Selling your dress

l9i

What are things you all have done with your wedding dresses post wedding?  Have you kept it, sold it, or did you do something else?

It's been a year since the wedding and I'm strongly considering selling it.  It's been sitting in a box I haven't opened since I got it cleaned.  I liked my dress and all, but don't feel some strong connection to keeping it (what would I do with it?).  I currently just feel like it's taking up a lot of space for something I never look at or use, but then I think for some unexplainable reason I'll regret it later.

For any of you that have sold it, what's the best methods of doing so?  How much did you accept for it versus what you paid?

Maggie0829

I kept mine.  It has been sitting in a box for the past 4 years on the floor of my closet which I have now turned into a place to put some of my shoes.  I know that it is silly to keep but I just couldn't bring myself to part with it.

If you choose to sell it I would suggest doing so sooner rather then later because as the years go on it will unfortunately become "out of date" looking with people wanting newer styles so selling it could be more difficult.  You could also donate it it or go to a consignment store.

And from what I gather from reading posts on here, the value of your dress dropped significantly the moment you took it from your bridal store.  A lot like a car.  So I would be prepared to maybe only get 50% of what you paid for it back.

lnixon8

I'm donating mine to brides against breast cancer. It's completely tax deductible and you can get rid send them any other accessories you don't need (slip, corset, veil, bridal/costume jewelry) as well. 

I went to one of their events when I first started looking for dresses. They have a big bus that goes "on tour" to malls/ venues all over the country. The dresses are cleaned and sorted and sold at VERY reduced rates- whether the dresses are donated from past brides or right from bridal shops. When you walk in there are volunteers that show you where dresses in your size are and if you come alone can help bring dresses back to you in dressing "rooms". It is not the "say yes to the dress" experience at all - which I liked. You can ask other brides to try ones they don't want and it's a really fun expereince, even though a majority of people do nto find their dress there.

l9i

Maggie0829 said:

I kept mine.  It has been sitting in a box for the past 4 years on the floor of my closet which I have now turned into a place to put some of my shoes.  I know that it is silly to keep but I just couldn't bring myself to part with it.

If you choose to sell it I would suggest doing so sooner rather then later because as the years go on it will unfortunately become "out of date" looking with people wanting newer styles so selling it could be more difficult.  You could also donate it it or go to a consignment store.

And from what I gather from reading posts on here, the value of your dress dropped significantly the moment you took it from your bridal store.  A lot like a car.  So I would be prepared to maybe only get 50% of what you paid for it back.

Yes, I've thought about it over the last year but not seriously until now.  I realize it's more of a now or never decision now.  Accepting half was about what I figured.  I suppose if I try selling it and don't get any offers worthwhile I can either keep it or donate it like @Inixon8 suggested!

thisismynickname2

I had mine cleaned and it went right back in the closet. I'd considered donating it but DH, for whatever reason, wants me to hold onto it. 

I'd recommend a good consignment store, Tradesy, or even EBay. Someone I know bought a dress- one on-trend-- off Ebay and it worked out well for her. I think you do have a lot of options. 

photokitty

It cracks me up on my local recycle your wedding Facebook page...beautiful dress, worn once for 8 hours, needs cleaned. Paid $1200 at David's Bridal, asking $800.

LOL, you (crazy delusion fb chick, not op) can't be serious!! I don't think any wedding dress sells for more than half price used, unless it is a super exclusive designer.

cgss11

I'm only 3 months out from my wedding, but it's still hanging in the garment bag in the closet.

I really need to get it cleaned still. I was planning too, but the quote I got was pretty high (several hundred), so I put it off a bit, and now other expenses have come up so I don't really want to pay for the cleaning still.

I don't see myself ever selling it though, I'm too sentimental. I realize I'll probably never do anything with it, but I'll keep it around.

climbingsingle

I'll be keeping mine forever. I will never get rid of it. It's been preserved and is in a really nice display box. 

WinstonsGirl

You can pry mine out of my cold dead hands.  

PamBeesly524

climbingwife said:

I'll be keeping mine forever. I will never get rid of it. It's been preserved and is in a really nice display box. 

What does your display box look like? I've been thinking I'd like to do this eventually but I'm not really sure what the options are.

l9i

PamBeesly524 said:

climbingwife said:

I'll be keeping mine forever. I will never get rid of it. It's been preserved and is in a really nice display box. 

