Wedding gown keepsake ideas

[salymsmommy]

My DH and I got married 4 years ago this month (feb 26th!), and while my step-mom was visiting this weekend we thought about what I should do with my wedding gown. We are not going to have children, ever, and I do not like the idea of selling it or preserving in a box. I forget I have it when it's hanging in the back of my closet (would do the same if it was in a box), and I want to be able to see it and remember that wonderful day.

The only thing we could come up with was a quilt (with all the beadwork included on it) and a new formal type dress made up of only the material, no beadwork, from my train. Problem is, a quilt that is used would get dirty quick (it is white after all!) and we have a black cat that likes to sleep on the bed, and a wall hanging would get just as dusty I think. A new formal dress, nice, but we never go anywhere that formal.

I know there are a lot of crafty people here, so pleae help me with some ideas!

[SweepingBeauty]

I have heard of people that had their wedding dress made into Baptismal/Christening gowns for their children. Since children aren't in your plans perhaps these ideas-

Do you have a treasured doll that you could have a dress made for her?

Do you have relatives that you would allow to use it in their wedding?

White will always get dirty. I was trying to think of some household uses for it-a tablecloth?
Curtains? Maybe you can preserve it in a large shadowbox where you can see it often.

[Txsweeper]

Kind-of expense idea, but you could always frame it behind glass to hang on a wall. You want it behind glass so that it won't yellow. Congratulations on your upcoming anniversay! It's hard these days to find that ONE person, glad you both found yours!! :jump:

[wildbirds]

My Aunt and Uncle adopted a child who died of a brain tumor when he was 9 years old. My Aunt couldn't deal with the thought of throwing out his clothes so she cut them up and made a big quilt. Over the last 50 years the quilt was finally passed down to me. By then it was pretty much falling apart. My friend makes quilt bears and I gave it to her and she made a bear for me, my Mom and my sister so now we all have a piece of the quilt and something that we can continue to pass down.

Maybe this is something you might consider doing too. Or maybe have someone who sews take the dress and make a doll sized dress made with the material of your wedding dress and have a display with a doll wearing it.

Frame shops also frame items, you might go to one and ask what they suggest.

[clbrowni]

Another idea would be pillows. As mother's day gifts for the grandmas, I made pillows and then used fabric transfers to put my kid's baby pictures on them. Depends on what catches your fancy, but it may be special to make the pillows out of the gown and then use fabric trasfers to put wedding picture on them.

Or along that line, quilted picture frames out of the gown and put your photos in them.

Whatever you decide to do, GL!

cindi