Poll: Declutter my wedding dress?

[Kay in Cal]

OK, I was going to post a picture of me and my dh in our wedding finery, but, of course, we are moving--all the pictures are packed!

 

I have a wedding dress. It's in one of those sealed boxes with the little window. It's off the shoulder with little sleeves, has sort of a gathered thing with sparkly clasps. (You can tell I'm so into fashion, right?). I don't remember the designer, but a quick image search and it actually looks kind of like this:

 

 

But in a 15 year old style sort of way. In fact, 15 years old yesterday. Happy Anniversary to me!

 

So, ladies, should I keep it? No daughters here, no chance of it coming back into style, I honestly haven't looked at it in years except when we move. I paid $900 for the thing, which is why I've been hauling it around, I think.

 

Declutter? Or keep it for future possible weddings? Or....?

[Scarlett]

OK, I was going to post a picture of me and my dh in our wedding finery, but, of course, we are moving--all the pictures are packed!

 

I have a wedding dress. It's in one of those sealed boxes with the little window. It's off the shoulder with little sleeves, has sort of a gathered thing with sparkly clasps. (You can tell I'm so into fashion, right?). I don't remember the designer, but a quick image search and it actually looks kind of like this:

 

 

But in a 15 year old style sort of way. In fact, 15 years old yesterday. Happy Anniversary to me!

 

So, ladies, should I keep it? No daughters here, no chance of it coming back into style, I honestly haven't looked at it in years except when we move. I paid $900 for the thing, which is why I've been hauling it around, I think.

 

Declutter? Or keep it for future possible weddings? Or....?

 

Happy anniversary!!! I think the pic is of a timeless style, but maybe yours does look dated, I dont know. Anyway, I kept mine for 20 years, tried it on, felt good that it still fit and then got rid of it. I have no regrets.

[Stacia]

Well, I've been decluttering for awhile now, so I'd vote for donating it. (But, I can't talk -- I haven't donated mine yet either. I do have a dd & plan to open it up & let her try it on, just for fun. Then maybe I'd donate it.) You have photos & great memories, right?

 

This group takes used wedding dresses: http://bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/

But, it looks like currently, they want ones from 2000 or newer.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

I would vote for taking it to a consignment shop or saving it to make ring bearer's pillows for your dc.

 

Mine is so terribly dated that I'm doing the second.

[The Governess]

Hmmm, good question. I am wondering what to do with my huge dress too.

 

If you don't have anyone in mind that you would like to hand it down to, I say get rid of it! If you are crafty, maybe you could save some of the fabric for a project of some sort? Is it silky or scratchy? If it's silky, it might be cute to save a few pieces and use it later to make some little lovies for grandbabies down the road.

 

I'm not very big on keeping things around that aren't being used...but I do have two daughters and so I am torn about keeping my dress. I think I might try stuffing it into one of those vacuum seal bags and seeing how small I can get it.

[johnandtinagilbert]

I would vote for taking it to a consignment shop or saving it to make ring bearer's pillows for your dc.

 

Mine is so terribly dated that I'm doing the second.

That's a great idea....either that or I'd donate....maybe to a Clothes for Kids type organization that gives out prom dresses?

[Amy in Orlando]

I like the idea of ringbearer's pillows for your sons. I've kept mine thinking of maybe having it made into christening gowns for my future grandkids.

[chaik76]

Unless you're crafty and really will do something else with the material (or can afford to have it made into something), I'd get rid of it. It's just more space. The memories will be there forever...whether the dress is in your house or not (speaking as someone who does not have their wedding dress!)

ETA: If you get rid of it, there are some organizations you could donate it to, so that women who can't afford wedding dresses can have one.

[SusanG]

My parents sold my dress the day of our wedding! Their neighbors had a family member who had just gotten engaged, and they asked to buy the dress. We spent $700 on it and sold it for $400 - cha ching! I never keep anything, and if ebay had been around at the time it probably would have been listed before the wedding even happened so I could ship it out when we got home from our honeymoon.

[OnTheBrink]

Well, my cats peed on my wedding dress (a fitting tribute, IMO) so I threw it away.

 

In your situation, I'd either sell it or make ring bearer pillows for your sons.

[Old Dominion Heather]

Drop that thing.

 

Donate it to someone who can't afford a pretty dress or give it to a charity that resells the dresses for charity. Our YWCA has a bridal shop that it uses to fund the domestic violence shelter. They have an amazing selection of dresses and bridesmaid dresses.

[Janet in Toronto]

My dress was stored at my mother's house. For 20 years. When she was downsizing to a condo apt., my sibs and I spent a weekend at her place helping her declutter. I knew that I didn't want the dress cluttering up my house...I hadn't thought about it for 20 years. She donated it to someone who makes over old dresses for brides who can't afford a new one.

