Uses for Your Wedding Dress…Besides the Obvious

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Today's Bride

You spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a wedding dress that you’ll wear for one day, and then what? What can you do with this expensive and gorgeous dress after the wedding day?

There are a ton of practical and sentimental uses for your wedding dress after the event – and some of them allow you to preserve your gown and still create a meaningful heirloom by using the scraps from your alterations!

wrap your bouquet

When you get your dress altered, ask for the remnants of the alterations! You can do so many things with the little left-over pieces – like wrap them around your bouquet! It can serve as your “something new” and makes for beautiful photos.

make a necklace

Taking a piece of your gown or veil and preserving it forever in the form of jewelry is a beautiful way to remember your wedding each and every day. You can even gift it to your flowergirl or daughter as an heirloom or keepsake and serve as their “something old” when they get married.

fashion your garter or lingerie

If you have enough material, you could create a custom garter from the lace or appliques. Depending on how much material was taken off of your dress, you can even create lingerie!

incorporate into your ring bearer pillow

If you have extra lace and want to use it in a meaningful way, embroider it onto your ring bearer’s pillow! This will make for a sentimental keepsake.

make a handkerchief

If the fabric cut from your dress is more substantial, consider making a beautiful handkerchief. It can serve as your fiance’s pocket square or make a great gift for your mom. Embroider it with a poem or letter, and she’s sure to shed a tear.

trash the dress

Why on earth you’d want to destroy a dress you spent so much money on is beyond us, but it does make for some pretty cool pictures.

 preserving your dress for future generations

We recommend creating a meaningful gift or keepsake out of the scraps of your alterations while preserving the entirety of the gown for future generations. While the silhouette may go out-of-style, with a few changes it could be transformed into the perfect dress for your daughter or granddaughter to wear down the aisle someday. Talk to your bridal shop or alterations team to see if they offer preservation services.

 

We love the idea of getting to use your dress more than once. After all, you did spend quite a bit of money on it! Preserve it forever in a keepsake or for posterity!