You search and search for the perfect wedding dress and try on so many before you find the one that is perfect for you and your wedding day. You LOVE your dress and looked gorgeous on your wedding day and have so many amazing photos from your wedding day that you love. Now that the wedding is over, what should you do with your dress? Keep reading for some things that you can do with your dress after the wedding.
Get Your Wedding Dress Professionally Cleaned
First thing first, regardless of what you decide to do with your wedding dress, you will need to get it professionally cleaned. You can't just throw your dress in the washing machine, your dress is delicate and a washing machine can destroy it. A professional cleaner will be able to banish any smells and stains so your dress will sparkle like it's new! Even if your dress looks fine and doesn't have any marks after the wedding, it could still have spills and stains that will appear as time goes by. You will want to get it cleaned sooner rather than later before stains set it and become permanent.
Preserve Your Wedding Dress
If you want to keep your dress for sentimental reasons or to maybe pass on to a future family member, preserving your dress is the way to go. There are several preservation companies out there that will preserve your dress in a small box so it is easy to store without taking up a lot of room. By preserving your dress, it helps deter the fabric from yellowing or having bugs nibble away at the fabric and will help it stay in the best shape that it can.
Display Your Wedding Dress
A fun way to keep your dress is to display it. If you have room to display your dress it can make a beautiful addition to your closet or bedroom decor and will be a constant reminder of your wedding day every time you see it. If you don't have room to display your dress but still love the idea, you can always display smaller items like your shoes, jewelry, veil, etc.
Re-Purpose Your Dress
If you don't want to get rid of your dress and don't want to store it away, re-purposing your dress can be a great idea! A good seamstress can turn your dress into a pretty cocktail dress that you can wear at anytime. You can leave it white or dye it another color. You can also turn it into a robe, decorative pillows, and anything else you can think of!
Donate Your Wedding Dress
If you are not a sentimental person with your wedding dress and don't have a strong attachment to it, donating your wedding dress to couples in need can be a great way to bless someone's life with a beautiful dress that they may otherwise not be able to afford. Shelters and other companies will welcome wedding dresses.
Sell Your Wedding Dress
If you want to re-coup a bit of your wedding costs, selling your dress can be a great idea. You won't get full price back, but you can certainly get a good portion of your money back. You can sell it via consignment, via online listings, or to a shop that specializes in selling used wedding gowns.
Plan A Trash The Dress Session
Want more photos of you and your dress? Then a Trash The Dress photo session is perfect for you! The level of trashing your dress is up to you! You can just get in some water with your dress, you can throw paint on your dress, etc. This will allow you to get some fun images and wear your dress again. You can even include your spouse into the session as well!
