There is a thriving resale business for used wedding gowns, both on-line and in dedicated wedding consignment shops. In fact, I know a woman who owns such a shop and it has been an excellent business for her.
I remember going dress shopping with my Mom and a couple of my sisters. I recall going to 2 shops and my Mom insisting I try on vails. I won that battle and didn’t wear a veil. My SIL wore my dress for her wedding. I think the dress in boxed up in a closet at my In laws. I don’t see my D wearing my dress.
I think your future DIL’s should be able to choose what they want to wear at their weddings. It would certainly be nice of you to offer your dress, but be prepared for them to decline your offer. >>>>>>>>>>
I was just kidding! LOL. I’m not going to even bring it up. They both have moms who probably have an old gown of their own.
And one engaged friend bought a house and found a fairly new wedding dress in the attic >>>>>>>>>>
My son found one in the attic of the house he bought, too. It was 80’s-ish, he threw it away.
I bought my dress at Kleinfeld’s at their sample sale, back when the store was in Brooklyn. A very peculiar thing that we still laugh at to this day happened. My mom and two sisters were with me. I had the dress on and the owner walks in, puts a tape measure around my bust, and walks back out again…and he gave me a hefty discount - lol. I guess I got the big bosom discount that day.
I’m on various online quilting groups, and there are folks who take wedding gowns and make angel robes for preemies and other little ones who pass away in the hospital. Check with a local quilting group or store.
Have also seen folks use pieces of fabric for a rig pillow, lace in a bouquet, etc.
I made my wedding gown – $125 in supplies in 1983. Also made bridesmaid outfits – about $50 each.
My brother’s new wife wore my mom’s dress recently. She was the only one tiny enough to fit into it. It had a fitted waist that measured 23". And my mom was not a tiny thing!
I think a lot of brides back then wore corsets/girdles to get their waists so tiny. I can’t imagine spending my wedding day so constricted.
I agree it is a huge waste of money (in MY opinion) to spend a lot on a wedding dress. I spent $150 on mine 29 years ago, and my D just spent $200 on hers (bought on Ebay - no veil for her either). But I would never tell anyone how to spend their money, she (ME) spent a lot on the venue for her reception which many would not.
My mother and her sister wore the same dress (different veils). I always loved that dress so when I got married, I wore it also (after a bit of alterations since I am smaller than my mom and aunt). I saved it for my daughters, but they are both wider than me.
This is a very timely thread for me. My D is recently engaged and is getting married next summer. We’ve done a lot of talking and some shopping for dresses. I was married in 1982 and loved my wedding dress. Last week, an emotional (for me) mother/daughter moment, I pulled the box with my dress out of the closet. I haven’t looked at it since I took it off to put on my “going away outfit” (remember that?). Well, the dress has stood the test of time. It looked perfect and the style is still appropriate today. My daughter put it on and I got teary. On some level, I guess I hoped she’d want to wear it, but I don’t think its as common these days for brides to wear their mother’s dress. Besides, she should have the thrill of finding her own dress.
We’d love to find some way to incorporate my dress (and I also have my mother’s dress) into D’s wedding. I’ve thought of wrapping some of the lace around her bouquet. Any other ideas?
There was a tv show where the 2 regulars would, 1, refit the mom’s dress and 2, offer the bride a new dress.
Rwhen refitting the moms dress, they often cut off the long sleeves, or used the lace on a simple pattern. When offered the new dress, the cost was under $2000, but they looked the same to me as those on SYTTD.
I’ve thought of wrapping some of the lace around her bouquet>>>>>>>>
I am considering this as well but oh it’s painful to think of cutting into that dress.
Lace around the bouquet sounds lovely. And you could also make one of those little pillows for the ring bearer.
Save the rest and maybe you will someday be able to make a christening gown.
I have no idea what my wedding gown cost. I chose what I liked (simple style) and my parents paid for it. I’m pretty sure it was not terribly expensive, though.
christening gown.>>>>>>
Mine was ivory with the bodice made of white lace overlay. So that white bodice is the only white part.
@VaBluebird So what? Who said a christening gown had to be ALL white? I think the sentiment of using a family wedding dress trumps the color…and it’s not like you are using lime green or hot pink.
I think a lot of christening gowns that have been passed down through the generations are ivory by now.
@thumper1, I’m sure you’re right. It would be fine.
Both my mother and a sister preserved their gowns, and I would have been happy to wear either one. No dice. I run narrower than both of them, but they got married at 19 and 26, respectively, not 40. I couldn’t even try them on properly.
But as I’ve mentioned here, we found a white bridesmaid’s dress at BHLDN for $260 that I liked 98% as much as the $2-3000 options (and that actually suited the event better). My mother encouraged me to get my very favorite regardless of cost, but I liked having a dress that reflected my values as well as my aesthetic. I’m a practical kind of a gal.
Flowers are an even sillier expense, but I love them. I am glad my mom insisted on decorating the room in addition to the crown & bouquet I was planning. I tried drying my bouquet, but in the end it’s such a fragile thing…it’s better to rely on the pictures.
For catholics, the baptism ‘garment’ must be white, but if the outfit isn’t whie, a stole is used. My daughter was baptized in the NICU, so naked, and they used a stole that was quite nice and embroidered by the ladies group at a church the deacon was assigned to. My second daughter wore a qi pao, and it was white and gold. No problem.
My brother wore a little maroon outfit when he was baptized. He was only 2 months old but huge so never would have fit in a nice white dress. Baby Buddha. There were twin girls baptism with him and they had beautiful white christening gowns.