What Can I Do With My Old Wedding Dress?

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What Can I Do With My Old Wedding Dress?

Creative Ways To Repurpose Your Dream Dress

The wedding is over and your new life begins.

Your dream dress has been hanging on the back of your bedroom door, bringing back beautiful memories of your wedding day.

But it can’t stay there forever.

Here are some creative uses for old wedding dresses.

Whichever one you choose, we strongly suggest first having your old wedding dress cleaned – either professionally, or by spotting any stains and marks yourself with mild soap and warm water or solvent, depending on the fabric.

Starting with a clean dress is essential for successful preservation or reuse.  

Store it away for your daughter/granddaughter 

With the craze for vintage and repurposing going from strength to strength, you might like to keep your wedding dress (and veil and accessories) for future generations. Just make sure you store it properly.

Fold and wrap your old wedding dress between sheets of white acid-free tissue paper and/or a cloth garment bag and put it in a special box in a dark, humidity-free place. 

Pop in some wedding photos of yourself (in a kraft paper envelope to protect them to) for a ceremonious opening in the years to come!

Make it into a cocktail dress

Many old wedding dresses can be adapted to party and cocktail dresses.

The train is the first thing that tends to go, along with the dress length and possibly sleeve length. Unless you have the skills, you would be wise to discuss wedding dress alterations with a professional dressmaker. Browse our dresses from The Party Edit for inspiration.

Dying your wedding dress is not as crazy as it sounds. Consult a professional to see if the fabric of your old wedding dress can be successfully dyed (some can’t).

Remember that any lace and embroidery will result in tonal variation – an effect that can work beautifully on Boho wedding dresses.

Make it into a child’s dress

Does your daughter have communion or a special event coming up? What little girl wouldn’t love to wear ‘mummy’s wedding dress.’?

Consult a dressmaker for old wedding dress alteration possibilities.

Make it into a piece of wall art 

Framing interesting textiles for wall art has been around for centuries. With your old wedding dress, you can create something truly unique and personal.

Are you having your wedding photographs framed? Then use strips of your weddings dress’s fabric for a border or backdrop.

Or remove a piece of lace or applique and have it mounted in a window box frame.

Keep it for future wedding anniversaries 

Your wedding dress is one in a million. Keep that feeling (and your love) alive by wearing it on a significant wedding anniversary, perhaps returning to the park or garden of your original wedding ceremony shoot for some photos.

Donate it!

What better way to share the love of your wedding than by donating your old wedding dress to a good cause?

There are many charities that accept wedding dresses for resale.

Pronovias partners with Brides Do Good, a UK-based non-profit that empowers young girls with greater access to education.

Simply return your dress to any Pronovias store. Once it is sold by Brides Do Good, we match the sales price, so your donation is doubled.

Find out more about the great work done by Brides Do Good.

And remember, when it comes to deciding what to do with your old wedding dress, #loveconquersall.

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