Special Things To Do With Your Wedding Dress After The Day

So you’ve had the best time ever, wearing your wedding dress to celebrate your marriage. But it can feel sad that the day is over and you may not get to wear your dress of dreams again.

I totally get it, in fact, my dress is still in my wardrobe, sadly gathering dust (in its protective cover) without anyone enjoying it.

It’s doubtful that I will get to re-wear it. That’s to say if I can still fit into it! So what are the options? What can you do with your dress post-wedding?

Photo: Peter Hughes Photography via Aquapetra Resort Spa Wedding

Straight-After Your Wedding

First things first, before making any concrete decisions about the future of your dress. There are some things you should think about doing. These will be useful to, buy you time to make your choice and to keep your dress in tip-top condition.

With any luck, your gown will have a little bit of wear and tear. Luck you ask? Why? Well, because that means you enjoyed your day, let your hair down and partied hard.

It’s normal to have a few stains, especially around the hem. I was married in the woods and my dress was a little discoloured around the bottom hem. But if you go about it the right way, and quickly, you should be able to fix any stains.

Photo: Katherine Ashdown Photography via Holkham Hall Wedding

Clean It

Get in touch with a professional wedding dress preserver or dry cleaner as soon as possible. Time is of the essence as stains can set in the longer you leave it. When looking for an expert dress cleaner, be sure to check out their credentials and reviews. You could also ask your dress boutique for their dry cleaner recommendations.

You can DIY washing your gown, however, it is risky. If your dress has a lot of sentimental value and was expensive, don’t be shy of investing in restoring it. Funds may be low after your wedding, but you won’t want to regret the possibility of shrinking or setting stains in deeper by cleaning it yourself.

Ideally, it is a good idea to have outfit cleaning a part of your wedding budgeting. So if you are still in the process of planning, pop the costs into your wedding budget spreadsheet.

Photo: Camilla Andrea Photography via Modern Pink Wedding Ideas

Fix It

Then, it’s worth checking over your dress. Are there any embellishments missing or lose stitching? Some dresses may come with extras such as spare buttons/sequins. If you have these, take them to your seamstress to fix. A seamstress may also be able to make any other repairs to ensure your gown looks perfect again.

Store It

Finally, with your dress clean and fixed, it can be stored. I am storing my own dress by hanging it in my wardrobe in it’s protective cover. However, it may be safer to buy a special dress box to keep your gown in. Then store in a dark and dry place that’s safe from heat and any other harmful elements.

What To Do With My Wedding Dress After The Wedding?

I’ve researched all the options so you don’t have to. I will be sharing them with you so that you can feel content about the new life you have planned for your gown.

Keep It

Quite simply, you keep your dress.

You could keep your gown for a rainy day to pass on to someone else, or just for you to enjoy and look at whenever you wish. There is actually no need to do anything with your gown post-wedding.

Displaying your dress as artwork is another option. Framing your gown or displaying it on a mannequin is lovely, but be careful of your dress disintegrating or discolouring over time.

Photo: Photos By Hash via Beer Garden Wedding

Sell Sell Sell or Rent?

Selling a wedding dress is a popular choice. There is a reason there are so many specialist wedding dress marketplaces.

But when selling a dress, try to have a strategy:

Prepare your gown (clean & mend)
Get great photos
Prepare compelling text for the listing
Research realistic selling prices
Include the important details (sizing/designer/colour)
Find the perfect place to sell (eBay/Facebook/Vinted/Bridal Boutique/Specialist Wedding Marketplaces)
Reply swiftly and be prepared for brides wishing to try the dress on/make you an offer

You can follow the above steps similarly if you would like to rent your wedding dress out. There are specialist online marketplaces for dress/outfit rentals.

You could make a small but steady income, whilst helping out other couples with not only their wedding budget but by being more sustainable.

Photo: Joseph Kinerman via Hylands Estate Wedding

Donate To A Good Cause

Donating a wedding dress is such a lovely way to say give-back. There are many ways to donate a dress to charity:

Take it to your local charity shop
Donate to wedding charity (Wishing Well Foundation/Brides Do Good/Gift Of A Wedding)
Donate to a charity that creates gowns for stillborn babies – please contact these charities in before donating as they mave have too many donations (Cherished Gowns/Dresses For Angels/Daddies With Angels)
Sell your dress and donate the proceeds to your chosen charities

Not only does this help another, but it also gives you peace of mind and a sense of fulfilment. This could help with avoiding the feeling of the post-wedding blues too.

Photo: WhitneyBre Photography via Romantic Fall Wedding

Upcycle & Reuse

There are so many inventive ways to reuse and upcycle your wedding gown. That’s if you are OK with potentially taking it apart! Not for the feint-hearted, here are some options:

Have your dress made into a new outfit (short dress/jumpsuit/top/skirt)
Create an accessory from the gown you can wear (hair accessories/scarf/coverups)
Dye/rehem it to wear again
Repurpose into memory homeware (cushion/quilt/teddy/blanket)
Turn it into special clothing for your children
Recycle into a Christmas bauble

Photo: Kim Williams Weddings via Bright Barn Wedding

Future Wearing Opportunities

If you just can’t help but want to wear your wedding dress again. There are options! How about:

Having a post-wedding shoot (trash the dress/themed photos)
Throw a wedding dress-wearing party for fun
Wear on your anniversaries
Keep to wear at your vow renewal

Photo: HBA Photography

Do Brides Keep Their Dresses?

Yes, many brides do keep their wedding dresses. But also, many brides also donate, sell and repurpose their gowns to give them a new life.

What Can I Do With My Wedding Veil?

Similarly to what you can do with a wedding dress, you can do with a wedding veil. So you could keep, sell, donate or repurpose your veil.

Is It OK To Sell My Wedding Dress?

Absolutely you can sell your wedding dress. There are no rules and you should do what feels right for you and your gown.

So there we have it, all your options for what to do with your dress, after the big day. No matter what you chose, my best advice is to go with your gut.

Don't be swayed by others' opinions, do what's right in your heart. And, don't forget you can relive your wedding memories through your wedding photos and film not just through keeping your dress. Other smaller wedding keepsakes can be easier to keep as mementos too.

But first and foremost, be sure to clean, fix and store your dress as soon as possible. Then you can make your choice after the confetti has settled.