 

Five years later, and I've never given it a thought.

[klmama]

I like the idea of ring-bearer's pillows. Also, you could use it to make Christening gowns for the grandchildren someday - lots of "sacramental silk" there, you know! Or, maybe when one ds and his future bride want to marry, money will be tight and she'd like it. Who knows. If all else fails, save it and pull it out to display at your 50th wedding anniversary party!

[Lisa in Jax]

Ring bearer's pillows and CHRISTENING GOWNS! Please, please, please save at least some of the fabric/lace/detailing. Your sons' wives could use it in some fashion -- cover for a wedding guest book, hankie for the bride(s), etc.

 

It's a veritable treasure trove of sentimental, vintage items for future daughters-in-law and/or grandchildren.

 

I vote KEEP IT!

 

Lisa

[Heather in the Kootenays]

I voted to remake it into something but I actually think that donating it is a better idea.

 

A friend burned hers in a ceremony but then she was divorced so that's a bit different.

[Heather in the Kootenays]

I'm surprised by those who said to toss it. I'm the queen of tossing her but even I wouldn't toss a wedding dress if the marriage was still intact.

[Karenciavo]

My dress is like Fergie's (Duchess, not singer) dress was, so you could say it's out of date, but I still save it hoping either one of my future DsIL will want it or who knows, grand daughters.

 

Karen

 

P.S.: I just did a google image search for Fergie's wedding dress and my wedding picture came up on page 2. Freaky :ohmy:

[Michelle T]

It was wadded up and stuffed into a bag somewhere in my parent's garage. Not even cleaned first! I guess it was thrown out years ago, probably when my parents moved. At any rate, I haven't missed it, although it was a beautiful dress.

 

Michelle T

[elegantlion]

I've been married for almost 16 years. It's in a bag hanging in the closet, taking up valuable space. :glare: Ironically my dh is more attached to it than I am. I don't have daughters and the dress was cheap, not my dream dress by any stretch. So I vote for donation, which is where mine will be if it does not sell in the garage sale I'm having soon.

[praisefor3]

If you have no one to pass it to, then, yes, I agree with getting rid of it. In my case, my wedding dress is one of the most special items I have. My mother made it for her wedding in 1953. It is beautiful satin and gorgeous. It cost her $18.00. My sister had it slightly updated in 1974 for her own wedding. I then did little to it in 1987 for my own. At that point we realized the gown had cost each of us $6. I enjoyed putting a note in the wedding program about the history of the dress. Then in 2003 my niece wanted to wear the dress. At this point it was obvious it needed updating. My sister put a couple hundred dollars in it (not sure exactly) and had the dress updated. The top is somewhat different, beads were added, but the same basic "core" is still my mom's. The investment of the dress went up but my own daughter can't wait to wear the dress, too, meaning it's value will once again increase! :) Most of all, I love knowing we have something so special as my mom has passed away. Without that meaning, though, and especially without someone to pass it to, the dress would not be meaningful or worth saving. We are especially thankful for it as my niece's house (the last to wear the dress) was flooded by Hurricane Katrina and the dress would have no doubt been ruined. Thankfully it had been moved from her house before Katrina was even on the horizon.

[iquilt]

I recently removed mine (made by my mom so I really cannot get rid of it) from the big box which took up 1/2 of one of our closets. I placed it and the veil in space bag, sucked out all of the air, and now it fits very nicely on a shelf of my closet - I am now a space bag junkie and have many quilts and baby blankets in space bags. I cleaned out an entire closet that way!

 

ETA: I just remembered that my mom used the extra material to make the christening gown for my children. So that's another idea for the material, there would easily be enough from the skirt of the dress to save and turn into a keepsake with a new life!

[Diana in OR]

I'm surprised by those who said to toss it. I'm the queen of tossing her but even I wouldn't toss a wedding dress if the marriage was still intact.

 

Me too! I don't keep anything, but I wouldn't get rid of my wedding dress! It doesn't really take up too much space in it's box.

 

I only have boys, but I love the idea that someday maybe a grand-daughter or long after I'm gone, a great-or great-great granddaughter would be thrilled to wear it.

 

If I were you, I wouldn't even think about taking a pair scissors to it, unless it was for an alteration.

[readwithem]

I've kept mine for 21 years, my dd is too tall for it and besides my sister had it altered so she could wear it about 15 years ago (she's 4 inches shorter than I am). I have hauled mine around the world where we have moved - not in a cute box like yours but the plastic bag the store gave me - shudder - I can't imagine what it looks like. You may have motivated me to get rid of the thing :)

[clwcain]

My wife opted to move hers along. We've kept her veil (handmade Belgian lace) and the red velvet capelet she made to go with the dress. But she concluded that she's not going to wear it again and, even if we did have girls, it's not as if it's a family heirloom.

