Information

[Flasher]

And what an amazing organization.  I've never heard of that.  Awesome!

[joannie]

I rented my dress since Dad & Mom was not paying for my wedding. I did buy my hat & still have it in my closet! I spent the most money on photographs!! 

[scrappinmom99]

The Angel Gowns .... So sweet an idea. I wish I had a dress to send them. I wore a black velvet cocktail length dress when we married in 1998.  I can't tell you how many Christmases I dragged that dress out of the closet to wear LOL! The last time I wore it was Xmas 2012 and am very pleased that it still fits after having 2 kids lol. Oh, and I wore it to my 20th HS reunion too. I have definitely gotten my money's worth out of that dress. 

One of my girlfriends had her wedding dress made into a Communion dress that her 2 daughters have now worn. I thought that was pretty cool.

[Queen Mum]

I designed and made my gown.   My daughter was going to wear it but thought it would be too hot for a beach wedding.   (She's since divorced)   

I'm keeping it in case one of my granddaughters can (will?) wear it it. 
 

[Shutterbug]

I love hearing about all of your wedding dresses.   If I had children or grandchildren I would keep it I am sure or make them into blessing dresses. etc.

[sdwhru]

I donated an old wedding dress to brides & cancer research.  Brides Against Breast Cancer.  Another place to donate is Brides for a Cause.   This is for brides with life-threatening diseases.  Whoever/wherever you decide to donate I'm sure they will appreciate your passing on your "treasure" for their "treasures."   

[killarney_rose]

This is my dress, still working on my wedding album.  Started working on it 2010 and determined to finish it this year.



There is quite the history behind this dress!  First worn in 1888 by my maternal Great-grandmother.  There was a space in the dress for a bustle cage.  And if your not sure what one is then in this gown my Great-grandmother wore in 1885 has a bustle cage.  Poofs out the back of the dress.  Mom and I searched and searched trying to find a bustle cage and never did calling all over the US from NYC, Chicago, LA, Seattle and the list goes on.  The dress was 98 years old when I wore it.  I'm sure if we had access to the web in 1986 we would have found one.



My mother and grandmother had no idea what happened to the bustle cage.  When my Great Aunt Laura got married she refused to wear the dress.  My grandmother the sixth of seven children got married she was never told her mother still had her dress or she would have worn it she told me.  My grandmother was the only one who wanted the dress on her mother's death.  My mother chose to wear the dress when she married Dad in 1956.  The veil was not available....lost...another sibling had it...no one knew in the family.  Mom, a very accomplished seamstress had to alter the bodice as my Great-grandmother was a petit 5'3".  Mom was 5'5" and not so petite.  I am 5"7, long legs and why the skirt is so short.  Mom had to find a veil to match the color.  She found one after a long search, fortunately living in NYC at the time.  Great story behind having to insist with the shop's owner she wanted the one in the window which had turned color from sun.  As she put it she had to literally beg the owner.  I from a very young age knew the dress existed but it was sealed and boxed.  When she opened the seal to the dress, she told me no further alterations could be made and I would have to suck it in if it didn't fit.  And if it didn't fit sucking it in then I would have to get a new dress.  The dress is actually a two piece, bodice and skirt.  This picture shows my mother who literally sat with repair kit in hand should anything happen during the ceremony.  Fortunately the sneeze that caused the problem came during photos and not ceremony.



Somehow the skirt did not fall.  It was a hook that popped when I sneezed.  There were no buttons on the dress just hooks.  Mom told me she would reseal the dress.  When Lynn, my daughter, was about sixteen Mom told me she sent the dress to my SIL for her girls if they wanted to wear it as Lynn wouldn't be able to wear it.  Thanksgiving of 2012 I learned Mom didn't seal the dress and it had decayed to the point no one could wear it.  She asked if I wanted the dress or if she should throw it out.  I understood not keeping it and said I only wanted a piece of the lace.  She told me the lace had just fallen all apart.  The joy is I have the photos of both Mom and I wearing our family's wedding dress.  And her photos...OMG....are so much better then mine.  She had access to the very best photographers in NYC at the time as my grandmother was Equipment Editor for American Home Magazine.

I think this is a great charity and one that those young ladies and those of us older who don't want to keep their dress should consider giving their dress to.

[Niki]

I still have both of mine. They are in the closet in the extra bedroom
My first wedding- I LOVED my dress!! - my daughter(13) - she wore it this past year to school for Halloween.

My second wedding dress- I wore once for Halloween - I think the year before last.

I have them both in the closet obviously not preserved but they are in plastic wrap. Not sure what I am going to do with them.

[PezKat]

Mine's preserved in a box in the closet.  As I don't have kids it's great to hear about these donation options!

[Flasher]

This is my dress, still working on my wedding album.  Started working on it 2010 and determined to finish it this year.



