Your big day is over… but you don’t want to take off your dress!

Between all the shopping, trying on, and tailoring, this is the one that became the dress of your dreams. And we don’t blame you for wanting to wear it for just a bit longer!

So now that the wedding is over, what do you do with your wedding dress? Maybe you adored your dress and want to keep it for forever, or maybe you are willing to give it away or deconstruct it for different uses. Either way, you’ll need to do something with it when the time comes (unless you’re so attached that you want it as part of your daily wardrobe!)

We have seen just about every way to preserve, re-use, or pass on a dress. We put together a list of our favorite and the most popular things brides do with their dresses post-wedding.

Pro tip: The Dress Shop offers gown cleaning and preservation services for a reason! Before you do anything with your dress, whether you pack it away or take it apart, you should get it professionally cleaned. They have a full team of experts—call them at 517-546-3600.

So, after your dress is clean, decide what you want to do with it! Here are our top 10 favorite ideas:

1. Save it

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We repeat: get it professionally cleaned! If you plan to pack it away for long-term storage, spend the money to get it professionally preserved, too. Ask the team of experts at The Dress Shop about how to get that done.

2. Pass it on to a family member

Crystal Gardens_Howell, MI_Pass Your Dress Down

This is the route many brides choose to take, which means they usually get it cleaned and preserved for storage, where it can stay until it is ready to be worn or used by someone else in your family.

3. Sell it

Crystal Gardens_Howell, MI_Sell Your Dress

There are plenty of dress shops that will purchase your dress for resale. You can even sell it yourself (hello eBay!) This way, it can be passed along to another bride as her perfect dress on her Big Day, and put some money back in your pocket to help replenish your post-wedding savings.

4. Donate it

If you don’t have any specific thing in mind that you want to do with your dress, consider donating it. Your donation can help a family or bride in need, while also giving your dress new life. And if that’s not reason enough to gift your gown, donations are also tax deductible!

5. Turn it into lingerie

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You felt your most beautiful in your wedding gown, which means it could make perfect lingerie for you. You don’t have to do anything incredibly revealing. A seamstress can make you something tasteful and comfortable for you. Wear it on your first wedding anniversary and other romantic occasions.

6. Use some material to make a baptism gown

Crystal Gardens_Howell, MI_Baptism Gown

If you are planning to have children and choose to baptize them, you can repurpose your dress by making into a baptism gown. You’ll likely have more than enough fabric to make things like matching booties, a bonnet, and bib blankets.

7. Turn it into another formal dress

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Who says you can’t wear it over and over, and over again? A good seamstress can completely remaster your wedding dress into a beautiful and classic dress that you can wear for formal, and even some casual occasions.

8. Have a photoshoot

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Every bride would love an excuse to wear their gown at least one more time. So…why not? Get dressed up again and have a friend (or a professional photographer if you please!) take pictures of you all over again. It will surely make you feel some of the magic you felt on your wedding day!

9. Display it

Crystal Gardens_Howell, MI_Display It

See your wedding dress every single day by displaying it (or part of it) in a unique way. Many brides opt to use shadow boxes and sometimes include flowers from their bouquets.

10. Use the fabric to make pillows or a quilt

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The beautiful fabric of your dress can be used to make small decor pillows or even a quilt that can be passed down for generations.


Your dress will forever be a piece of your special day, whether you preserve it, reuse it in many pieces, or pass it along to someone else. When your celebrations come to an end and it’s time to put the dress away, consider these options! Still unsure of what to do? Contact the experts at The Dress Shop at 517-546-3600.

 Get in touch with our event specialists today, by email or phone at 877-545-1002.