What will you do with your dress?

[anniee19]

Mine is hanging in a cloth garment bag in my closet. I haven''t had it cleaned yet, but eventually I''ll get around to it. I didn''t want to have it preserved because I''d like to put it on in the future, just for fun.

 

[musincy]

Date: 8/11/2009 1:00:17 PM
Author: anniee19
Mine is hanging in a cloth garment bag in my closet. I haven''t had it cleaned yet, but eventually I''ll get around to it. I didn''t want to have it preserved because I''d like to put it on in the future, just for fun.

Mine''s in the garment bag too. Unfortunately, we''ve run out of closet space, so it''s in one of those long plastic under-the-bed boxes right now.

I can''t decide what to do with it...

 

[QueenB29]

We had mine preserved and it''s currently at my parents''. My mom keeps saying that she wants me to pick it up, but I don''t really have room for it at my house. I love my dress, especially the lace and beadwork overlay, and can''t imagine parting with it. Part of me wants to keep it intact in case a future daughter wants to use the lace. I like the idea of a Christening gown, but I keep thinking that the kid would get sick all over the gown, and then it would be ruined......I''ve also seen some lovely ones trimmed with Irish lace, which is probably what I would end up doing to honor or Irish ancestry. Maybe a First Communion gown?

As a side note: I was at an Army Birthday Ball a few years ago, and one of the women came in her WEDDING dress instead of a formal gown!!!!?? She didn''t even bother to have the train bustled and she kept tripping herself and everyone around her all night. It was extremely odd.

I did get white leather slingbacks instead of the satin shoes, and I wear those all the time now that it''s summer.

 

[ficklefaye]

Date: 8/5/2009 4:19:45 PM
Author: DMBFiredancer

Date: 7/29/2009 12:47:57 PM

Author: ficklefaye

this is where i plan on donating mine after the wedding: http://bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/

Mine is now boxed up and ready to go today. Of course I cried when I sealed the box. Not out of sadness, but happiness that I was honoring loved ones and helping others

yay for you, DMB!

 

[Lanie]

Date: 7/29/2009 5:26:18 PM
Author: bee*
Mines in getting dry-cleaned and preserved. I want to keep it as I hate the thought of selling it. I''d love to wear it again in the future, even if it''s to just do the ironing.

I''m the same way bee! I cannot even FATHOM giving mine away/selling it. My mom kept her dress and I loved pulling it out every once in awhile to look at it. I don''t expect my future daughters to wear it or anything, but I think it''s just neat to keep!

 

[ts44]

Date: 8/14/2009 2:39:48 AM
Author: ficklefaye

Date: 8/5/2009 4:19:45 PM

Author: DMBFiredancer

Date: 7/29/2009 12:47:57 PM


Author: ficklefaye


this is where i plan on donating mine after the wedding: http://bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/

Mine is now boxed up and ready to go today. Of course I cried when I sealed the box. Not out of sadness, but happiness that I was honoring loved ones and helping others

yay for you, DMB!

I love this idea, and I checked the Brides Against Breast Cancer site and see that they are going to be in my area in time to buy a dress from them for my August 2010 wedding. Has anybody bought a dress from them or know anybody that has so I have an idea of what to expect?

 

[cammy85]

i''ve had a lot of thoughts about this for me... I can''t fathom giving it away, unless I found someone who could really use it, but I don''t want it just taking up space in the closet. I''m a sewer, so I am *most likely* either going to make it into a quilt (if you google "wedding dress quilt" there are some cool projects), christening gown, a pillow or two with our wedding date/names/etc embroidered into it, a stuffed bear, or maybe trying to convert it into a cocktail dress.

I have no idea. I''ve also heard of using it as part of your picture mats as well.

If it''s going to sit around and get yellowed versus me cutting it up and getting to see it on a daily basis, I''m not sure what I want to do. Scissors scare me.

 

[Londongirl1]

Date: 7/29/2009 12:47:57 PM
Author: ficklefaye
this is where i plan on donating mine after the wedding: http://bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/

Great idea

I''m not going to have my dress go mouldy hanging in a closet when someone else can get to enjoy wearing it AND the proceeds can benefit a victim of cancer (which any of us could be one day sooner or later)

 

[Still_Waiting]

Date: 7/29/2009 5:26:18 PM
Author: bee*
Mines in getting dry-cleaned and preserved. I want to keep it as I hate the thought of selling it. I''d love to wear it again in the future, even if it''s to just do the ironing.

HAHAHA!!! I LOVE it!

