Married Ladies, Have Your Dress Since the Wedding?

[NewEnglandLady]

I thought about putting this in the BWW forum, but thought it should go here instead? If a moderator wants to move it, that's fine!

I haven't done anything with my wedding dress since the wedding--I still have chocolate cake on it, all of the bustles are broken and it's sitting in its bag down in the basement. As I went down to do laundry this weekend I decided to wear it for a bit--so I did the laundry and some other chores in my gown, which was nice. I figure I might do chores in my wedding gown from now on. Hopefully in the fall I can turn it into a halloween costume--the thing should be worn for cryin' out loud!

Just curious if anybody has found a use for her dress? Or maybe you just put it on for the heck of it sometimes? Or maybe I'm just weird...

ETA: Grrr, title should be Have you WORN your dress since the wedding?

 

[Skippy123]

Nope, I was married 8 years ago. It hangs with some stains in a bag in the guest closet; if I knew someone would wear it I would take it to be dry cleaned.

 

[AmberGretchen]

That's hilarious NEL - I can totally picture you doing chores in your wedding dress. Too funny!!

Miss Skippy - you never know, someone might want it someday. One of my friends just tried on her mom's dress from the '60's the other day and was telling me she might have them re-style it a bit to try to wear it for her wedding (we're expecting her to get engaged any day now hehe

)

I actually sold my dress on Craigslist and used the money to buy a Canon Powershot SD850IS. Considering that the dress was borderline too big at my wedding when I weighed about 40 lbs more than I currently do, and I plan to never weigh that much again, I think it was a good choice

 

[february2003bride]

I''ve put it on every once in a while, but stopped after the birth of my 2nd son, because it depressed me that I wasn''t the same size anymore, and could potentially never be. I''m really thinking about just ebaying my dress. It''s so pretty (It''s a Marisa dress), but it''s sitting in my closet and I''m guessing if my daughter gets married one day, she''ll want a new dress!

 

[jewelerman]

The question brings up a question for me...do the ladies regret spending the money,time and emotion on their wedding dress?Ive met few women that would spend the money ect. on their dress and put it toward the rings,or other expenses.I did meet one women who bought an expensive wedding suit planning to wear it often to other special occations and has recieved many compliments from people.She says she thinks about her wedding every time she wears it.I think renting is a great way to go.

 

[Miranda]

Yep, I wear it around the house every now and then. The kids think it is hysterical. I have it all boxed up at the the top of my closet so it hasn''t been out for a while. Thanks for reminding me!

DD would love it if I pulled it out.

Jewelerman - I didn''t spend a lot on my dress or wedding for that matter. Yes, I would much rather spend money on jewelry. That''s just me, though. A lot of women LOVE having a big wedding and never regret it. I think Dancing Fire posted a thread recently on this.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Jewelerman - I would actually have gotten a MORE expensive dress if I could do it again (the budget didn''t allow it at the time). But I would probably still have sold it on eBay or Craigslist or something. I''m not super-sentimental, and I hate owning stuff I don''t regularly have a use for, with very few exceptions.

 

[2Artists]

My gut told me to give it to charity so that''s what I did. I felt like someone else needed it and that makes me feel really happy to think of someone who needed a dress getting one. My husband was glad too since he thought having the old wedding dress kicking around was like that creepy scene near the end of Beetlejuice.

For some people it works to best to keep it and for others letting it go is best. It''s very up to each person.

female half 2Artists

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Just wanted to say it''s lovely to meet you, female half of 2Artists!

 

[2Artists]

AWWW thanks! So very pleased to meet you as well!

female half 2Artists

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I got it preserved. Who knows if DD will want to wear it. Probably not as I am sure the styles will change drastically.

 

[Kaleigh]

Got it preserved ages ago, and think from the last move it''s up in the attic. I wish i had given it to charity back then, I think that''s a great idea.

 

[kcoursolle]

Nothing unfortunately...Eventually I''d like to either do trash the dress pictures or donate it. Some of the pick up pleats need to be repaired and it definitely needs to be cleaned...

 

[julabean]

My mom took my wedding dress to their house for me. I have so little storage space as it is that I just didn''t have any room for it. She was supposed to get it cleaned, pressed, put away in a box, etc., but knowing my mom, it''s probably still sitting in its bag in their guest room closet. I''ll get around to getting it boxed away one of these days.

And as for the question of regretting spending the time and energy over my wedding dress? Absolutely not. If I hadn''t been able to afford my dress at the time, I wouldn''t have bought it, so I don''t see the point in regretting a decision I made when I first purchased it. Yes, it was a lot of money when you compare it to other things in this world, but I consider it money well spent.

 

[oobiecoo]

The lady who made my garters makes heirloom quality christening gowns. I think I may use the fabric from my dress for one for future baby

 

[jewelerman]

The idea of using your wedding gown fabric for a chistening gown (or gowns)is a very cool idea and the first time ive heard of this.

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 7/1/2008 6:16:37 PM
Author: oobiecoo
The lady who made my garters makes heirloom quality christening gowns. I think I may use the fabric from my dress for one for future baby

What a great idea.

