Do you regret not keeping your wedding dress?

[Klmno]

Not really AIBU but need experiences!

Thinking of giving my wedding dress to charity (there's an Oxfam bridal store not too far from me). I got married 2023 and I loved my dress, think it's stunning and it's the best I've ever felt in something but.... obviously I'm not going to wear it again! And it's just taking up wardrobe space.

My sister was like, but what if you have a daughter and she wants to see it?!
My thoughts are, would she really be that interested??

Interested in people's thoughts about whether they sold/donated theirs and regretted it?? If you wish you hadn't got rid, why? And if you kept, what are the reasons you're glad?

I got it for £1200. I am not usually that decadent but kept trying to find one for ages and just kept coming back to this one. Obviously that's an absolute tonne of money but tbh I'm not sure I can be bothered with the faff of trying to sell it. I think the fact it was so expensive makes me want someone else to wear it too so the cost per wear is less. Plus reduced environmental impact I guess if two people get some use from it?

Do you have the means to store it and see how you feel in a few years?

If you have room I’d personally keep it and see how you feel in 3,5 years time.

I’m a 2022 bride and I’m keeping mine at the moment

Erm ... which one?

No. I gifted to the local drama group. Best thing I did as it's used and I don't have to worry about what to do with it. My sister's one is sitting unused after 20 years. If I hadn't gifted it to the drama group I'd have gifted to to make outfit for babies born sleeping. A friend got her wedding dressing from Oxfam for £50 and was over the moon. I think it's very hard to sell them second hand but always worth trying.

we have family christening gowns made out of wedding dresses… could that be an option?

The trouble with waiting a few years might mean the style becomes dated? So then less likely to be desirable to someone. Maybe I'm over thinking that as it's quite a classic look really.

I hired mine because it was loads cheaper and I didn't want the hassle of keeping it.

@newmenewwhatever ah that's a nice idea but none of us are remotely religious

I married in about 2004 and kept the dress until a couple of years ago, despite divorcing. I realised after a while that I had photos to remember it by, I didn't need to keep it so I gave it to Oxfam.
I remarried 12 years ago in a bridal dress from a high street shop. I still have that one. I don't think my 7yo DD is very interested.

I’ve kept mine for 30 years stored in the garage. TBH I wish I’d just kept my tiara and other accessories. I have occasionally worn a pearl choker and I gave my DM the matching earrings as she really liked them.

I donated mine to a charity that supplies free wedding dresses to terminally ill brides. I'm hoping it was used by someone on their special day. In my experience a lot of wedding dress shops will give away any dress of the bride's choosing if the bride or groom is terminally ill.

I don't have daughters so nobody to hand my dress down to.

I donated mine to a local charity approximately one year after our wedding. I’ve never regretted it. It’s a charity close to my heart so I’m always keen to help them, plus, as another poster said, I thought the longer I held onto it the more likely it was to date and be no use to anyone (unless they were handy with a needle and thread!)

I kept my shoes and my tiara thing.

I wear mine at mad parties.

I was always a bit put out that my mum didn't keep hers.

Then when I got divorced I got rid of mine, gave it away to a friend of a friend for a photo shoot or something. Like you I LOVED my dress but it was just taking up space and a reminder of a horrible horrible divorce.

My DD will make her own memories with her own dress if she chooses that path.

I kept mine and my two daughters have very much enjoyed it. They have asked me to put it on to show them on and off over the years ( when they were tiny they loved dressing up in their best clothes and doing a little dance party with me in my dress). Then as teenagers they have each asked to try it on a few times.

I have mine boxed up. I knew dd would never wear it as it is quite unique and totally not her style. Can’t bring myself to part with it though.
I was very annoyed with my Mum who chucked her beautiful full length 1950s lace dress in the bin without telling us!

I donated mine to a charity that makes outfits for babies born sleeping. I don’t regret it as I had a baby born sleeping myself 5 years later.

This is a beautiful idea. I’m so sorry for your loss.

I binned mine, I didn't love it. Still got the husband mind you, he's a keeper

I kept mine for years, in a box, in a spare room wardrobe. Then we had a big clear out and it went in the skip. No regrets. It was very yellowed and scrunched up, despite being put away clean, folded and in acid free preservative tissue (for 10+ yrs). I've got photos of it if I need to look at it. Binning it didn't bring any bad luck, we're still married now, over 25yrs.

I kept my shoes and tiara. They are somewhere in the loft.

I donated mine to the RSPCA. There’s an Alsatian wearing it somewhere.

🤣🤣

I donated mine. I sometimes feel a twinge of regret (I have two daughters, it might have meant something to them once day) but it's just a thing in the end. Better that it's bringing someone else joy now than that I hang onto it for twenty years on the off chance.

I've got mine 40+ years on. Also my DD's dress as she doesn't have room to store it. Also my mum's which is now 70 years old. Thinking of opening a museum.