What did you do with your dress?

doctabroccoli

So, my mom just called a reputable dry cleaners in St. Louis about dress preservation and they said it would cost upwards of $300???  Holy shite!  I'm seriously considering taking that money and putting it toward a TTD session maybe next year or something.  It would feel strange to NOT do anything with my dress.  What did you all do?

waltzingmatilda13

Mine is still in the spare room at my parent's house. I haven't decided what to do with it yet.

Habs2Hart

I will be doing a rock the dress session with my horse and my favourite equine photographer, then I think I'm going to clean it and try to sell it.

[Deleted User]

Yup, that sounds about right. My dress was $225 to preserve. I had my cleaned and preserved and it is currently being stored at my parents house. I hope that a future daughter may be able to wear it or perhaps I will use it to make a baptismal gown for our future children. I wasn't really interested in doing a TTD shoot.

noodle_oo

I've called around and pricing even just for cleaning (not preservation) have been in the $200 - $300 range.  That's too much for me.  So my dress is hanging in my closet, dirty.  It makes me sad, but I can't spend that much to clean an $800 dress that I'll never wear again.  I think the whole thing is a racket.

cengle

I wish I would have done a TTD session. I really regret not doing one.  Instead, I got it cleaned pretty quickly, and now it's in a box at my parents' house. I think I paid over $200 for the cleaning and restoration.

doctabroccoli

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_did-dress-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:9bebf98f-7b60-41ed-8d0d-b3e34176545ePost:b2d3bf02-0191-4341-8b6b-669feffbdbf7">Re: What did you do with your dress?</a>:
[QUOTE]Yup, that sounds about right. My dress was $225 to preserve. I had my cleaned and preserved and it is currently being stored at my parents house. I hope that a future daughter may be able to wear it or perhaps I will use it to make a baptismal gown for our future children. I wasn't really interested in doing a TTD shoot.
Posted by MissySue20[/QUOTE]

The baptismal gown thing I can see, but I can't force a potential future daughter to wear my wedding dress.  It could probably make some nice throw pillows since it's beaded off-white taffeta, lol!

[Deleted User]

Oh, I would never force a future daughter to wear it. Only if she expressed desire or wanted to. My Mom offered me her gown, but there was no way in hell I was going to wear it. It was too dated for me. And I didn't want sleeves.

adamar15

Habs, that sounds awesome.  I will need to see pictures please

Habs2Hart

Mine is off-white taffeta too.  I never thought about throw pillows!  hmmm.  I wonder if my mother would kill me.  It would be a neat way to use the dress, but I don't know if I have the heart to cut it up.  I'd rather sell it and see it be worn again... but it's not a dress many people would wear. 

FutureMrsFezz

Mine is in the spare bedroom closet.  Never got it cleaned because I'm lazy.  I wanted to get the bustle fixed too (it broke about 20 minutes into our reception) so that I can do a TTD.  But I don't think I'll even fit in it at this point.

andy71781

I donated mine to Brides Against Breast Cancer.  We got a sweet tax write off too!

midgetthemighty

What is a TTD shoot?

emilyinchile

Habs, do you have a pic of your dress somewhere?

Mine is also in a closet and uncleaned. I can't quite decide whether to sell it or keep it, so for now it stays. I have the same debate over my veil, which is also in my closet in a bag.

mica178

I got my cleaned/preserved by a cheap online company for $150.  It's stored with our luggage while I decide what to do with it (donate vs keep for theoretical future children).  I love the dress, but who knows what will be in vogue in the future or if I'll even have a daughter (let alone a daughter who is my size).  I guess it could make a nice handful of ringbearers pillows or something.

Beachy730

Mine was preserved, but I don't even know the cost because my parents did it.  They took it the day after to the cleaners, and it wasn't ready until after we had moved.  I think your estimate sounds about right though.  

I've thought about donating it, and a few other things, but right now it's in my parent's house in NY.  When we move to VA I'll eventually bring it to my house, but I'm not paying to fly it now.  I will probably save it for my kid's weddings or something like that.  Not necessarily to wear it, but to make something out of it.  My mom had a purse made from her dress for me.  

waltzingmatilda13

TTD = Trash the Dress

You basically take artsy shots in your dress that you would be too nervous to do on your wedding day for fear of getting it dirty or destroyed.

crfische

ROOKIES.

The correct answer is: Drive it around with it in your trunk for no less that 3 years until you buy a new car and have to remove it.

You are very welcome.

midgetthemighty

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_did-dress-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:9bebf98f-7b60-41ed-8d0d-b3e34176545ePost:200a7113-1c90-480d-ae00-1d4182d3d6ff">Re: What did you do with your dress?</a>:
[QUOTE]TTD = Trash the Dress You basically take artsy shots in your dress that you would be too nervous to do on your wedding day for fear of getting it dirty or destroyed.
Posted by waltzingmatilda13[/QUOTE]

That sounds like epic amounts of fun. :)

MissKate2011

I'm definitely doing a rock the dress shoot right after the wedding (I don't want to wait in case I get pregnant and it doesn't fit after)

I've also talked to my girls about having a pizza, wings and beer night in our wedding dresses so we'll see!

Habs2Hart

This is it Emily




As you can see... it's not for everyone.  I don't have a pic of me in it yet.  It is way too long and looks hilarious (even in my 5" heels) but my first actual fitting is tonight!

MissKate2011

wow it's gorgeous!

crfische

My unpopular opinion is that I think TTD shoots are really silly.

Habs, holy shiit. That dress is beautiful.

waltzingmatilda13

Wow, that dress is stunning. You're going to make quite the grand entrance, Habs!

doctabroccoli

Andy -
Did you have to get your dress cleaned before donating it?  Or did they take it dirty?

Habs2Hart

Awe thanks guys!  I love it so much.  Totally inappropriate for an outdoor wedding but I don't care.  hahaha. 

missy68

Mine needs to be cleaned, then it wll be worn again at my Dad's retirement. It's a cocktail dress, so I can wear it to semi-formal stuff. That's one reason I got the dress I got.

emilyinchile

Oooh Habs, I love it! I do see what you mean though.

crfische

Habs, I trust you will be posting pictures of your first fitting? PLEASE.

georgia_bride09

Today is exactly a month past my 2nd wedding anniversary, and my dress is in a bag in my closet. With a blue stain from the napkin we used to wipe the baby puke off because someone made me hold their baby. 

I wanted to sell it, but my mom bought it and didn't want me to get rid of it. So it sits. 

Habs2Hart

It looks a bit softer on me instead of a super edgy model.  My mom HATES it in the pictures and she cried and got all emotional when it was on me.  Now she thinks it's amazing.  It's funny how different they are on real people.