Where Can I Donate My Wedding Dress?

Where Can I Donate My Wedding Dress?

I was just reading the latest Good Housekeeping magazine and there was an article about Brides Across America.  The founder, Heidi Janson, thought about all of the men and women in the military who serve our country and she wanted to give back to them.  Herself a Bridal Store owner, she reached out to and received donated wedding dresses and hosted a giveaway of 60 wedding gowns to military brides-to-be.  From 2008 to date, the program has given away 22,000 dresses!   After reading the article I wanted to spread the word about donating your wedding dresses!

A lot of brides ask this question because they are either not emotionally attached to their dress, they’ve gotten a divorce, they don’t think a daughter (if they have one) will ever want to wear their dress, or they just want to do a nice thing and help someone who can’t afford to buy their own dress so they’ve decided to donate their wedding dress.

Here is a list of places you can donate your wedding dress.  Be sure to check the details on each site as there are restrictions on donations.

Brides Across America – Free Wedding Dresses for Military and Frist Resonder Brides.  You can also give a monetary donation.

Brides for a Cause – Collecting and selling wedding dresses to raise funds for charity.

Cherie Amour –  Maryland – Selling gowns at a savings and supporting Success in Style which helps those in need with clothing and coaching when going to a job interview.

The Brides Project – In the Greater Ann Arbor area.  Money raised from the sale of donated wedding dresses supports families touched by cancer through the Cancer Support Community.

The Bridal Garden – New York City – Accepts donations of wedding gowns.  Some of the proceeds from purchasing a wedding gown from the Bridal Garden directly benefit disadvantaged children in New York City.

Every Girls Dream – Southeast Michigan Area – Their goal is to provide a free wedding gown to those in need.

New Name – Wheaton Illinois –  From the sale of donated gowns, New Name generates funds to benefit exploited or trafficked women.

Adorned in Grace – Portland area – Selling new and gently used wedding gowns.  Proceeds are used to promote awareness and prevention of sex trafficking and crisis prevention for trafficked victims.

Fairytale Brides – Maryland – Net proceeds from all sales are donated to charitable organizations supporting women’s empowerment programs.  The store is run by volunteers.

Brides Against Breast Cancer – Donated wedding dresses are made affordable to others and help Breast Cancer Charities.

Angel Gowns – Wedding gowns are made into baby burial gowns and benefit the parents who are suffering the loss of a newborn child.

Mary Madeline Project – Donated gowns are made into baby burial gowns and blankets.

Photo via the Mary Madeline Project Website

The Goodwill and Salvation Army accept wedding dresses.  It might not be as important as the choices above, but many women shop at the Goodwill and Salvation Army.  But .. the image sticks in my head of the Bride of Frankenstein on Halloween.  So you never know where your dress will end up!   But remember, wherever you donate your dress, you are making someone happy.

If you’d like to add your business or non-profit to the list, please email us!