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Original poster

Do you still have your wedding dress??

128 replies

OrangeTulips · 21/08/2025 11:01

So that’s it really. We’ve just moved house (again!). Regular occurrence due to DH’s job. This house has less storage than we would like so we are being really ruthless with what we are keeping. Does something fill us with joy? Is it useful? Do we actually use it?

AIBU to consider not lugging my wedding dress around for another move (or 100)? I know it’s a very personal question, but suddenly thought I could ask you guys why you’ve kept or not your wedding dresses.

My daughter has much wider shoulders than me so she wouldn’t wear it - during Covid she tried it on in our anniversary. No way would I ever fit back into it! 🤣. Nearly 25 years and 2 children and life have said goodbye to that figure forever! 😫

So why am I keeping it??! Yes its memory fills me with joy but I have photos of me in it which also fulfil the feeling of joy associated with it.

Anyway, let me know why you’ve kept or not your dresses!

ps DH is very happy for me to keep it. This is entirely me battling with I feel I ought to keep it but why??!

OP posts:

Thread gallery

Ilovemyshed · 21/08/2025 11:02

Yes because I have it displayed. If I was moving regularly then no, frame a bit of it with a wedding picture and recycle the rest.

KnickerlessParsons · 21/08/2025 11:05

I still have mine 33years later, in the faint hope that one of the DDs might like to wear it when they get married.
in reality, it’s a puffy 90s style dress that I think would need a lot of alteration if it were to be worn today.

Femalefootyfan · 21/08/2025 11:05

I still have mine, it’s almost 38 years old, I lost a load of weight and tried it on but it wouldn’t do up.

I don’t know why I’ve kept it, maybe I’ve always harboured a bit of hope that one of my DD’s might wear it but I very much doubt they would if they ever get married, it’s very much of its time, late 80’s. Thing is, I don’t know what else to do with it and I’m pretty sure when I’m gone, it will get chucked away 🥺

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Clothing

HairyToity · 21/08/2025 11:07

No, I have the photos. I charity shopped it, I like to think someone else might have snapped a bargain and got a wear. It was a dress that'd cost £400 rather than £2,000 though, and I never felt that I was buying a family heirloom to give to my daughter.

Icanttakethisanymore · 21/08/2025 11:08

Ilovemyshed · 21/08/2025 11:02

Yes because I have it displayed. If I was moving regularly then no, frame a bit of it with a wedding picture and recycle the rest.

How do you have is displayed, out of interest? Is it mounted in some way? It's nice you have found a way to keep it 'out' rather than in the loft like most people.

igivein · 21/08/2025 11:11

I've still got mine. I kept it because it's a formal long gown but doesn't scream 'wedding dress!'. I bought it thinking I could wear it again if I needed a formal gown.
In the 26 years I've been married I've had one event where I could have worn it, but I couldn't fit into it.
It fits now (thanks Mounjaro!), but I can't imagine ever going somewhere that I'd wear it - but you never know ...

Cynic17 · 21/08/2025 11:15

Yes, in a box in the loft, but I haven't looked at it for 30+ years. It would probably crumble away to dust if I actually opened the box!

Onelifeonly · 21/08/2025 11:15

I still have mine - in a bag on top of wardrobe. Haven't thought about it in ages. Tried it on a few years back. Although I haven't put on much / any weight since then, it was too tight around the waist, so my body has changed. Not that I can think of any reason why I wouid wear it again! One of my dds could possibly wear it - she is skinnier than me but can wear some of my clothes. It would be nice if she did, even with alterations, but who knows - she's not ready for weddings yet.

If you really don't have space (how big is it? Can it not be vacuum packed?) I don't think getting rid / selling it would be too terrible a thing to do. Unless you use part of the fabric to make something else/ have something made - cushion cover, bag, scarf?!!??

Els1e · 21/08/2025 11:15

No. Gave it to a charity shop a long time ago.

LidlAmaretto · 21/08/2025 11:18

Mine is packed in the car ready to go to the bridal chairing shop today! I was clearing out the loft and couldn't think of a reason to keep it ( no DD'S) It's a lovely dress and it's been stuffed in the loft for 20 years.

Cinaferna · 21/08/2025 11:19

I still have mine. The waistband is about 6-8 inches too small for me now. :( and the ivory silk has faded to a patchy yellow. But... I like it. It was made by a theatrical costumier. Maybe I should donate it to a theatre company. Never occurred to me not to keep it.