 

[Tuckins1]

My MIL had it cleaned and preserved for me. It''s in it''s special moisture-proof box in my closet. I know it''s silly to keep it and never be able to take it out of the box, but, I don''t care. Hubby''s aunts want me to use it for any children we have, for their christening.... First of all, I don''t believe in christening. Second of all... NO WAY!!! My dress will stay with me till I die, and then my children can decide what to do with it! I love my dress!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I''m wearing mine to the Renaissance faire since it would fit in there as a costume. After it gets too dirty from that, I''m converting it into a cocktail dress.

 

[pocahontas]

Date: 8/14/2009 8:40:34 AM
Author: Lanie

Date: 7/29/2009 5:26:18 PM
Author: bee*
Mines in getting dry-cleaned and preserved. I want to keep it as I hate the thought of selling it. I''d love to wear it again in the future, even if it''s to just do the ironing.

I''m the same way bee! I cannot even FATHOM giving mine away/selling it. My mom kept her dress and I loved pulling it out every once in awhile to look at it. I don''t expect my future daughters to wear it or anything, but I think it''s just neat to keep!

+ 1

 

[katomm]

Since we''re not going to have children and even if we did the likelihood of having a girl is slim, I''m donating mine to the charity that collects prom dresses for disadvantgage girls.

My dress is actually a bridesmaid dress but in white and simple so I think it would make a nice prom dress for a girl that can''t necessarily afford one. I''m excited to do it!

 

[gwendolyn]

What exactly does ''preserving'' your dress mean? Does that mean treating it with chemicals or something to prevent aging?



I don''t know if I will be able to part with mine. I can''t wait to put it back on next Saturday, and then imagine wearing it around the flat (carefully) many times before the wedding, so I just don''t know what I will do when both weddings are over and I don''t *need* it anymore.

 

[UCLABelle]

Well, I was one who preserved it. It cost $350.00- I will obviously never wear it again. But, I would have LOVED to worn my mothers (or re-design it) if she properly cared for it (it yellowed, tarnished, ect.). So, JUST in case...I did it. Not an economical choice, more of an emotional one.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 8/15/2009 12:08:52 PM
Author: ts44


I love this idea, and I checked the Brides Against Breast Cancer site and see that they are going to be in my area in time to buy a dress from them for my August 2010 wedding. Has anybody bought a dress from them or know anybody that has so I have an idea of what to expect?

I know it's been a little while since this post, but I just saw it and wanted to provide some insight. I got my dress from BABC when they came through my town in March. I think they treat most weekends like they did ours - Friday is a day dedicated to "VIP" people, which is anyone who pays the ~$20 to get in that day, and they get first pick of all the dresses. Then Saturday and Sunday all day are free to get in. We got there first thing on Saturday, and the people working there said they hadn't had many there on Friday. It got pretty busy Saturday though. We couldn't decide between a few by closing time Saturday, so they held the 3 for us, and we came back Sunday morning. Sunday it was practically empty, which made it nice to actually have some room to move around and a little privacy, haha.

They have a huge warehouse in South Carolina which is their headquarters where they house all the dresses. For each show, they pick a huge selection from their dresses and take them on the road to wherever they're going. All the dresses are donated from women who have (or maybe haven't) worn them previously, or samples from bridal salons, or discontinued models that didn't sell, or model dresses from fashion shows and such. They're all in great shape, and they had a huge selection of styles and sizes when I went.

They held mine in a hotel, which I think is what they usually do. They take basically take up a corridor on the first floor, and they set up the dresses on a bunch of racks in a few of the rooms. Then the next rooms down the hall are the dressing rooms. They set up some movable screens and such for some "privacy," but like I said, on Saturday, it was basically just a roomfull of girls changing in and out of dresses. It wasn't crazy-hectic like a running of the brides or anything, but it was certainly crowded. You kind of had to snag yourself a little spot and try to hold it - my mom would stand there while I'd go take some dresses back and get some more to try on. They also had little step stools and movable floor-length mirrors around the room too.

They also use a lot of the lobby area of the hotel - they had a few vendors set up when I was there - jewelry, favors, cakes, dress preservation. They were fairly unobtrusive though. When we got there, they were only allowing a certain number of girls in the dress area at a time, so we registered and waitied for my name to be called (only took about 10-15 minutes). Then we got to stay back there as long as we wanted. We could even walk up to the lobby area and they had a step up there set up in front of the huge lobby area to check yourself out in.