 

Now that I think about it, it may still be hanging in the closet waiting to be sent to a consignment shop. *shrug*

 

But we are admittedly not sentimental about such things. Christening gowns, yes. Wedding dress? No.

[Pajama Mama]

My dress isn't a full length dress--more like a cocktail dress. It's an off the shoulder, pretty antique white lace dress. It's a size 6 or 8 so I know that I'll never wear it again:glare: But if dd7 wanted to wear it someday, like to a junior prom, I'd let her wear it.

[Oak Knoll Mom]

I voted keep it, but then again my mom made mine so *mine* is very sentimental for me. May not be the same for you.

 

BTW, my mom's wedding dress was beautiful and back in style when I got married. I was actually a little smaller than she was when she married, so it could have been altered to fit. Alas, she got rid of it and I didn't have the opportunity to wear it.

[Alice]

I would see if there is anywhere you could donate it. Wedding dresses are so expensive there has to be someone who would be thrilled to get one.

[Melora in NC]

I'd try to sell it.

I wore a borrowed dress for my wedding, so it wasn't an issue, but that would definitely be the sort of thing I wouldn't want to give up storage space for.

[Just a Jen in Mississippi]

Well, I'm keeping mine because I have daughters. Two of the sweetest, most beautiful weddings I've ever been to had the bride wearing either her mom's veil or the dress. It was special. I also have a dear friend that actually threw together a quick wedding and wore her mother-in-law's gown!! So, my vote is to keep! If your dress is remotely like the one in the picture, it will be pretty classic. I've got an ugly 1991 puffy sleeve, mile long train dress, and I'm just hoping that if one of my daughters wants to wear it, that maybe it can be altered into something a little less 90's!:lol:

[Kay in Cal]

Hmm.. OK, I think I'll keep it. I would hate to jettison it and then feel bad...

found another picture:

The top of my dress has a twisty gathered then around the shoulders thing just like this dress, but without the ribbon and hanging ribbon. Actually, I think it probably still looks pretty good! I went to a wedding around a year or so after we got married where the bride was doing a Disney theme, and she wore the same dress that I had worn. Hmmm... gotta dig out those pictures some time.

 

Now, I already have an heirloom christening gown--it was actually hand-made by my great-great grandmother around 1890 for my great-grandfather. Handmade lace (the kind where you pull stitches) and the whole works--and it is still in wearable condition--both my boys wore it. It is delicate and crinkly because I'm afraid to iron it... but beautiful.

 

But... ring pillows. Or maybe someone could cut the dress down. I guess I'll hang onto it until some sort of opportunity to give it away presents. If I gave it away now it would just end up at Goodwill.

[BamaTanya]

All those years she kept it and I didn't even like the style. And then . . . dh asked me to marry him and I started looking through bridal magazines and I couldn't find ANYTHING that could compare to it. Sigh. I don't know if it was classic or back in style or anything else. I just know it "fit." Double sigh. I never ever ever felt prettier than when I wore Mom's gown.

 

Mom's gown has seen its share of weddings. I think a couple of her cousins wore it before I did.

 

I have 2 dds and 3 dss, so there may be someone who'll want it someday. And if anyone in the family wants to borrow it before then, it's hanging in the closet.

 

Even 27 years after Mom's wedding, only the cumberbund was too dingy to use. I made a new one, and a neighbor made my veil. Something old, something new . . .:)

[abbeyej]

Didn't your dh give you an AG doll a couple of years back? You could hire someone to take *your* dress and make it into a doll dress that would fit your AG, in a style similar to the original. Then you would have "decluttered", but you'd have a small version that you could pull out any time and let your doll wear. :) It would be a neat reminder, something you could "play with" from time to time, and it would be so very much *smaller*.

 

Maybe it could be a future anniversary present for you?

[Kay in Cal]

Good memory, Abbey! That's right, I have a Molly doll... hmmm... that is a cool idea!

[abbeyej]

That's right, I have a Molly doll...

 

Lol! I *thought* it was Molly, but I wasn't absolutely certain... (I had a Kirsten, but my sister had a Molly... then Josephina came out, so she got to have her too, since we always had trouble finding dolls that looked like S.)

 

I just figured that way you could declutter *and* keep the dress too! ;) Um, well, sort of anyway...

[Retired]

so 80's big ruffle train. I gave it to some charity/thrift store. It was beautiful and my dh picked out in a bride's magazine. I can't believe how much money I wasted on that dress. I wish we would have gone to Aruba or something.