Gowlett · 21/08/2025 11:20

It’s hanging in my wardrobe with my other dresses.
Not a wedding gown, it’s a dress I could wear again.
Ten year WA coming up, wonder if it still fits…

Lifelover16 · 21/08/2025 11:33

43 years married and I’d kept mine until we moved 5 years ago. It had a piece of the train missing which we had used to make a Christening robe in 1980s. Saved the robe and some lace and threw away the remainder.

Original poster

OrangeTulips · 21/08/2025 11:35

Thanks all. Glad to hear several of you also have hung on to them for no real reason! Even if I lost the weight, my 🍈s wouldn’t fit anymore I’m sure - thanks BF babies 🤣

also having recently cleared out my late father’s house of junk, I’m conscious I don’t want to leave throwing away decisions to my children too! What would they want with my old wedding dress but I know from experience throwing out things like that when you’ve lost someone is heart-breaking! Morbid thought I know as I don’t intend to die for quite a few years to go yet!

I think I’ve heard there are charities who take wedding dresses and convert them into clothes for still born babies. But maybe I’ve imagined that - I should do some googling. But as I’ve several friends who have had stillbirths, this may be a nice option.

OP posts:

stackhead · 21/08/2025 11:40

Yes, in the loft in its wedding dress coffin box (I had it cleaned and boxed up professionally). Haven't looked at it since :D I don't think we're moving house anytime soon so will just leave it there to gather dust and maybe DD's will want some of the material for something or other at some point.

Maybe I'll keep hold of it til i'm old and waft around the house in it Miss Havisham style.

isitmytime · 21/08/2025 11:40

I have mine and I’m divorced! I just do t really know what to do with it so it’s in a vacuum sealed bag under my bed.

WinteringTheStorm · 21/08/2025 11:43

I donated mine to be made into gowns for stillborn babies. I’d lost a baby at 22 weeks so it was something I felt was important - our baby was buried in knitted clothes and (oddly) I’d worried they’d be itchy (his clothes). So I was glad to be able to donate a lot of material to be used for soft clothes. I had to join a waiting list and it took about 18 months until one of the volunteer seamstresses was ready to accept delivery of the dress. The results were beautiful.

ExcellentDesign · 21/08/2025 11:43

We were in the middle of a house move when we got married and I haven't got it, pretty sure it must be at my parents house, they say it isn't but they've got a huge house with masses of storage, if's a long, straight dress with no train or flouncy stuff so it could easily be hanging in a wardrobe somewhere. I'd kind of like to keep it for sentimental reasons because my late MIL made it but realistically would never wear it again (25 years on now). I do have some scraps of the fabric it was made from saved.

ChimneyPot · 21/08/2025 12:01

27 years later and mine is still in my parents house.

It was very similar to Meghan Markles so it probably could be worn again or cut into a different shape it one of my daughters wanted it.

Iocainepowder · 21/08/2025 12:08

Mine is in the loft. It was a cheapo one and i’m keeping it in case my DD would like to play dress up in it when she older.

DelilahMy · 21/08/2025 12:10

Yes. My parents paid for it and neither of them are alive now so it is very sentimental. And although I am separated, I am on good terms with ex and I love that dress! What will become of it? No idea. I have 2 sons.

PermanentTemporary · 21/08/2025 12:13

I had two weddings. The first one I made a cushion cover out of. The second one, if asked I would say that I donated it but in actual fact I threw it away as I couldn’t bear constantly deciding whether to keep it, what to do with it etc. it unfortunately got a big stain on it which wasn’t fixable. I do slightly regret throwing it but don’t miss having it.

Chewbecca · 21/08/2025 12:16

I do, yes, it's in a special box in the loft. It's the sort of thing we would need to get rid of if / when we ever downsize as I know it serves no purpose but it's beautiful and happy.

Deadringer · 21/08/2025 12:19

I have mine in a suitcase in the attic, it's been there for 38 years, though maybe 10 or 15 years ago we took a look at it. No way would any of my dds wear it, it's very much of it's time, slipper satin with lace, off the shoulder, wide skirt. It wasn't designer or even particularly expensive but somehow I don't want to get rid of it.

Deadringer · 21/08/2025 12:21

Anyone up for putting up a pic of their dress, just for fun?

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