I had my gown and veil clean/preserved after the wedding. It is in a rather large box in a safe dry place. I have thought when I have come across it to toss it. Not sure I could donate as it was altered quite a bit and not sure someone else would benefit. Surprisingly my DH said just keep it for a while longer.
How long have you kept yours, what have you done with it, would you throw it away?
OT- How long did you keep your dress?
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OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 2:36 PM EDT
- allreadymarried
- Posts: 535
- First: 9/6/2012
- Last: 5/16/2013
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Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 2:38 PM EDT
- Goodness1
- Posts: 0
- First: 9/6/2012
- Last: 5/16/2013
After my wedding, I'm planning on getting mine cleaned and preserved, and keeping it forever. I'm not giving that bad boy up, and would NEVER toss it!!! Perish the thought... -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 2:42 PM EDT
- kmt09
- Posts: 783
- First: 9/19/2008
- Last: 2/23/2011
I don't think I'll ever be able to part with my dress! I loved it; I think it'd be nice to have it, even if it is just considered a keepsake. However I do hold out hope that maybe one of my nieces will want to wear it someday. :)
Regarding having it cleaned and preserved...you can just take it to most dry cleaners, right? Mine is still hanging in my closet. -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 2:58 PM EDT
- dkb6248
- Posts: 920
- First: 7/23/2008
- Last: 8/5/2011
Hi KMT!!!!
Mine is still hanging on the back of the door in my bedroom. I haven't even gotten around to cleaning it yet. I've fantasize about putting it on and going someplace random before I clean it...ride my bike around the block, go through a drive through, go get ice cream...
I think I'm going to use wedclean.com. They are much cheaper than the quotes I've been getting from local cleaners. -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 3:04 PM EDT
- kmt09
- Posts: 783
- First: 9/19/2008
- Last: 2/23/2011
Hi dkb!!!! I've been sick so I haven't really been on the boards, but I'm better now. :)
I would absolutely love to see somebody riding their bike in a wedding gown. DO IT! -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 3:13 PM EDT
- SilverFestiva
- Posts: 1811
- First: 1/8/2008
- Last: 11/13/2012
I'm definitely not getting rid of it! And I'm getting it preserved so that hopefully someday someone else (maybe a daughter) will want to wear it. And if they don't, oh well! I could never ever trash it.
I'm going to take it to Toomey's cleaners in Peabody. I have heard lots of good things about them in general, and the cost is $175 including veils and petticoat. They have several locations. I wasn't comfortable sending it away. -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 3:24 PM EDT
- jasmine09
- Posts: 784
- First: 5/25/2008
- Last: 7/8/2011
I wish I knew what to do with mine. It is in my closet, unpreserved at the moment.
I wouldn't mind selling it, it just seems like a lot of effort and I hear that it is difficult to find buyers.
I would save it, but I don't know for what. If have daughters, and they are like me, they won't be sentimental enough to wear it. I tried on my great-grandmother's 80-year-old gown, and I was like--gee, this is pretty cool, but the sleeves came down to my wrist and the fabric up to my neck, and she was several inches taller than me. So it just wasn't meant to be. -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 3:36 PM EDT
- Prill
- Posts: 750
- First: 6/26/2008
- Last: 8/9/2012
Nearly 5 years later, mine still hangs, uncleaned and unpreserved in my closet...
Not sure what to do with it really. I did think I would get it shortened and dyed black after the wedding, but have never got around to it. -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 3:40 PM EDT
- dkb6248
- Posts: 920
- First: 7/23/2008
- Last: 8/5/2011
In Response to Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?:Hi dkb!!!! I've been sick so I haven't really been on the boards, but I'm better now. :) I would absolutely love to see somebody riding their bike in a wedding gown. DO IT!
Posted by kmt09
Glad you're better! If I ever do it, I'll send you a picture. I'll even wear a helmet...safety first. -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 4:21 PM EDT
- princess-cal
- Posts: 1868
- First: 4/21/2007
- Last: 5/20/2013
I got married 12 years ago. My dress is sitting in a cedar closet boxed up/preserved. I am thinking of tossing it. I can't open it, or it won't be preserved. I am not having kids, and it's an odd size so I probably can't sell it. Right now it just gets in the way. I have pictures, a video and memories of the dress. -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 4:36 PM EDT
- cosmogirl
- Posts: 4240
- First: 12/7/2006
- Last: 4/24/2013
mine is uncleaned, unpreserved, and folded in the bag on my attic stairs. It needs to be cleaned -- I got thru the wedding unscathed but wore it to a costume party the month after and got cosmos spilled all over it. Bummer.
I'm thinking I will cut it up and save the material for a quilt. Or placemats.
Preserving it seems silly. For what? And I don't know why they call it "preserving" anyway. It's cleaned and put in acid-free tissue paper. In a box. I guess if they called it "cleaned and put in a box" they couldn't charge an extra $100 for it.... -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 4:51 PM EDT
- JKFDais15
- Posts: 317
- First: 6/22/2009
- Last: 8/28/2012
My cousin used hers to make (actually had someone else make) a baptism outfit for her son.. she has enough to do a second too for her second baby on the way! -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 5:07 PM EDT
- kargiver
- Posts: 21661
- First: 10/17/2005
- Last: 5/20/2013
Mine's still hanging in the closet uncleaned. I'd like to keep it for the material; I wish I could sew, though. If we ever have a baby we could get a Christening gown made, or, if not, throw pillows. I LOVE my dress, but I don't see a point in keeping it in a box under the bed forever.