There is quite the history behind this dress!  First worn in 1888 by my maternal Great-grandmother.  There was a space in the dress for a bustle cage.  And if your not sure what one is then in this gown my Great-grandmother wore in 1885 has a bustle cage.  Poofs out the back of the dress.  Mom and I searched and searched trying to find a bustle cage and never did calling all over the US from NYC, Chicago, LA, Seattle and the list goes on.  The dress was 98 years old when I wore it.  I'm sure if we had access to the web in 1986 we would have found one.



My mother and grandmother had no idea what happened to the bustle cage.  When my Great Aunt Laura got married she refused to wear the dress.  My grandmother the sixth of seven children got married she was never told her mother still had her dress or she would have worn it she told me.  My grandmother was the only one who wanted the dress on her mother's death.  My mother chose to wear the dress when she married Dad in 1956.  The veil was not available....lost...another sibling had it...no one knew in the family.  Mom, a very accomplished seamstress had to alter the bodice as my Great-grandmother was a petit 5'3".  Mom was 5'5" and not so petite.  I am 5"7, long legs and why the skirt is so short.  Mom had to find a veil to match the color.  She found one after a long search, fortunately living in NYC at the time.  Great story behind having to insist with the shop's owner she wanted the one in the window which had turned color from sun.  As she put it she had to literally beg the owner.  I from a very young age knew the dress existed but it was sealed and boxed.  When she opened the seal to the dress, she told me no further alterations could be made and I would have to suck it in if it didn't fit.  And if it didn't fit sucking it in then I would have to get a new dress.  The dress is actually a two piece, bodice and skirt.  This picture shows my mother who literally sat with repair kit in hand should anything happen during the ceremony.  Fortunately the sneeze that caused the problem came during photos and not ceremony.



Somehow the skirt did not fall.  It was a hook that popped when I sneezed.  There were no buttons on the dress just hooks.  Mom told me she would reseal the dress.  When Lynn, my daughter, was about sixteen Mom told me she sent the dress to my SIL for her girls if they wanted to wear it as Lynn wouldn't be able to wear it.  Thanksgiving of 2012 I learned Mom didn't seal the dress and it had decayed to the point no one could wear it.  She asked if I wanted the dress or if she should throw it out.  I understood not keeping it and said I only wanted a piece of the lace.  She told me the lace had just fallen all apart.  The joy is I have the photos of both Mom and I wearing our family's wedding dress.  And her photos...OMG....are so much better then mine.  She had access to the very best photographers in NYC at the time as my grandmother was Equipment Editor for American Home Magazine.

I think this is a great charity and one that those young ladies and those of us older who don't want to keep their dress should consider giving their dress to.

LOVE the story of the history behind your dress!  How awesome is that?  1888?!?!?   How amazing it was kept in the family so long! 

[Ayla]

My wedding dress from my first wedding was lost in a move. The second one hangs in my closet, but then again, it was only 2 years ago! DH talks about renewing vows for our 5th anniversary, and I might wear it again then. But I love the idea of them being remade for little angels!

[Deanna13]

I still have mine. Mom had gotten it vacuum sealed, but when my girls were teens they wanted to try it on so I let them. My oldest granddaughter has also asked about it so I'm sure she'll soon be trying it on too! I have it in my cedar chest that I made in Shop class in high school.

[killarney_rose]

I still have mine. Mom had gotten it vacuum sealed, but when my girls were teens they wanted to try it on so I let them. My oldest granddaughter has also asked about it so I'm sure she'll soon be trying it on too! I have it in my cedar chest that I made in Shop class in high school.

Oh....how cool to find someone just like me.  Except I took shop in 8th grade.  Drafting I as a junior, Mechanical II and Architechture II Drafting as a senior.  I also had welding in my Ag Class.  Then in college first semester I had the overview of Ag Mech.  As a graduate student I had Techniques of Joining Metallic and Non Metallics.  Presentation I had to do in that class I chose to show different ways Fiberglass can be adhered to different surfaces and just how easy it was to work with fiberglass.  My professor called me into his office after that class.  'You had the best presentation I've seen on fiberglass. Where did you learn to use fiberglass?' he asked.  'I've had a boyfriend who raced boats for four years, how could I not learned when he always needed a second or third pair of hands.'  I had the same professor for that Ag Mech class and he really had to help me as with no depth perception I was at a huge disadvantage in welding.  But at least by the end of the class I could draw a pretty nice bead with an arc machine.

I even showed Larry how to repair a boat that took a small puncture when he was out fishing with his buddies.  He was amazed at me.  He was all kinds of worried he would have to get rid of the boat.  I still remember that look he gave me, when I told him it would be easy to fix.  I still laugh about it!

[karensay]

I did not wear a wedding gown, BUT, my mom passed earlier this year and going through her things, I found HER wedding gown, from 1950.  I have not unwrapped it yet.  I remember seeing it all wrapped up once, over 40 years ago and I have not seen it since.  Not sure what I am going to do with it.

