It’s a shame to bundle a beautiful wedding dress back in its garment bag and lose it in a closet. Free up some precious storage space and keep it green by recycling your wedding dress.
Arts and Crafts
Any good crafter will tell you, it’s all about the fabric. While wedding dresses come in all shapes and sizes, it’s a safe bet that your wedding dress has a few yards of fabric to yield and embellishments just screaming for a second chance at life.
If you are really looking for a challenge, consider making your formal wedding frock into a much more casual dress. Think knee length with spaghetti straps. Skirt and dress patterns are available at Hobby Lobby, Michael’s and any other fabric store.
You can also outsource this project to a local seamstress. The Mid South Sewing Center located on River Rock Boulevard (MidSouthSewingCenter.com) offers sewing classes and can put you in touch with a pro.
Simpler dress projects include making a scarf from your dress fabric. For a slightly less formal feeling, try an at-home dye kit for a pop of color. It may not be obvious, but you will always know that special scarf was a part of your wedding day.
Beadwork and lace from the dress can be used to create unique accessories. For the beads, try making a simple necklace or bracelet. Buy a piece of clear wire and clasps. Arrange your sparkly wedding dress decals creatively and you may have found your new favorite accessory.
Lace can be dyed and added to t-shirts, purses or skirts for a fresh feeling. Or try your hand at customized headbands and hair clips. Detach lace from dress, get a glue gun and go to town.
A Work of Art
Looking for something to decorate your walls, newlywed? Try this project for a beautiful piece of art and a unique way to commemorate your wedding day and your dress.
Buy a shadow box or picture frame. You can personalize the frame in your wedding colors, or cover it in fun fabric.
Use wedding dress fabrics to create a beautiful piece of art. Cover the matting of the frame with the dress fabric, or glue fabric to the entire backing to showcase the details.
For a more artistic interpretation, cut swatches of each type of fabric on the dress and use a pearl tipped needle to fasten them to canvas. Sketch your dress next to the fabric swatches for ready-made art.
Trash the Dress
Maybe you don’t want to cut up the dress, but still want to do something fun with it. Try “trash the dress,” a new trend where brides participate in an after-wedding photo shoot as they literally make a mess of their dress.
Popular trash the dress themes include jumping in the creek in your big white gown, covering it in chocolate and candy, or smearing it in paint for an artsy photo shoot. Trash the dress pictures are an untraditional way to commemorate your wedding, and put that dress to work for a second time.
Local photographer Tanya Wright (FrozenExposure.com) can help you put a special trash the dress photography project together.
