After the ceremony: here's what I did with my wedding dress

When I opened my closet and saw my wedding dress, nostalgia and practicality set in. The wedding dress that I wore once holds memories of the happiest day of my life, but it's hanging there - unlikely to be worn again.

One option I've heard of is transforming the dress into another piece of clothing. I love my dress, but it has a lot of embellished detailing, so I wasn't sure if I would actually be able to transform it into a one-piece dress, or change it into another dress that I would actually wear.

Of course, saving, donating, or selling was on my mind, and I was curious at first to see what other brides did with their dresses after the wedding. And check out the information on social media platforms, and asking others for their opinions. Finally I decided it was time to give my beautiful gown a new meaning. Here's how I embarked on this journey of transformation, and how you can do the same.

Wedding dress preservation ideas

I had thought about preserving my wedding dress because the dress has such deep emotional meaning for me, but my wedding dress was just too big and framing it felt a little silly to me (we don't have a big place).

Once upon a time, the plan was:

• Save the wedding dress for my daughter, it's a princess dress wedding dress and I'm sure it won't go out of style!

• Wearing it on our anniversary will be a bit of a hassle, but I feel very ceremonial!

Then I cleaned and boxed it up, but since my daughter chose her own wedding dress and I didn't wear it on my anniversary, I forgot about it until one day I found this “big guy”. So I decided not to keep it!

Choose to donate or sell

My experience of donating and selling was the same, why? Because my dress was too small, too expensive and difficult to have altered by a seamstress, so it was difficult to find a lady of my size, and I have to say, I was very skinny when I got married.

That said, why would I choose to donate or sell it? Because when I was looking up information, I was on platforms where brides were sharing their experiences of donating and selling, such as donating to the Angel Gown Program, cancer charities, or selling to brides on a budget.

It wasn't until I read a very interesting comment from a bride who said “There is a Facebook group called ‘Share Your Dream Dress’ where people can pass on their dresses for free! It might make a bride very happy by donating your dress to her wedding. Depending on the rules of the group, she will pass it on to the next bride. It's like donating, but more wonderful and personalized than donating to a consignment store because you can see where the dress goes.”

I give to a lot of brides, but it ends up coming back to me... the reason? It was too small!

Choosing to transform your wedding dress

For people like me who aren't great DIYers, finding a skilled seamstress or designer is crucial. I went to a seamstress recommended by a friend and she created two summer wedding dresses out of my wedding dress. We kept the original lace beading but modified the length and added some fabric, removed the large hemline to make it summer appropriate. And we donated it to two brides and got photos of their wedding day.

Re-vamping my wedding dress was not only a practical decision, but also an emotionally rewarding one. It allowed me to feel the joy of my wedding day all over again in a completely new everyday setting.

Final Thoughts.

Remodeling your wedding dress can be a beautiful way to keep your special day alive in a practical way. Whether it's a piece of home decor or a new dress, it's all about translating joy and love into something you can appreciate again. If you are considering doing this, take your time, think carefully, and choose a path that honors both your memories and your future.

By sharing my journey, I hope to inspire those who are considering giving new life to their wedding dress. It's a meaningful way to embrace change while cherishing memories.