
Doesn’t it look like there’s a mummy in my garment bag?
Well, my lovely dress is having a rest, and it has been sitting on the futon in our office for the almost four weeks that I have been married. Honestly, I don’t know what to do with it. I know that I need to get it cleaned, but what should my dress’ next life be?
There are obviously quite a few options for what I can do with my dress post-wedding:
- Preserve It - I always have the option of keeping my dress for my daughters. I have to admit that this option is not really too appealing to me. Why? Well, Mr. Swan’s family tends to produce male children. JUST KIDDING!
But seriously, that’s a consideration, no? I may just not have any daughters at all. The one daughter I may have may not like my style; and hey, my style may be out of style by the time she’s ready to get married. Another practical consideration: where am I going to put it? I do have a nice sized closet for a New York City apartment, but my dress will take up a fair amount of space that I’d like to use for clothes I’ll actually wear. Plus, some of the costs of professional preservation have surprised me. Um… how much? Hmm…
- Sell It - The semi-capitalist in me wants to just sell my dress. It will create the space in my closet that I need and maybe I can make a little moolah in the process! I will say that I am pretty intimidated about the selling process. Do I use Craiglist, Once Wed, Bravo Bride, PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com, eBay? There are so many options. Am I missing any? I’d love to know if any of you have used these services and which was most user-friendly for you.
- Donate It - I like the idea of my dress not only helping out another bride, but also possibly helping out a larger cause. I’m definitely considering Bridal Garden, a great used gown store whose proceeds go to local educational charities here in Brooklyn. While I may not get the financial reward from this option (well, perhaps a tax credit), I think that my gown will bring some happiness to a lot more people than I will ever imagine. Bridal Garden will allow me to help my actual community. That said, I don’t know if they want my David’s Bridal dress (everything there was a bit more designer when I visited), but maybe they’re not picky? Also I know that Brides Against Breast Cancer is a popular option, but I am not sure if they are active in New York (correct me if I am wrong, my people). I would be even happier to donate my dress to them as my aunt died of breast cancer several years ago. I missed her at the wedding.
What are you planning to do with your dress after you get married? Have you thought of any options that I have not?
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