IOTUT -- It's about your wedding gown

Have you ever wondered what to do with your wedding gown after the wedding (or after the divorce, for that matter)? It's Friday's Instead of This, Use (or Do) This. Today, I'm going to share some suggestions for those of you who no longer want to hang on to their wedding dresses.

There are a number of organizations that take wedding dresses for a variety of purposes. My first suggestion, if you're not looking to sell your gown, is to donate it to a local charity that provides dresses for women who simply can't afford a brand new dress. You'll have to do your research on that one. These would either be organizations that provide the dresses for free, or thrift shops that accept wedding gowns. 

On a national level, here are some suggestions:

DonateMyWeddingDress.org offers a selection of charities that benefit from wedding dress donations, including

• Adorned in Grace -- Benefiting victims of sex trafficking, they sell the donated gowns and use the money to help the victims on the US West Coast.
• Brides Across America -- This Massachusetts charity gives out free gowns to US military brides.
• Brides for Haiti -- They accept both wedding gowns and prom dresses. They're located in Maryland and they sell the donated dresses at consignment shops to raise money to help St. Joseph's parish in a remote location in Haiti.
• St. Anthony's Bridal -- Located in Bethesda, MD, they loan wedding gowns to lower income brides in the Washington, DC area.
• Wish Upon a Wedding -- Partnering with Brides for a Cause, they help couples to have their dream wedding or renewal of vows in the case of terminal illness and serious challenges.
• The Bridal Garden -- The donated gowns are sold and the money is used to help underprivileged children in NYC.

These are fabulous ways to take a dress that was special to you and use it to make a difference!

You can also contact NICUHelpingHands.org and donate your gown for the Angel Gown program. Volunteers make gowns for those precious little ones who never make it home from the hospital.

One of their missions is to make sure parents have something special and sacred to bury their child in.

There are many other options of what to do with your wedding gown. You can scroll through Pinterest for a variety of ideas. But I think the above suggestions are worthy of consideration. Why not extend the special meaning of your bridal gown by donating it to a charity that makes a difference. It made a difference for you on your wedding day... so perhaps, instead of letting it take up space in your home, you can let it take up space in someone's heart.

Presenting alternatives for you to consider,