My Wedding Gown - Now What?
So, the big day is over and I am faced with a new wedding dress dilemna: what to do with it after the wedding. I knew this day would be coming ever since I bought my dress. I had my mother dry clean my wedding dress while Colin and I went off to our honeymoon. (Thanks Mom!) And now, it is hanging in my closet at my parents' house in a garment bag. After talking to a couple of other former brides, I know that my dress cannot stay in the garment bag for long. Otherwise, it will start to mold.
The way I see it, I have the following options:
1. Sell it
I could try to get some money back by selling my gown. It is in perfect condition and has only been worn once. If I were to sell my wedding gown, I would probably try to sell it myself versus give it to a consignment shop. I would need to put it up for sale soon otherwise it could go "out of style". I would also have to find a short bride since the gown has been hemmed - which could prove to be difficult.
2. Donate it
Shortly after we got engaged, I read an article in the Globe and Mail about the Bride's Project. It's an organization run by a woman in Toronto's east end who sells wedding gowns to budget conscious brides with all the proceeds going towards cancer research. I had initially thought about buying my wedding gown through this organization but her business hours were so limited that it made it difficult for me, as an out-of-town bride, to check out her collection. If I were to donate my gown, I would donate it here. I wouldn't be making any money off of it but I could be satisfied knowing that once my gown is sold, I would be making a contribution towards cancer research.
3. Box it and keep it.
I really like my wedding dress. I love the look and feel of it. I know that it is just a piece of clothing but for me, it symbolizes so much more. If I were to keep it, I would have to preserve it properly. And that means wrapping it and putting it in a proper box. And while you can get a box that has a window, enabling you to see the dress, it is not the same as seeing it hang off a clothes hanger. They say that when you keep your dress, you can pass it off to your daughter. But honestly, fashion trends come and go. I'm not counting on my daughter re-wearing it.
There is one other option that I have already ruled out: Trash it. Some brides basically throw it away or destroy it. Unless I had only spent $50 on my wedding gown, I would not trash it.
So, at this point, I am still not sure what to do. Option #2 is probably the easiest and requires the least amount of work on my part. Option #1 might be good to recoup some wedding costs. Option #3 allows me to keep it but where the heck am I going to find space to store it?
Any thoughts on what I should do with my wedding gown?
[By the way, I don't have the same concerns with my Chinese wedding gown. It was pretty cheap (lucky $88) and I figured one of my remaining single sisters/sister-in-law/single female cousins can take it when it's their turn.]
4 comments:
For wedding gowns, they tend to gain a yellowish tint over time, especially if they are exposed to light and air. Personally, I find them PITA to keep, which was why I chose to rent instead of buy back in 2006.
I've heard of people altering and/or dying their wedding gown to make it into an acceptable evening dress. For your gown, you probably only need to trim the train and change the ribbon. If anything, it'll serve as a constant reminder for you to stay in the same size as when you got married. :)
On selling: if yours is a designer gown, you can probably fetch a reasonable price for it on eBay.
Hi Denise!
Great wedding blog :) I actually sold my dress via an ad on Kijiji (an ebay version of Craigslist). I got $500 for the dress and had initially paid $1000. So it was nice to get the extra money back and put it towards a vacay fund.
If you were to sell it, I would recommend:
Kijiji - Let's you post lots of pics and your ad expires in 45 days, but you can keep renewing it. It took me about 3 months to find the 'right' buyer that was my size.
Craigslist
ebay - I did post here, but it did not sell because it's only up for a week.
Preownedweddingdresses.com - is the be all and end all for secondhand wedding wear.
Good luck!
Lisa @ hello DJ!
Thanks for the tips!
wow, i didn't realize it would mold, why is that?
sounds like you are leaning towards option 2, donating it is a great idea. I haven't given it that much thought yet, considering it is still in my car trunk! but i am leaning towards option 1 or 3.
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