 

[lyra]

Date: 7/1/2008 8:52:00 PM
Author: jewelerman
The idea of using your wedding gown fabric for a chistening gown (or gowns)is a very cool idea and the first time ive heard of this.

Ditto, that''s a fantastic idea. It would have worked well with my dress fabric too. Too bad this idea wasn''t around or brought up some 20 years ago.

I wonder if either of my daughters would consider using it if they have kids someday. Really don''t know. Otherwise, mine has sat in my cedar chest for 25 years. I never even had it cleaned, and to be honest, it hasn''t aged or anything. It was ivory to start with.

 

[icekid]

I loooooove my dress so much. I felt like such a princess! That said, I haven''t had it preserved nor cleaned yet... because...... um, I put it on every time I go visit my parents

Hehe, I totally enjoy it too! I love the laundry idea

 

[PrettyBlues]

I know someone who had their dress sized down for their daughter so she could play dress up in it, which I thought was a pretty cool idea as well.

 

[hairgirl95]

Oh gosh, mine is CRAMMED, and I mean literally, into a rubbermaid tote in the basement.

Never got it cleaned, it has dirt on the underside, red frosting on the train, a few broken beads, makeup, tears, probably a little snot from crying (sorry for the tmi

). Yep, really should take that to the cleaners......The rubbermaid tote is actually an upgrade--it sat on the floor of my closet for nearly a year! I am such a bad bride...

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I really wished I had taken a "dip" with my gown like others have, but I think all the tulle would have drown me....

; in the end I sold mine for pennies at a consignment shop....made someone else very happy I heard.....

cheres--Sharon

 

[Icy Melona]

My wd has been dry cleaned and preserved in a box with tissue papers until my 5 yr old niece got a hold of it and wanted to play dress up. I told her she can have it the day she goes to the school formal.

Has anyone bought a wedding dress that could be worn again and again? A wise friend of mine bought a Collette Dinnigan 1- shoulder silk satin wedding gown for her wedding and had the good sense to cut the length and wear it more often as a cocktail dress after the wedding. Why didn''t I think of that??

 

[Elmorton]

I got it preserved and then ripped the box open and re-packaged it (in a way that''s better for preservation, actually - I learned this from another PS thread!). And I tried the dress on again before I did that. Now it sits in my closet, but I like knowing that I could technically throw it on whenever I want.

To be honest, there''s something really comforting about seeing the box sitting there at the bottom of my closet when I open the door every morning. Just seeing the box reminds me of how I felt in that dress that day, which is a good feeling to have before I stare down my skinny jeans.

 

[Rhea]

I had it cleaned and made tea-length within 6 months of the wedding. I have yet to wear it again, but I suppose I could since it''s short and very plain.

 

[MonkeyPie]

I had a TTD session in it, and now I am going to get it dry cleaned and use it to make our future babies christening gown I might even keep the top intact to use as a corset for myself.

 

[Independent Gal]

I sold mine on eBay a week or two after the wedding, gave some of the money to breast cancer research (one of my girls was recovering from b/c at the wedding, and the woman I had hoped would officiate died of it about a week after the wedding) and put the rest on my mortgage.

Never looked back!

Plus the ladies who bought them (yes, I had two) were so thrilled. Why keep something (I mean, unless you really want to) that someone else can use? Especially when the money from selling it does some good on the other end too.

 

[mimzy]

NEL- i didn''t want to threadjack this one, so i have a question for you over in BWW!!

 

[Haven]

I''m getting married day after tomorrow so I can''t answer your question for myself, HOWEVER, I spent my childhood prancing around the house in my mother''s wedding dress. It was my favorite piece of dress-up clothing ever.

And her best friend wore my mom''s dress a year after my parents were married, too. And I believe my aunt wore my mom''s veil. I would have worn it if it wasn''t so 70s, I swear I can almost hear Simon and Garfunkel singing "Scarborough Fair" every time I see it.

I don''t plan on preserving my dress. I''m going to wrap it in a sheet to keep it safe, and then I''m going to try my hardest to coerce one of my three sisters to wear it.

 

[LGK]

I wore mine once after the wedding, to a bridal promotion thing we were doing for work. My wedding dress is not precisely wedding-y though. It was a designer evening dress I found deeply, deeply discounted ($80 marked down from $900) and fell in complete love with- simple plain fitted sheath/slip dress, ankle length, with this beautiful beaded jacket made of raw edged lace, the jacket had flared sleeves and a fitted waist that flared out in a longer skirt. The color was a sort of super pale greymauve, never seen anything like it before or since.

That being said, I don''t fit a size 4 these days, so it hangs in my closet doing nothing. I would wear that jacket if I could, any day, because I over dress all the dang time.

I heart the idea of doing chores in your dress! How fun.

I woudn''t have spent more $$ on my dress even if I hadn''t found the one I did- I just couldn''t bring myself to. But I''m a patient, patient bargain shopper, so I would have found something even if it wasn''t that dress. I also religiously drive cheap cars too, though (yay for salvage Ford Focus!) because some things I just can''t stand to spend money on. Clothes, purses and cars I am all about CHEAP- perfume, shoes, and bling are where the $ goes!