What does your display box look like? I've been thinking I'd like to do this eventually but I'm not really sure what the options are.

I second.  I'm not opposed to keeping mine if I had something to do with it other than sit in a box!

climbingsingle

Right now, it's in a very pretty white cardboard box with a window, but I plan on purchasing something nice to display in my closet once it's completed. 

ShesSoCold

I have a somewhat related question to those of you who kept and preserved your dress. What do you plan to do with it, besides keep it? What do you want your kids to do with it?

I currently have my mom's and my grandma's dresses in my attic. My mom is deceased and my sister has no interest in the dress. I feel like a total dick thinking I should get rid of them but am I just supposed to keep these huge boxes in my attic for the rest of my life? Then what? Give them to any kids in my family who will have no memory of who these people were?

ETA: I feel like this post comes across harsh. I'm not mad at the dresses and I'm not mad at my mom and grandma for saving them, I'm just wondering what I should do with them since I can't ask either of them. 

emmaaa

I have mine hanging in the garment bag in DH's closet. I don't think I could ever get rid of it. I loved it and just want to have it, JIC. I may never have a daughter. If I do, she'll probably not want to wear it. But, I just want to have it.

Maggie0829

ShesSoCold said:

I have a somewhat related question to those of you who kept and preserved your dress. What do you plan to do with it, besides keep it? What do you want your kids to do with it?

I currently have my mom's and my grandma's dresses in my attic. My mom is deceased and my sister has no interest in the dress. I feel like a total dick thinking I should get rid of them but am I just supposed to keep these huge boxes in my attic for the rest of my life? Then what? Give them to any kids in my family who will have no memory of who these people were?

I used some of the lace hem from my Mom's dress to wrap my bouquet in so I was happy that she kept her dress.  I would hope that I could give a little detail of my dress if I ever had a child. I also still think about cutting off my train and placing it in a shadow box to hang in my house. But I just haven't been able to bring myself to do it.  Maybe someday I will because I am very certain that I will never put that dress back on.

You could always make two pillows out of the dresses.  Or have a quilt made from the fabrics. Or take pieces and make a nifty collage and put it in a picture frame.

Ugh, I wish I wasn't so attached to my dress because I know that nothing will ever be done with it except taking up space.

kvruns

cgss11 said:

I'm only 3 months out from my wedding, but it's still hanging in the garment bag in the closet. I really need to get it cleaned still. I was planning too, but the quote I got was pretty high (several hundred), so I put it off a bit, and now other expenses have come up so I don't really want to pay for the cleaning still. I don't see myself ever selling it though, I'm too sentimental. I realize I'll probably never do anything with it, but I'll keep it around.

Same time line here and mine is semi-wadded up somewhere. I just don't see paying $100+ for cleaning or preserving so it still sits. I'd be ok for a $50 clean but that's about it

thisismynickname2

ShesSoCold said:

I have a somewhat related question to those of you who kept and preserved your dress. What do you plan to do with it, besides keep it? What do you want your kids to do with it?

I currently have my mom's and my grandma's dresses in my attic. My mom is deceased and my sister has no interest in the dress. I feel like a total dick thinking I should get rid of them but am I just supposed to keep these huge boxes in my attic for the rest of my life? Then what? Give them to any kids in my family who will have no memory of who these people were?

ETA: I feel like this post comes across harsh. I'm not mad at the dresses and I'm not mad at my mom and grandma for saving them, I'm just wondering what I should do with them since I can't ask either of them. 

I tried on my mom's 70's-tastic dress when I was in 8th grade. It fit me, barely (she must've had a skinnier neck and wrists).  I believe it's just back in the attic. 

Honestly, I'd use the fabric to make something else out of it. The pattern of hers, for example, is um.. interesting, but one could make some lovely pillows out of it or something. Or quilt squares or some other type of nice throw blanket. Someone who knows how to sew well could surely give you some good advice and you could make the dresses into useful keepsakes. 

ETA: the less sentimental side of me says donate them to a theatre group. 

MairePoppy

When we were kids, my cousin and I found my grandmother's circa1920's silk wedding dress and lace jacket in the cedar chest, in her basement where we played. We played with it - alot. Our favorite game was 'dead bride.' Cousin would dress up as a bride and lay in the cedar chest coffin. My brother would officiate. My other cousin and I would be the mourners because we could cry and produce tears for the dearly departed bride. I never wanted a turn as the dead bride because I didn't trust my brother and cousins to not lock me in the cedar chest. 