Chances are and truth be told, I'll probably never deal with it. It will stay in the closet dirty. -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 5:29 PM EDT
- framerican51008
- Posts: 5355
- First: 4/2/2007
- Last: 5/20/2013
I am undecided on mine (only been married 3+ months).
If I were going to baptise my children, I would definitely have a christening gown made. I think that is a lovely use of the garment.
For now, my dresses are hanging in the closet in the same muslin garment bags they hung in for 2+ years, uncleaned since the wedding. I am trying to think of other ways to put them to use... like maybe there is some way to frame the bodice fabric and put it on display? I probably couldn't bare to cut it up now, but maybe in a few years. -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 5:37 PM EDT
- pingo
- Posts: 10433
- First: 12/15/2005
- Last: 5/20/2013
I still have mine - and we just celebrated our 41st anniversary.
No, I wil never be able to fit into it again and I have no daughters. If I should ever have grand daughters, I do not think they will want to wear it. However, it is a part of our special moment. Besides in my country they say, "--as long as you keep your dress, your marriage will last!" So I am keeping it. -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 5:40 PM EDT
- Goodness1
- Posts: 0
- First: 12/15/2005
- Last: 5/20/2013
In Response to Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?:I still have mine - and we just celebrated our 41st anniversary. No, I wil never be able to fit into it again and I have no daughters. If I should ever have grand daughters, I do not think they will want to wear it. However, it is a part of our special moment. Besides in my country they say, "--as long as you keep your dress, your marriage will last!" So I am keeping it.
Posted by pingo
Pingo, I love that saying!! That's it, I'm definitely keeping my dress now.
Which country? -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 5:40 PM EDT
- kiwigal
- Posts: 893
- First: 5/18/2007
- Last: 5/20/2013
After having it sit for over three years in my father's attic (no room in a city apartment), I just sent my dress off to Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation. They clean and sell the used dresses and the $ goes to breast cancer research. It was a good feeling to get rid of the dress and know that it would have a life beyond me and our wedding. Here's the website if anyone's interested: bridesagainstbreastcancer.org
If I didn't do that, I would have been interested in making a christening gown out of it. But, there's already a gown in my husband's family that has been used for all the grandchildren and will be used for our new baby when he arrives this fall.
As for "preservation", I think it's a bit of a scam. I was going to try my mother's dress when my dad & I were cleaning out her closet after she died. We opened the never-opened box, and parts of the material had yellowed and there were some pretty serious wrinkles that looked like damage to the material. -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/3/2009 6:39 PM EDT
- lucy7368
- Posts: 2958
- First: 7/9/2008
- Last: 10/20/2010
My mom's wedding dress is still in the back of her closet, 40 years later. All of my sisters were too tall to wear it, and I believe I am too short. She keeps it, anyway. I think it's more about the memory of being 23 and newly in love...
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Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/4/2009 8:56 AM EDT
- kmt09
- Posts: 783
- First: 9/19/2008
- Last: 2/23/2011
In Response to Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress? : Glad you're better! If I ever do it, I'll send you a picture. I'll even wear a helmet...safety first.
Posted by dkb6248
You and DH should do it together, like this couple. Wheeeeeee!
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Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/4/2009 9:13 AM EDT
- dkb6248
- Posts: 920
- First: 7/23/2008
- Last: 8/5/2011
In Response to Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?:You and DH should do it together, like this couple. Wheeeeeee!
Posted by kmt09
HA! We would have to get a double bike, I need control of the breaks!
The bike I have now wouldn't be ideal. I rode it home from my sisters apartment last night and my sweat pants got caught on the chain and ripped. I fell off and a group of drunk guys laughed at me. Meanies. -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/4/2009 9:24 AM EDT
- kargiver
- Posts: 21661
- First: 10/17/2005
- Last: 5/20/2013
dkb, how awful! At least you didn't get anything more than your pride and pants hurt.
Get a tandem. Not sure, but I think both riders have brakes on those. :) -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/4/2009 9:27 AM EDT
- cosmogirl
- Posts: 4240
- First: 12/7/2006
- Last: 4/24/2013
somehow, with that picture, I can picture them both on the honeymoon in plaster casts from head to toe..... -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/4/2009 9:46 AM EDT
- jasmine09
- Posts: 784
- First: 5/25/2008
- Last: 7/8/2011
In Response to Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?:somehow, with that picture, I can picture them both on the honeymoon in plaster casts from head to toe.....
Posted by cosmogirlI was thinking the same thing. Biking in a long dress, and biking "side-saddle" both look like horrible ideas. -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/4/2009 9:52 AM EDT
- italianqueen
- Posts: 45
- First: 6/15/2007
- Last: 1/4/2011
This month I will be celebrating my 29th wedding anniversary and I still have my wedding dress. My daughter is getting married next year. I knew she wouldn't wear it but she tried it on and it is definitely not the style she wants. I can't get rid of it and I'm thinking that if I am blessed someday with a granddaughter, I can make her christening gown from it. I was also thinking of having a seamstress cut a big piece out of it to make the wrapping for my daughter's bridal bouquet. What do you girls think of that? -
Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?
posted at 9/4/2009 9:56 AM EDT
- dkb6248
- Posts: 920
- First: 7/23/2008
- Last: 8/5/2011
In Response to Re: OT- How long did you keep your dress?:somehow, with that picture, I can picture them both on the honeymoon in plaster casts from head to toe.....
Posted by cosmogirl
This is a disaster waiting to happen...