Except for the few workers there who work for BABC, the rest of the dozens of women working there were volunteers. It was so cool to have them around that I'm thinking of volunteering for it next time they come through here. Most were just girls who enjoyed doing it, a lot of them were girls who had gotten their dresses here before, and one lady that helped me was even a wedding planner just there because she enjoys it. But they just help you look around for dresses, hold them for you while you look or put them in the room for you, help you get zipped/strapped, and help with opinions and tips. It's actually really fun. And they were super supportive on Sunday when I was having the time of my life sitting there trying to decide between 3 dresses. Haha my mom even got friendly with a couple of the ladies, which was easy because they were all so nice to be around.

Well I've written a book now, but it was definitely worth the experience, so I wanted to share.

If you have any questions, please feel free to let me know.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

A few more things on BABC...

The lady that is the head over all the dresses in stock for BABC goes on all the road trips, and was even was making the rounds both days, and offered a lot of advice as far as what bra I might need, or how a certain dress could be bustled. Her assistant was even there to offer advice as far as the little things we weren''t noticing about how a dress was fitting, or about how a certain one might be easier to alter than another.
I also haven''t thought about what I''m going to do with my dress after the wedding, but I''ll probably donate it back to BABC. I won''t have a need for it after that, and I love the idea of giving back. The head lady even tried to help us figure out where the dress had come from, since she has a hand in so much that goes in and out of the stock. But she couldn''t remember this one, so she thinks it was one from a fashion show, as it was so clean and obviously not altered for someone of normal height (WAY long). Also, there''s no brand name tag in it, only a number, which we assume is the size (althought the number is either a 6 or 9, but I was shopping in the 10-12 range, and this was in the 10 section). Anyway, she said that''s how they usually discreetly tag the size in shows. Mine also didn''t show an original price.

Regardless, I got that dress for $500 flat. Which is incredible, considering the caliber of most of the dresses that were in there. They had $1000 dresses for more than 50% less (they show the original prices and the BABC price). They had $3000 dresses for $1000. I just think it''s such an awesome opportunity to get a beautiful dress at a super low price, while also giving the money to something incredible. I''d say definitely try it if you have the chance to.

Oh! One more thing... if you happen to dislike your dress down the road, they do offer exchanges. I know that''s not reasonable for most people who aren''t close to South Carolina. But if you are, you can go down there and dress shop just like it''s a normal shop. And if you''ve already gotten your dress from them and go down there, you can exchange the dress for another one in stock there if you find one you like better (it just has to be the same price, or more expensive and you pay the difference).

 

[LitigatorChick]

I am gonna trash the dress after the wedding - dive into the ocean, roll in the sand, and just get silly!!!

 

[galvana]

Im ashamed to say but its hanging in the closet, still not cleaned, have a black ring all over the bottom of it.
I need to do something w/it!

 

[somethingshiny]

Date: 9/2/2009 12:27:56 PM
Author: iloveprincesscuts
Im ashamed to say but its hanging in the closet, still not cleaned, have a black ring all over the bottom of it.

I need to do something w/it!

Yeah, me too. But, for me, it''s been ten years......

My mom used her satin dress (that she made herself) to line her babies'' blankets.

 

[ilovethiswebsite]

I just got mine back from the drycleaners... Basically I just paid 200$ to have it dry cleaned, and put in a preservation box, which is just an acid free box. It is displayed in the box and you can see it through a window of sorts... It's actually really cheesy. I didn't know what else to do with it and I didn't want to sell it... I also know it will just stay in that stupid box for an eternity!

It looks kind of like this: http://www.tomsbridal.com/images/Wedding%20Gown%20Preservation%20%2001.jpg

 

[TooPatient]

I''ve always wanted to preserve mine. (I''m not married, no date set, still waiting for the ring -- but I''ve had my dress for several years now)

I''d like to turn it into a piece of art. Preserved and put into a glass picture/display box and hung on the wall. They do it at diners with hats and stuff. And you see old Japanese dresses on display in artsy ways in some peoples homes.
Why not a wedding dress?

 

[Luckyeshe]

Date: 9/1/2009 11:21:20 AM
Author: LitigatorChick
I am gonna trash the dress after the wedding - dive into the ocean, roll in the sand, and just get silly!!!

Ditto!! Get some awesome pictures and then donate it!!

 

[Haven]

You should all throw white parties so everyone can wear their dresses one more time!

 

[Patchee]

Does anyone know why they turn yellow? I mean, I have some white dresses that I''ve had for years and they are whiter then white still. Is it what the dress is made up of?

As my sits in the bag hanging in the closet 2 months later after my wedding... I am considering donating it the Heavenlyangles.com they use the dresses to make dresses for babies that are born sick, that pass away so their parents do not have to go through the heartache of clothing their newborn that passed away.