My wedding dress is still hanging in my closet. Daugher tried it on a few times when she was a child, but I didn't let her play with it, JIC. She didn't want it when she got married. Maybe a granddaughter or great granddaughter will want it someday. Someday, '70s wedding dresses may be sought after item. I don't miss the space it takes. 

l9i

My mother always said she wish she would've had a white wedding dress when she married my dad (second marriage for both so she had a short blue dress) so that I could've worn it.  I've seen the blue dress and the style is nothing I would've been interested in lol.  If I kept mine I wouldn't really expect a potential daughter to wear it (unless for some reason they absolutely wanted to) because even though I think it's a "classic" style, I'm sure those from the 70s and 80s thought theres would be too.

julieanne912

photokitty said:

It cracks me up on my local recycle your wedding Facebook page...beautiful dress, worn once for 8 hours, needs cleaned. Paid $1200 at David's Bridal, asking $800. LOL, you (crazy delusion fb chick, not op) can't be serious!! I don't think any wedding dress sells for more than half price used, unless it is a super exclusive designer.

Ha, I just saw this dress posted today for.... $1500!  No mention of original price, but does say "worn once".  It appears she was married in 2006 so that must be from when the dress was.  I really want to say something to her, but I won't.   

Maggie0829

julieanne912 said:

photokitty said:

It cracks me up on my local recycle your wedding Facebook page...beautiful dress, worn once for 8 hours, needs cleaned. Paid $1200 at David's Bridal, asking $800. LOL, you (crazy delusion fb chick, not op) can't be serious!! I don't think any wedding dress sells for more than half price used, unless it is a super exclusive designer.

Ha, I just saw this dress posted today for.... $1500!  No mention of original price, but does say "worn once".  It appears she was married in 2006 so that must be from when the dress was.  I really want to say something to her, but I won't.   

Makes me wonder if she added an extra zero by accident.  This poster is crazy if she thinks that she will get $1500 for that.  But then again there are some incredibly crazy people out in the world so she may just get lucky.

julieanne912

Maggie0829 said:

julieanne912 said:

photokitty said:

It cracks me up on my local recycle your wedding Facebook page...beautiful dress, worn once for 8 hours, needs cleaned. Paid $1200 at David's Bridal, asking $800. LOL, you (crazy delusion fb chick, not op) can't be serious!! I don't think any wedding dress sells for more than half price used, unless it is a super exclusive designer.

Ha, I just saw this dress posted today for.... $1500!  No mention of original price, but does say "worn once".  It appears she was married in 2006 so that must be from when the dress was.  I really want to say something to her, but I won't.   

Makes me wonder if she added an extra zero by accident.  This poster is crazy if she thinks that she will get $1500 for that.  But then again there are some incredibly crazy people out in the world so she may just get lucky.

It's listed at $1500 twice so probably not  

cupcait927

My dress is hanging in our second bedroom closet - still haven't bothered to get it cleaned. I hated my dress so I don't have any sentimental reason to keep it. I'll probably end up donating it. 

julieanne912

cupcait927 said:

My dress is hanging in our second bedroom closet - still haven't bothered to get it cleaned. I hated my dress so I don't have any sentimental reason to keep it. I'll probably end up donating it. 

Just curious, how come you hated your dress?

hellohkb

julieanne912 said:

photokitty said:

It cracks me up on my local recycle your wedding Facebook page...beautiful dress, worn once for 8 hours, needs cleaned. Paid $1200 at David's Bridal, asking $800.

LOL, you (crazy delusion fb chick, not op) can't be serious!! I don't think any wedding dress sells for more than half price used, unless it is a super exclusive designer.

Ha, I just saw this dress posted today for.... $1500!  No mention of original price, but does say "worn once".  It appears she was married in 2006 so that must be from when the dress was.  I really want to say something to her, but I won't.   

I always love it when people are selling their wedding dresses and say they they've only "worn it once". No shit you wore it once. They're always the ones who sell their dresses at almost the exact same price they purchased it, as if wearing it once makes such a difference.