[Shutterbug]

I designed and made my gown.   My daughter was going to wear it but thought it would be too hot for a beach wedding.   (She's since divorced)   

I'm keeping it in case one of my granddaughters can (will?) wear it it. 
 

Gloria, I would love to see a photo of your dress.  You are so talented.

[Shutterbug]

I donated an old wedding dress to brides & cancer research.  Brides Against Breast Cancer.  Another place to donate is Brides for a Cause.   This is for brides with life-threatening diseases.  Whoever/wherever you decide to donate I'm sure they will appreciate your passing on your "treasure" for their "treasures."   

Becca, I am so glad to hear there are these organizations out there.

[Shutterbug]

This is my dress, still working on my wedding album.  Started working on it 2010 and determined to finish it this year.



There is quite the history behind this dress!  First worn in 1888 by my maternal Great-grandmother.  There was a space in the dress for a bustle cage.  And if your not sure what one is then in this gown my Great-grandmother wore in 1885 has a bustle cage.  Poofs out the back of the dress.  Mom and I searched and searched trying to find a bustle cage and never did calling all over the US from NYC, Chicago, LA, Seattle and the list goes on.  The dress was 98 years old when I wore it.  I'm sure if we had access to the web in 1986 we would have found one.



My mother and grandmother had no idea what happened to the bustle cage.  When my Great Aunt Laura got married she refused to wear the dress.  My grandmother the sixth of seven children got married she was never told her mother still had her dress or she would have worn it she told me.  My grandmother was the only one who wanted the dress on her mother's death.  My mother chose to wear the dress when she married Dad in 1956.  The veil was not available....lost...another sibling had it...no one knew in the family.  Mom, a very accomplished seamstress had to alter the bodice as my Great-grandmother was a petit 5'3".  Mom was 5'5" and not so petite.  I am 5"7, long legs and why the skirt is so short.  Mom had to find a veil to match the color.  She found one after a long search, fortunately living in NYC at the time.  Great story behind having to insist with the shop's owner she wanted the one in the window which had turned color from sun.  As she put it she had to literally beg the owner.  I from a very young age knew the dress existed but it was sealed and boxed.  When she opened the seal to the dress, she told me no further alterations could be made and I would have to suck it in if it didn't fit.  And if it didn't fit sucking it in then I would have to get a new dress.  The dress is actually a two piece, bodice and skirt.  This picture shows my mother who literally sat with repair kit in hand should anything happen during the ceremony.  Fortunately the sneeze that caused the problem came during photos and not ceremony.



Somehow the skirt did not fall.  It was a hook that popped when I sneezed.  There were no buttons on the dress just hooks.  Mom told me she would reseal the dress.  When Lynn, my daughter, was about sixteen Mom told me she sent the dress to my SIL for her girls if they wanted to wear it as Lynn wouldn't be able to wear it.  Thanksgiving of 2012 I learned Mom didn't seal the dress and it had decayed to the point no one could wear it.  She asked if I wanted the dress or if she should throw it out.  I understood not keeping it and said I only wanted a piece of the lace.  She told me the lace had just fallen all apart.  The joy is I have the photos of both Mom and I wearing our family's wedding dress.  And her photos...OMG....are so much better then mine.  She had access to the very best photographers in NYC at the time as my grandmother was Equipment Editor for American Home Magazine.

I think this is a great charity and one that those young ladies and those of us older who don't want to keep their dress should consider giving their dress to.

What a beautiful story Kim. I love that you were able to wear a family heirloom.  Beautiful dress.  I have been married since 2001 and not done my wedding scrapbook. I have m photos in an album in order  for now. We did not have copies on a disc so I need to scan them all before I can do them.

[Shutterbug]

I still have both of mine. They are in the closet in the extra bedroom
My first wedding- I LOVED my dress!! - my daughter(13) - she wore it this past year to school for Halloween.

My second wedding dress- I wore once for Halloween - I think the year before last.

I have them both in the closet obviously not preserved but they are in plastic wrap. Not sure what I am going to do with them.

Nicole, Mine has just been sitting in a wedding bag too. Dad brought tit down and it was stuffed inside a box and sitting in his garage.  Now to pull it out of the bag.  That is great you have been able to use them for other events etc.  Wow I cannot believe your daughter is 13 now.  I remember when she was what 6!  Time flies.
 

[Shutterbug]

Mine's preserved in a box in the closet.  As I don't have kids it's great to hear about these donation options!

Yes I think these are great options. I had not heard of them until a month or two ago.
 

[Shutterbug]

My wedding dress from my first wedding was lost in a move. The second one hangs in my closet, but then again, it was only 2 years ago! DH talks about renewing vows for our 5th anniversary, and I might wear it again then. But I love the idea of them being remade for little angels!

Oh Nancy, that would be hard t lose it in a move. So sorry.  I would defiantly keep your dress is you are looking at wearing again to renew your vows. Love the idea.  I could not fit in mine if I wanted to. Not that I was small them.  I am just biger now.