How many times have you worn your wedding dress?

[mary poppins]

I saw this interesting article about a woman who has worn her wedding dress more than 100 times around the world for photo shoots with her photographer husband. The pictures are quite nice. Must be a big cleaning bill after the under water shots.

http://www.today.com/style/woman-wears-wedding-dress-around-world-stunning-photo-series-1C8709828

I read another story a while ago about a group of women who get together for vacation once a year and wear their dresses during one of the evenings. My niece, who is 9 years old now, occasionally wears my sister-in-laws dress around the house. It's really cute.

How many times have you worn your dress since your wedding?

 

[amc80]

Zero. In fact, I haven't even seen it since the wedding. It's still in the bag and I never got it cleaned. Oops.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Never. I cannot think of any possible occasion that would be appropriate to wear it! (not that it would fit at this point anyway!)

 

[qtiekiki]

I tried it on once last year to see if I still fit in it. I took a pic of me in it in the bathroom. LOL.

ETA: Someone was telling that they know a couple who wear their gown and tux to take a picture every anniversary.

 

[pregcurious]

I've tried it on for fun, but I haven't worn it anywhere since the wedding.

 

[vc10um]

Twice, not including my wedding day.

The first time was for our local reception with DC-Area friends (we got married in Kansas City).

The second was for post-wedding pictures and a trash the dress shoot in my hometown (Ann Arbor, MI) which happens to be near where we live now, so I'm incredibly glad we have these!

 

[bunnycat]

I guess that's a new one on the Garden Gnome that travels the world....

I wore my dress 3 times. One time before the wedding for some photographs, the wedding day and then a few days later to take some more pics that we were trying to duplicate from the engagement pictures. Then I sent it off to be cleaned and it's in a sealed box now. So I just go look at it every now and then. I love the idea of a yearly anniversary pic but dread the idea of the attached cleaning bill. (Mine is covered in little translucent pearly beads and sequins).

 

[TooPatient]

I tried it on once last year to see if I still fit in it. I took a pic of me in it in the bathroom. LOL.

ETA: Someone was telling that they know a couple who wear their gown and tux to take a picture every anniversary.

That sounds so romantic and wonderful!
I'd hate to see the year that one or the other couldn't fit into their gown or tux... That would have to be an awful feeling!

 

[Laila619]

Zero. In fact, I haven't even seen it since the wedding. It's still in the bag and I never got it cleaned. Oops.

Ditto, never even cleaned mine either.

 

[momhappy]

Um, once. I never even had my silk gown dry cleaned. It's rolled up in a bag and stored up in the attic. I can't imagine wearing it again - maybe for Halloween some year I'm sure it still fits, my weight has stayed the same my whole life (with the exception an increase during my pregnancies, but then back to my normal again).

 

[jaysonsmom]

I put mine on with my veil once a year or so, on our wedding anniversary. I don't take pictures or anything, it's just for kicks and giggles. My hubby and kids like to see me play "dress-up" on that day....and it's also to ensure that I have maintained my figure over the years. Funny thing is, although I can still zip it up, it fits totally differently than it did on my wedding day, the bosom area is very roomy nowadays, and waist is snug!

 

[JewelFreak]

I guess that's a new one on the Garden Gnome that travels the world....

Never since my wedding. I look terrible in white. So made a point to wear something else -- ended with a shrimp-colored dress & thought I could wear it again as a party dress. Nuh uh. Didn't go to formal stuff for too long; it was out of style then. I hauled it along on the next 6 moves over 25 yrs & before we made this move, decided to ax it. I have pics, why carry the thing around?

--- Laurie

 

[DNB]

I've been married since 1981. Since the wedding I've tried it on a couple of times. Last time was about 10 years ago just to see if it still fit. It did, but it won't now. Hitting late 40's a few years ago did a number on my metabolism and shape. It's a size 5/6 and I'm not anymore.

 

[qtiekiki]

This is a side-by-side of the my 1st fitting and after 6 years of marriage. Maybe I'll try my gown on every 5 years to see if I can fit in it.

 

[Matata]

I wore it 3x, once at the initial try one, once for a fitting and then for the ceremony. I didn't keep the dress. Left it in the hotel room in Rome for the housekeeper who said she could use it.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

I have worn my dress once since our wedding day when Kate and William got married.
Since it was televised my friend and I decided to have a little party. She sent me an invitation to 'the wedding' and we dressed up in our wedding gowns, wore Tiaras, ate high tea and drank champagne while we watched the wedding. Afterwards we pooled our bling and took some pictures. It was a great night!

It's my wedding anniversary next week, maybe ill try it on to see if it still fits.

