Congratulations, you just got married! — Now, what to Do with Your Wedding Gown After the Big Day??
Your wedding day may be over, but the story of your wedding dress doesn’t have to end there. If you’re looking to recycle, reuse, or reduce waste, there are countless creative and sustainable ways to give your wedding gown a second life. From transforming it into a cocktail dress or donating it to charitable causes to reselling it for another bride to cherish, each option helps reduce the environmental impact of your wedding day. Let’s explore how you can keep the magic of your wedding dress alive while making eco-friendly choices that support a more sustainable future.
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Resell Your Wedding Dress
As a sustainable wedding photographer, I know many brides are looking for ways to make their wedding day more eco-conscious—and what better way to start than by giving your wedding dress a second life? Platforms like Still White and Once Wed make it easy for newlyweds to sell their gently used gowns to other brides searching for their perfect dress. Not only does this free up closet space, but it also promotes sustainability by reducing the demand for new gowns and their environmental impact.
To put things in perspective, producing just one cotton T-shirt requires 713 gallons of water—imagine the resources that go into creating a wedding gown! By reselling your dress, you’re helping conserve these valuable resources while allowing another bride to feel just as stunning and radiant as you did on your big day. It’s a simple, impactful way to be part of a more sustainable wedding community.
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Donate Your Wedding Dress: A Meaningful Way to Give Back
For brides not interested in selling their wedding dresses or letting them sit in storage, donating your gown for a good cause is an incredible alternative. Organizations like Angel Gowns transform wedding dresses into burial gowns for infants, providing comfort to grieving families. These beautiful repurposed gowns are distributed to hospitals, funeral homes, and families worldwide, making a meaningful difference during a family’s most difficult moments. (Keep in mind they don’t accept dresses made primarily of tulle.)
Another fantastic option is Brides for a Cause, a nonprofit organization that resells donated wedding dresses to raise money for various charities. With over 25,000 dresses collected and $1.75 million donated to date, this initiative lets your dress contribute to impactful causes. Donating your wedding gown isn’t just sustainable—it’s a heartfelt way to give back and help others.
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Preserving Your Wedding Dress
Yes, keeping your wedding dress can still be a sustainable choice! Brides everywhere are repurposing their gowns by having them tailored into chic cocktail dresses—perfect for anniversaries or other celebrations. Not only does this give your dress a second life, but you can also save any leftover fabric for future use, like creating children’s outfits or donating scraps to organizations like Angel Gowns.
This thoughtful approach lets you hold onto the sentimental value of your gown while still reducing waste. If you’re reading this, you’re already taking steps toward a more sustainable wedding, and that’s worth celebrating—thank you for being mindful of your choices!