WinstonsGirl

Mine is just hanging in the closet.  I had planned on selling/donating it, but couldn't part with it after the wedding.  No plans for kids, and I wouldn't expect them to want to wear it anyway.  And because of the material and shape/sewing, I couldn't re-make it into anything else.  In the closet it will stay.  

And I wore mine twice, cos I did a photo session the next day too.  My shop used to do a fundraiser for cancer research for women to wear their wedding dresses/BM dresses to, so you could wear them again, but they stopped the year I got married.    

lnixon8

hellohkb said:

photokitty said:

It cracks me up on my local recycle your wedding Facebook page...beautiful dress, worn once for 8 hours, needs cleaned. Paid $1200 at David's Bridal, asking $800. LOL, you (crazy delusion fb chick, not op) can't be serious!! I don't think any wedding dress sells for more than half price used, unless it is a super exclusive designer.

Ha, I just saw this dress posted today for.... $1500!  No mention of original price, but does say "worn once".  It appears she was married in 2006 so that must be from when the dress was.  I really want to say something to her, but I won't.   

I always love it when people are selling their wedding dresses and say they they've only "worn it once". No shit you wore it once. They're always the ones who sell their dresses at almost the exact same price they purchased it, as if wearing it once makes such a difference.

What's even better is "NEVER WORN" with a picture (usually in their living room) with the dress on their body. One woman had the balls to say "never worn, slight stain on bottom" along with said picture.

cupcait927

julieanne912 said:

cupcait927 said:

My dress is hanging in our second bedroom closet - still haven't bothered to get it cleaned. I hated my dress so I don't have any sentimental reason to keep it. I'll probably end up donating it. 

Just curious, how come you hated your dress?

Basically because I cheaped out. I fell in LOVE with a Maggie Sottero dress that was slightly (read - only a couple hundred dollars) out of my budget. I couldn't bring myself to spend the money on it - we still had so many other expenses and we had just bought a house. So I ended up rushing and picking a dress from David's Bridal that was okay, but because it wasn't my dream dress, I hated it as soon as I picked it up from the store. H kept trying to get me to buy the dress I really wanted but I felt so guilty about the money. Looking back, I should've just sucked it up and bought the dress I wanted. If I had, I'd never give that thing up. 

l9i

cupcait927 said:

julieanne912 said:

cupcait927 said:

My dress is hanging in our second bedroom closet - still haven't bothered to get it cleaned. I hated my dress so I don't have any sentimental reason to keep it. I'll probably end up donating it. 

Just curious, how come you hated your dress?

Basically because I cheaped out. I fell in LOVE with a Maggie Sottero dress that was slightly (read - only a couple hundred dollars) out of my budget. I couldn't bring myself to spend the money on it - we still had so many other expenses and we had just bought a house. So I ended up rushing and picking a dress from David's Bridal that was okay, but because it wasn't my dream dress, I hated it as soon as I picked it up from the store. H kept trying to get me to buy the dress I really wanted but I felt so guilty about the money. Looking back, I should've just sucked it up and bought the dress I wanted. If I had, I'd never give that thing up. 

Your story makes me think that's prb why most people hang on to theirs - they were head over heels for their dress!  I didn't hate mine but I wouldn't say it was that "it" moment or dream dress.  I tried on one I loved the first time I went shopping but it was at the top of my budget without accounting for changes and it was maybe too much dress.  The second time I went I tried on the one I bought which was very similar to the one I loved but a little less dress, a sample sale in my size which brought the cost to about 1/4 of my budget.  To me, that made it worth it.  So I like my dress but it wasn't "magical" or anything and I didn't spend a fortune on it so I'm ok letting it go.  

loveislouder

I love my dress and I'm going to pretend what I'm about to tell you isn't weird... 

My girlfriend wants to have a Pretty Princess Day (not wedding related) where us girls show up in our fanciest dresses whether it be prom dresses, bridesmaid, whatever, eat cheese, cupcakes and have wine and watch Disney movies. I'm probably goign to wear my wedding dress because it wasn't a ballgown or anything.  Does it sound like a 5 year olds birthday party? Yes. Am I super excited? You betcha. 

julieanne912

I too am not in love with my dress, but it's nice enough and I will be attached to it for other reasons.  I can't see myself selling it anytime soon, although I probably should since it's a very much "in style" dress.  We'll see how I feel after the wedding I guess.  I also had a lot of alterations done to it so it probably wouldn't fit anybody but me anyway.