 

[heididdl]

Once although both my sisters tried to try it on and it didn't fit either one lol

 

[iheartscience]

I haven't worn it since my wedding. Add me to the list who didn't get it cleaned either! It's hanging in my closet now. I'll never get rid of it, I'm actually pretty sentimental. That's also why I didn't clean it-even if the bottom got stepped on and dirty, it got stepped on at my wedding, so I want it just like that.

 

[Haven]

Many. I like to wear it around the house when DH is OOT.

 

[gemtastic]

This is a side-by-side of the my 1st fitting and after 6 years of marriage. Maybe I'll try my gown on every 5 years to see if I can fit in it.

(secretly super jealous!)

Only wore mine once--its actually aqua, so I could wear again, just never have had the occasion

 

[SB621]

I sold mine on ebay after the wedding. My wedding day didn't go as planned with lots of things going wrong. My mom stepped on my dress and ripped the bustle out within the first 30 minutes of the wedding. I didn't really love the dress but we were broke just graduated and deeply indept college students. Basically I wasn't attached to it and didn't feel the need to keep it.

We plan on renewing our vows at 10 years. I will buy my dream dress then and probably hang on to it. I love the idea of dyeing it a different color and turning it into an evening gown I can continue to wear. But that is all pending what style I am with.

 

[NOYFB]

Just once - on my wedding day. It's been cleaned and professionally boxed up since then. I was thinking about pulling it out and wearing again on our 20th anniversary....but I'd really like to offer it to my niece (she's currently 12) to wear on her wedding day, if she wants.

 

[rosetta]

On my wedding day only. No way I could fit onto it now. I lost a lot of weight for the wedding which was never going to stay off, I love my food too much (I was UK size 6, US size 2 on my wedding day)

 

[CharmyPoo]

I haven't even looked at my gown since my wedding ... in fact, I still haven't cleaned it. Haha ... a shame because it is a beautiful Vera Wang gown. I don't see why I would ever wear it again.

I was an indecisive bride and ended up buying 3 gowns.

 

[kenny]

This thread makes me think renting a WG is worth considering.

 

[Tuckins1]

Once. It's been preserved and is now in a box in my attic.

 

[madelise]

This thread makes me think renting a WG is worth considering.

In Chinese culture (maybe other Asians, but not sure, so I won't speak for them), you do not buy a wedding dress. You rent one. It's unheard of to BUY one. However, we also wear multiple dresses that we change into for the reception, including a traditional Chinese dress. Either way, the rental for all those dresses usually cost less than purchasing 1 dress.

Usually, you rent the dresses from the same company that does your wedding photo/videography. There's a "Wedding Row" in Temple City, CA, that offers these services.

 

[SB621]

This thread makes me think renting a WG is worth considering.

In Chinese culture (maybe other Asians, but not sure, so I won't speak for them), you do not buy a wedding dress. You rent one. It's unheard of to BUY one. However, we also wear multiple dresses that we change into for the reception, including a traditional Chinese dress. Either way, the rental for all those dresses usually cost less than purchasing 1 dress.

Usually, you rent the dresses from the same company that does your wedding photo/videography. There's a "Wedding Row" in Temple City, CA, that offers these services.

NO Way!! That is so interesting! I never knew that. We lived in Japan for several years and it was always interesting to see how some of the locals dressed on their wedding. Many wore traditional kimonas but it became extremely popular to get the big white gown for the reception. I always wondered if they bought them or rented them or what as we never saw any bridal salons on island. I wonder if they do the same with renting them. Both dresses were usually super eleborate so I'm sure they cost a pretty penny.

 

[JewelFreak]

Sarah, I think they do rent them in Japan too. I spent 6 - 8 wks per year in Japan for 9 years & iirc, brides rent both the white gown & the kimono. Wedding kimonos are spectacularly beautiful & extreeeeemely costly. In Nara on a weekend I browsed kimono shops where they displayed them on the wall -- it was as thrilling, honestly, as looking at gems. Fabrics, embroidery material (gold & silver), incredible skill of workmanship, composition of design, just took my breath away. Generally, according to my Japanese colleagues, these cost $100K upwards -- steeply upwards. To rent one & wear it even for a few hours, I'd think I died & gone to heaven!

--- Laurie

 

[rubybeth]

I know in some South American countries, they also rent their dresses.

I got my dress extremely cheaply, online, J.Crew final sale. I have tried in on a few times since the wedding 4.5 years ago, and it still fits. I look better in it now, though, since we joined a gym a few years ago! J.Crew also made a shorter version of the dress for bridesmaids, so I bought a brown version of it on eBay for like $60 and hope to wear it for a special occasion anniversary.