Selling your wedding dress

jaja321 · 07-03-2016 02:52PM #1

Hi ladies!

Just curious to know how many of you sold your wedding dress post wedding and if you were happy with your decision.

Before I got married, I was sure I would sell mine, but I got a little attached to it after the day itself! I'm still seriously considering it though, as I think it's such a waste to have it just hanging there and I can't imagine any future potential daughters will want to wear it as I'm sure they'll have their own style. Some people are totally horrified when I tell them this though and urge me to wait in case I regret it.

So ladies, have you sold your wedding dress? Did you you have a lot of interest in it? And are you happy with your decision?

baby and crumble · 07-03-2016 03:04PM

Well I won't be wearing a dress but I do plan to hold on to my outfit after we get married- I'm designing it specifically so that the different elements can be used in different outfits for years. I don't see the point in spending mad amounts of money on something you wear for less than 24 hours.

I think my fiancee is thinking the same, although she will be wearing I dress, I believe. Possibly two.

Milly33 · 07-03-2016 06:20PM

I was only thinking of this the other day.. I would defo sell mine.. To be honest id love if someone else could use it..Was going to do it the other day until I thought whoops we were going to have a few snaps taken later in our fav spot...

Toots · 07-03-2016 06:39PM

It crossed my mind, but I just couldn't bring myself to sell it. I remember as a kid trying on my mum's wedding dress and loving it, and I'd love to have that experience with my own kids. I don't have a daughter (yet) but my 4 year old son loves going up the attic in my mum's house to look at my dress.

lazygal · 07-03-2016 07:15PM

I haven't sold mine. I wouldn't get much for it and it's difficult to sell on dresses anyway. A friend of mine has been trying to sell her very nice designer dress and there's no interest at all. I also like holding onto it for sentimental reasons. I've it cleaned and boxed in acid free paper.

eviltwin · 07-03-2016 07:36PM

Mine is in the back of the wardrobe. Out of sight out of mind in my case. I don't have any objections to selling it but I'm just lazy and tend to forget about it. To put it into context my daughter's communion dress is still there waiting to be cleaned and sold.....she's 19 now

tread_softly · 08-03-2016 09:44AM

I'm half considering dyeing mine to wear again.

I asked the lady at the place I bought it did she know if the material could be dyed and she looked me like I had ten heads, it must not be a popular thing to do

fits · 08-03-2016 10:00AM

I was considering dyeing mine also. very much depends on the material of the dress. It would work with mine I think. Im just worried that Id put on weight and then its neither a wedding dress nor a dress thats any use to me.

Sunny Dayz · 08-03-2016 01:23PM

I always said that I would sell mine. But 5 years later it's still hanging in the wardrobe, I haven't even gotten it cleaned! I've just been lazy. But I don't see the point in holding onto it though, I'm never going to fit into it again, I won't be getting married again, I won't be having any more children so it's not going to be of use to us here.
It's a gorgeous dress, my mum's friend made it so part of me doesn't want to "get rid" of something she put a lot of time and work into making.

Penny Dreadful · 08-03-2016 03:30PM

I still have mine almost 4 years later. I love it and loved it on the day. I know in my heart and soul it will never be worn again but I don't mind. The money has been spent now and is long gone.

My sister got married 2 years ago today and she had 2 dresses and sold the more expensive one. It was a lovely dress, well known designer, etc etc but it still took ages to sell. Also she got a fraction of the price of it too. She ended up hating her dress though.

fits · 08-03-2016 03:34PM

Whats the best way of preserving them? Mine is very simple in design, so maybe someone else would wear it sometime if it were in good nick.

lazygal · 08-03-2016 03:35PM

fits wrote: »

Whats the best way of preserving them? Mine is very simple in design, so maybe someone else would wear it sometime if it were in good nick.

There's professional kits you can buy to package them. Acid free paper and keeping them dry are important.

Refor1981 · 08-03-2016 03:35PM

My wife gave hers away to charity. May help some poor woman who wants to get married

fits · 08-03-2016 03:36PM

Refor1981 wrote: »

My wife gave hers away to charity. May help some poor woman who wants to get married

not everyone who buys a dress in a charity shop is a 'poor woman'. But the proceeds go to the charity running the shop.

Refor1981 · 08-03-2016 03:38PM

fits wrote: »

not everyone who buys a dress in a charity shop is a 'poor woman'. But the proceeds go to the charity running the shop.

Did you see I said "might"- maybe millionaires go to charity shops - I know I'm not one of them that's for certain

Dial Hard · 08-03-2016 03:43PM

There's virtually no market for second-hand dresses in Ireland, so you'll probably find it very difficult to sell anyway.

Mine is in the attic. I wore it again in a production of Phantom of the Opera and did my ice bucket challenge in it the year before last.

fineso.mom · 08-03-2016 03:59PM

lazygal wrote: »

There's professional kits you can buy to package them. Acid free paper and keeping them dry are important.

I've been trying to think of a gift for a neighbour who's getting married soon. I might get her that. It's a big wedding and they have a house for years so I was trying to think of something different. Would that be a weird present?

lazygal · 08-03-2016 04:03PM

fineso.mom wrote: »

I've been trying to think of a gift for a neighbour who's getting married soon. I might get her that. It's a big wedding and they have a house for years so I was trying to think of something different. Would that be a weird present?

If someone asked my I'd have appreciated it but it might be a random surprise present.

