Wedding dresses - storage & kids

[zurgswife]

For my wedding my mom purchased a very expensive dress for my wedding. After my wedding it was preserved. My sister got married 2 yrs later and because her wedding reception was going to be quite high due to where she lived she decided to wear my dress. i was cool with it.

After her wedding she had it preserved. I left it in my house for many years. Then I watched shows on the horror stores of dressed being preserved in the boxes with windows but the dresses were never preserved. I decided to bite the bullet and open my box. Well it turned out my dress was probably never cleaned. It was still busseled and the bottom was filthy and now had permanent stains after 10 or so years. I was very frustrated. I tried to get it recleaned but it was too late.

I still have it for sentimental reasons and the fabric was beautiful raw silk and I hope maybe the fabric could be used again someday.

 

[2girls4me]

It's preserved. But its in my parents basement. I would never expect either girl to wear it. I've thought about selling it, but I don't want to do that, either.

It's just going to sit there for now.

 

[LONES]

My mom rented her dress, so there was never an option to wear it. From pictures, it seemed to be a pretty simple, classic style. I might have been able to wear it if I had married in my early 20's, but by the time I married at the age of 31, there's no way on earth it would have fit.

I was married 10 years ago, and my dress is pretty simple. It's a light ivory (barely off-white) chiffon with an empire waist. I'm 5'11" and plus sized, so there's a lot of fabric from the waist down! My daughters are both adopted, and will likely be quite small. My youngest will likely be about 4'11" and 90lbs soaking wet as an adult, and I've joked often that they can each make a dress out of my sleeves! Honestly, I'm sure either of them could easily make an entire dress from the fabric below the waist. If they want to, great... If not, it won't bother me at all. I also have a niece that's much closer to marrying age than my daughters. She'd be welcome to it if she wanted to try to do something with it, but I really don't think it's her style at all. The fabric is pretty basic, though if she wanted a total re-do.

I didn't have my dress professionally cleaned. It's in one of those spacesaver bags at the top of our closet. Being chiffon, and not poofy at all... it doesn't take up much space.

 

[minkydog]

Just found my gown this weekend. My mom has had it all these yrs but couldn't find it. It was all stuffed into a small cardboard box about the size of a boot shoebox. There were a few small dead insects in ther but the dress and veil ar intact. The fabric may have darkened a little--it was a lovely cream color and is just a tiny bit creamier than I remember. But there are no tears,stains, or holes and the veil is just beautiful.

My DD20 is interested on it. Whether she wil use it is anyone's guess

 

[gatormommy07]

I didn't have a dress on my wedding day, in fact I wore jeans!! Along with a blue button up shirt and a grey sweater. My husband and I decided that since neither of our families could afford a wedding, we would run off and do it! We lived in Gainesville, Florida at the time and all of our family members lived about 2 hours away. We had been dating for about 2 years and had been engaged for a few months. We decided on my 20th birthday (October 19, 2001) that we would go to Pigeon Forge, where we got "officially" engaged the August before. So on November 9, 2001 we threw our packed bags in the car and made the trip. We stayed with one of our former high school teachers who lived in the mountains and the next day we got married. Of course we did not tell anyone back home about our plans, so there were tears and stuff when we announced it, but everyone got over it soon enough. Eventually we will have a vow renewal so I will get a dress then. I already have it all designed in my head!! It will be white, just below my knee, sleeveless, with orange and blue crinoline just peaking out from the bottom of the skirt. With a sash of orange and blue tied in a bow at my natural waist off to the left. My almost 11 year old daughter said that is the kind of dress she will want, too. We are all huge University of Florida Gator fans in our house, can you tell? lol Now I just need a sewing machine, and I need to learn how to use it!!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Donated mine to some group via my ex-SIL.

 

[JessB320]

Do you know the name of the organization? I think that's a lovely idea for my dress. Thank you for the idea.

Yes!! Her Facebook page is angel gowns by Michelle , she is located in Washington state. There is a link to her website on the Facebook page. She sent me back a keepsake piece of the dress and an angel pendant.
As a premie parent myself, my heart just breaks for all the families that don't get to bring their little ones home.
Premie shopping in general sucks!! Your scared and worried about your tiny baby and clothes is the last thing you think about, then the selection is so limited and you're around all these happy pregnant moms and newborn parents, ugh !
I can't imagine trying to find burial clothing in those circumstances.
Anyway as you can tell this organization really touches my heart. Michelle is amazing and so are the other people in the group!!

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

I was married in 1976 in a pretty simple gown that had a very high neckline and long sleeves. I had the gown and veil professionally preserved and it sat in my attic until last fall, when DD#1 got married (in a lacy, strapless dress) with my veil. When I unsealed the box, I was pleasantly surprised that the gown was still perfect--no discoloration at all, but I sure didn't want to pay to have the dress re-sealed!
To my shock, DD#2 told me recently that she would LOVE to wear my dress for her wedding next year! She said she did not want to dress in the "uniform" of strapless dress, and that mine had so much sentimental value that it would be an honor. I cried!

 

[HM]

I did wear my mother's dress. I did not clean and store it properly when I was done with it. My DD17 recently tried it on when I realized she was about the size I was when I wore it. It fit, but it would never be her style. Sure was funny to see her wearing it though.

 

[stsomewhere]

My is cleaned and stored in my attic. It has been sitting there for 18 yr. Don't know what I am going to do with it. My daughter will never wear it.

My SIL had her dress made into a christening gown.

 

[chamonix]

I would like to find a seamstress who can convert my dress into a Christmas tree skirt. The skirt portion. We get fake trees so it wouldn't get ruined & every year it would be an important part of our holiday.

What a great idea!

 

[Robbi]

My is cleaned and stored in my attic. It has been sitting there for 18 yr. Don't know what I am going to do with it. My daughter will never wear it.

My SIL had her dress made into a christening gown.

I'm using my wedding dress to make a christening gown for our first grandchild due in September.