecycle. It will be hard to part with, but I think I can do it.

Tripletmom,

I sent a bunch of white fabrics and lace to a lady who also makes burial(so sad) clothing for hospitals.

Her email address is : cjangel@hotmail.com

She said she made 1600 outfits last year. She sent me a really sweet thank you email along with photos of what she makes.

Anyway, you could email her if you're interested and ask her about your dress.

If not, then Freecycle is great too.

my grandmother made a beautiful christmas tree skirt out of hers.a great reminder of her wedding every year when she got it out!

By all means, let it go! I had no problem with donating mine once daughter was about 14 and already 5 inches taller than I am. Too bad I let it take up valuable space for so long.

Not too bad for sentimentalists, though. I have mine from 1968. My mom made it and beaded it. My dtr has the one I made for her, too, from 1996. Some things just seem worth keeping, even if their purpose has been served. They don't seem to take up that much space.

I got rid of mine about 10 years ago. I'd had it preserved, but I looked in the box. It was 15 years old at the time. In spite of the preserving, it was starting to yellow and was getting brown spots. I gave it to Goodwill. I figured someone could use it for Halloween or something like that.

Plus, I got married in 1987. At the time I thought the dress was georgeous. Now I can't believe how tacky and utterly hideous it was!

Painteddragon. I love the Christmas tree skirt idea. I haven't done any real sewing in years, but my daughter-in-law is quite the seamstress. So I asked her if she thought she might like to do that, and hand it down to my little granddaughter. It seems like the perfect way to hand it down. not shackling the kids with something that would be a burden to them. My DIL is going to look at it and see what she can do. Thank you so much for your suggestion.

That sounds perfect. My mom's wedding picture looked like hers would have made a beautiful satin tree skirt.

I bought a white on white silk dress in a dept. store for our small wedding in '64. Let my girls play dress-up in it and, before they were out of grammar school, my youngest split the seems in the hips. It lived out its life in their toy box.

I also agree with perhaps theatre departments at schools, colleges, and universities.

I have my gown from 2006. I was going to donate it to Brides against Breast Cancer, but now it's too old. It is cleaned and preserved in the large box. I had my veil boxed separately so I could keep it.

I know women who bought gowns from Brides Against Breast Cancer.

I could perhaps try to sell it, but the demand really seems to be for couture designer gowns.

Here is a link that might be useful: Brides Against Breast Cancer

When my daughter got married she displayed both of her grandmothers old wedding gowns at the reception. It was a very rustic, vintage reception. It was very cool. She also had a table with wedding pictures of her grandparents and loved ones who were gone.

Just another idea!

I know this thread is years old, but my wife and I just celebrated our 20th anniversary a week ago and we got her dress out of storage and she wore it and we had pictures taken that matched the poses of a few of our wedding pictures.

she looked just as beautiful as she did the day we got married and as a bonus we had our teenage daughter also wear the dress and got some pictures.

All in all a wonderful event that I'll remember for a long time. Well worth the "hassle" of having that dress stored all these years.

Sometimes "clutter" is still a good thing. to all you ladies out there, keep your dress. The challenge is to fit into it 20 years after your wedding :)

I have my wedding gown from 1962 and have wondered what I should do with it. It isn't fancy with beads or lace just a nice tea length gown. I have also never had it cleaned. I have noticed what to me look like rust stains on it. I have wondered what to do with it just like the others have stated. You have given me many ideas.
Mary

I know this is an old thread, but looks like some new interest of late. So just saying I saw this in another thread. Might give some of you another idea for re-purposing that old wedding gown!

"â¢Posted by annkh (My Page) on Tue, Jun 24, 14 at 17:29
One of the things I pulled out of a closet over the winter was my wedding gown (we were married in 1987). God knows why I kept it this long - out of sight, out of mind, I guess.
My Mom heard about a woman who makes American Girl dresses from old wedding gowns. I brought her my dress, and she's making an AG dress for my niece (she's 9). So fun to already have her Christmas present figured out!

Update: I picked up the dress on Saturday. The woman who sewed it had it on a doll, on a stand, and seeing it made me cry! I am rarely speechless, but this did me in.

My niece is not getting this dress. I'm going to buy myself a doll and display it in my house. It is far too beautiful for a 9-yr-old to play with.

The rest of the dress went to another friend of my Mom's who makes christening gowns for babies.

Oh, and I will post photos when I have the doll!

Can't wait to see the pictures! Are you going to get an AG doll to look like you did when you wore the dress?

No, I think they're a little creepy, and I have no need to spend that much. The dress is the the showpiece, not the doll.

Funny thing is, I never had dolls as a little girl. I was (and still am, I guess) a tomboy, and was much more interested in cars, Tonka trucks, and Legos than dolls. I did end up with a Barbie somehow, but mostly my best friend and I used Barbie dolls to herd up our large collection of Breyer horses.

My Mom is going to buy me a doll, my first - after 52 years.

I don't have a doll yet, but I do have photos of the dress. I'll have to scan a photo of me in my wedding dress, so you can see how closely it matches.

This post was edited by annkh on Sat, Aug 2, 14 at 15:05

I finally got around to scanning a wedding photo. Remember, this was 1987! Gosh, I can hardly remember when DH's hair wasn't gray...

Wow. Seeing the original, I have more appreciation for the doll version.

annkh - I was married in 1988 and had the same color bridesmaid dresses! Must have been a popular color! I unpacked my wedding dress last week after moving to our new house and don't know what to do with mine either!

I was also married in 1987 and my gown was preserved until i opened it prior to our 25th wedding anniversary and dh and I also had photos taken -- I was thrilled it fit!

The style is something my daughters would never favor (it was the 80s!) and the sizing wouldn't work either. My daughters have said they'd like to take a piece of it and attach it or incorporate it to their own, when the day comes. I love that idea.

I also love the idea of making something else with the leftover fabric. We don't have Christmas trees or christenings so those options won't work but I do think there must be other options I've yet to think of. Thank you for the thread and, for me, this is one item I'm happy I've kept.

I love this thread and the idea of a Christmas tree skirt.

I am divorced and would not want to see anyone wear the dress, even though I made it myself. But it would look nice as a skirt under my seashell tree. Mom will have a heart attack when I cut that beast up.

I gave mine to good will. I thought someone might enjoy it.