Refor1981 · 08-03-2016 04:04PM

fineso.mom wrote: »

I've been trying to think of a gift for a neighbour who's getting married soon. I might get her that. It's a big wedding and they have a house for years so I was trying to think of something different. Would that be a weird present?

So long as you make it clear you don't think she'll need it again to remarry

fineso.mom · 08-03-2016 04:15PM

lazygal wrote: »

If someone asked my I'd have appreciated it but it might be a random surprise present.

I kinda want that ☺

Milly33 · 08-03-2016 04:22PM

Think it would be a loverly present.. Certainly something she probably hasn't thought about beforehand.... Shame there doesn't seem to be a market for the second hand dresses. It seems mad to wear them for one day and that is it... I tried on a few and would have been all up for wearing one, only for that they just weren't what I wanted...

fits · 08-03-2016 04:35PM

thats it, everyone's taste is so different. And then by the time its fitted to your body shape (eg I have no shoulders), perhaps it wouldnt work on anyone else.

Milly33 · 08-03-2016 04:37PM

True enough and I suppose you pay them again to have them altered, still cheaper but just suppose tisnt the done thing

emeldc · 08-03-2016 04:43PM

tread_softly wrote: »

I'm half considering dyeing mine to wear again.

I asked the lady at the place I bought it did she know if the material could be dyed and she looked me like I had ten heads, it must not be a popular thing to do

fits wrote: »

I was considering dyeing mine also. very much depends on the material of the dress. It would work with mine I think. Im just worried that Id put on weight and then its neither a wedding dress nor a dress thats any use to me.

You can only dye natural fabrics like silk, wool, cotton etc, but the washing process will ruin the silk and wool, maybe not the cotton. The fabric has to be absolutely perfect as the dye will not cover any imperfections or stains. You also have to keep in mind that the dyes are transparent which means the finished colour will depend on the colour of fabric plus the colour of the dye. i.e. white and black will make grey, yellow and blue will make green etc.
Polyester, nylon and other man made fabrics cannot be dyed.
If you really want to keep the dress the only real option is to have it drycleaned by a specialist and then have it properly boxed in acid free material. Any good drycleaner will do this for less than €200, but at least you can take it out again after 20 years and see if it still fits! It's only then that you will appreciate it.

baby and crumble · 08-03-2016 04:51PM

This thread has actually made me think about what's been going on with my Mums wedding dress. She designed and made it herself from scratch (along with the bridesmaids dresses) and as I'm the only girl in the family and I will not be wearing it at all (even if I was a size 8 like my Mam was!) I'd love the see some of it used at my wedding. My partner could use some of the lace on her dress or something. It might be hard to talk to my Dad about it though as she passed away a few years ago. Still, be nice to have a little bit of her around as I get married...

Milly33 · 08-03-2016 05:02PM

That would be loverly, you could maybe take a piece from underneath and kinda replace what was taken. Especially if it isn't going to be worn... Could make a flower button hole or have it sown into the new dress

baby and crumble · 08-03-2016 05:04PM

Milly33 wrote: »

That would be loverly, you could maybe take a piece from underneath and kinda replace what was taken. Especially if it isn't going to be worn... Could make a flower button hole or have it sown into the new dress

To be fair, my Dad isn't particularly sentimental, but I don't know if it'd be crossing a line. We'll have to see.

Penny Dreadful · 08-03-2016 05:52PM

baby and crumble wrote: »

To be fair, my Dad isn't particularly sentimental, but I don't know if it'd be crossing a line. We'll have to see.

Always better to ask though isn't it? Sometimes we can trip across lines we never saw existed.
It would be a nice thing to do though and I'd imagine your Dad would appreciate the thought if nothing else.

baby and crumble · 08-03-2016 05:54PM

Penny Dreadful wrote: »

Always better to ask though isn't it? Sometimes we can trip across lines we never saw existed.
It would be a nice thing to do though and I'd imagine your Dad would appreciate the thought if nothing else.

Oh well I'd always ask, I wouldn't dream of doing anything like this without his permission. I mean it's potentially cannibalising his dead wife's wedding dress! I just mean I wouldn't like to upset him by even asking the question really. But I might regret it even more if I don't. You know?

Dial Hard · 08-03-2016 06:09PM

baby and crumble wrote: »

This thread has actually made me think about what's been going on with my Mums wedding dress. She designed and made it herself from scratch (along with the bridesmaids dresses) and as I'm the only girl in the family and I will not be wearing it at all (even if I was a size 8 like my Mam was!) I'd love the see some of it used at my wedding. My partner could use some of the lace on her dress or something. It might be hard to talk to my Dad about it though as she passed away a few years ago. Still, be nice to have a little bit of her around as I get married...

Or if you're wearing a suit could you maybe make a pocket square out of part of it or something? It could be your something old. I had my maternal grandmother's wedding ring (which my mum had worn as her wedding ring since Nana died) sewn into the lining of my dress and had my paternal nana's monogramme necklace in my bouquet.

Dolbert · 08-03-2016 08:31PM

It's really difficult to sell wedding dresses, I dropped my price considerably to the point where it was no longer worth it! I'd have mine dyed and shortened except I've lost weight and it's too big for me now. I'm considering donating mine to Gift of a Wedding, which is a charity that helps terminally ill people plan weddings at short notice.

Selling your wedding dress

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