Poll: Where is your wedding dress right now?

[SueNJ]

I donated my dress to a local woman's shelter...it was beautifully preserved in a box, but since I got divorced in 2003 (married '94) I had no interest in keeping it around just collecting dust. Hopefully someone was able to wear it and enjoy their wonderful day!

Sue

[psilverman]

Cleaned, boxed, and RUINED by dry cleaner...

...I still get annoyed thinking of it. I had a very plain (think Carolyn Bissette Kennedy but without the 5'9" 110 lb body, or blonde hair for that matter) wedding gown -- it was Vera Wang which had been a floor sample so I got it for a great price. The body part was silk jersey and the very low cut back and sleeves were "illusion" (Nancy Kerrigan ice skating outfits...a very sheer, somewhat stretchy fabric). ANYWAY...I decided that I shouldn't just let it hang in a closet, so about a year after our wedding I took it to our dry cleaner, a very "reputable" place. I showed the illusion fabric to the manager and asked if they could manage it -- because it is somewhat fragile. She assured me they could. I also instructed her, and she wrote down, that you can't hang the dress as the silk jersey would sag.
Well, 6 weeks go by (it was to be done in 4-6 weeks) and I start asking about it. I got excuse after excuse...finally after about 10 weeks I said "just give me my dress, I'll have it boxed elsewhere" So, this poor kid who worked there can't find it, he invites me back to look. I said "oh it wouldn't be on a hanger..." but sure enough, there it was, on a hanger pushed up against this very sequinsy dress, which I was afraid would snag mine. So we take the dress off the rack and then I see it...the illusion fabric had gotten caught in a side/under the arm zipper and there were all of these holes chewed into the fabric. The largest about the size of a quarter. I was SICK. I left and the manager saw me and said "what is the matter" and I yelled...yes yelled..."YOU F^$CKING RUINED MY DRESS" (nice language, I know!!!!)
So...the owner was a complete a$$. He said they could fix it...I knew the fabric was patented and said only if you send it to Vera Wang...he wouldn't. Then he said "well, it is already worn...you don't need it." Now, I know his PRINCESS daughter and she would have put out a contract on someone who ruined her dress so I called him on it. He then called his son in law, who is a very high up lawyer in my husband's firm and had his s-i-l come tell my husband to not be too tough!
In the end I got some money and a ruined dress in a box. I don't know if my daughter ever would have wanted to wear it...and maybe by then the fabric will be a dime a dozen and easy to repair...but I hate them!

[mrs529]

Mine's only been hanging for 1 year less (1999)

I got married in 1998.

in the closet in my parents' condo here in FL (I was living there when I got married).

Funny, you should have this post as my mother's been bugging me to do something with it!!! They're not there, so why can't it just stay there!!

I don't think it's a dress I'll be saving for my dd - so maybe I'll get around to selling it????

Robin

[rachelandemily]

Married in 1997

It is professionally cleaned and preserved in a box in the basement. It's the only thing I carried upstairs when our basement flooded last fall.

Rachel

[SusanW]

cleaned and boxed

in my attic.

married 1980 (and I don't want to hear about anyone being BORN that year either!!)

[frits]

I rented mine, so I have absolutely no idea where it is!

[jasper]

Married in 1998 and hanging

in the closet. The headpiece got eaten by our Golden Retriever when she was a puppy. DH watched her do it. His arguement was that he thought it was a toy of the kids. We only have boys and they do not wear any princess themed costumes nor do they own any headpieces. He didn't get talked to for about a week and I still bring it up now and then lol!!!!

Shannon

[Guest]

2000 - cleaned and boxed in upstairs closet. (m)

Why? I'm not sure. Doubtful there will be any use for it in the future. But it was pricey (Priscilla of Boston) so I didn't want it to just deteriorate.

[ChrisP]

Shoved in a box on the floor of my laundry room. I got married in Oct 1994.

Christine

[Chrissi]

I dont know? LOL
I think the one from my first marriage, 1996, is or was in my moms closet and the second one, which wasnt really a wedding dress, 1999, I have no clue. Is that bad? lol

[julied]

I gave mine to GoodWill!! I'm not a "saver" and DH and

I were starting our military career moves (lots of moves), so nowhere to really store it. I didn't want to pay to have it professionally cleaned, yet by the time my DD (which I had no idea if I would have one or not) was old enough to wear it, I wouldn't want them to feel obligated to wear it. I have lots of pictures, lots of video, still have the veil in a box. Beyond that, it only lives in my memory

Also, it wasn't overly expensive ($500), so we wrote it off in taxes instead. I got married in 1998.

Julie

[McGoo]

Hanging in a closet - married in 1986... (m, dd's ment)

We never thought we'd have kids, but lucked out with 2 dd's. Do you think it's even salvageable?

[Guest]

Married 12 years on Monday 5/7. Mine was professionally

cleaned and preserved. It is in my basement in its box.

D

[bailman]

I was married in 2001

I had mine made into my three girls christening gowns. A local woman that a friend of my mom knows does it and she did a beautiful job. I felt a little bad at first with the thought of cutting up my wedding dress, but it had a few stains on the bottom since it poured the day of my wedding. Anyway, I would never have worn my mom's dress. It was just so outdated and I figured my girls would never want to wear mine so it would just end up hanging in a closet or in a box for years.

I love that now my daughters each have their own gown that they can use on their children and can pass it down. And they are embroidered with their names and dates, too.




Here's one of the embroidery...


The bonnets were made from my dress too.

Here is a picture of my 3rd daughter with all of us, but I don't have any close ups of her dress. (You know, third kid and all) Hers is a little different....

Hope I didn't just become a post hog!

Carolyn

[fatcat]

in the closet, never got it dry cleaned, it's stored in a plastic garment bag which is apparently a big no-no, I got married in 1997.