If your mom saved her wedding dress, would you...?

Question

... want to cut a "scrap" from the dress and sew it into yours somewhere so that you had a piece of her dress?

This is what I am considering for my dress. I don't think I want to sell it. And I definitely don't want to do one of those destroy your dress photo shoots.

I have decided that I want to keep it, but I know I will never use it. And if I ever have a daughter, I am sure she'd be likely to pick her own style. But I do think it would be neat if she had a scrap of it and maybe start some sort of tradition like that.

Of course, I'd have to have a duaghter first! LOL. I only have one son so far.

I don't plan on cutting it up NOW or anything. Just keeping it and offering it up as an option.... since it is so rare that a daughter WANTS to wear her mother's dress. My mom didn't ever have a church wedding, so I don't have anything from hers.

Answer 1

Wow, you're on a roll today with the questions! :-)

I would, I think that sounds really cool. Traditionally, girls are "supposed" to wear their mother's gown, but we all know that never happens. Working a scrap of it into the design of the new dress, even if it is hidden, sounds like a cool way to, in one way or another, carry on that tradition.

I also have a friend whose mother made a blanket for her, with scraps from different things forming a patchwork quilt. Baby pictures, old report cards, her first homework, early handmade Mother's Day Cards and those kinds of things were transferred to fabric, and were sewn into a pretty quilt with scraps from her baby blanket, a few strands of yarn cut from her old Cabbage Patch doll, her christening gown, her first little school uniform, her mom's wedding gown, and other important clothing or textile articles. You can see something like this in the movie Stepmom, what Susan Sarandon makes for the kids.

Oh, and my mother-in-law asked that I carry a handkerchief that once served as my husband's christening cap with my bouquet. If you only have boys, you can still ask their wives to work it in. That's what I'm gonna do. :-)


I must put how confused I am by the answer above mine... If every bride has her own style, why would you keep the dress intact for future generations? That's something like saying "I know she's never going to use it, but I want to keep it so she can use it one day."

Answer 2

When my husband and I got married, the hem from my dress was made into roses for our daughters flowergirl dress. My dress is being saved for a few reasons: She can wear it if she wants, or she can take a piece of it for her dress and a hankie. I would like to have the hankie made for her as her "old". What she does not use for her dress/wedding, I will make into a Christening gown for a grandchild. My daughter is only 8 right now, but that's my sappy plan! =)

Answer 3

My mother gave me hers as well along with her veil. I considered putting some of her dress into mine but decided that I'd incorporate her veil into my own in the end. I came up with the idea of having the dress cut down and sewn into a quilt. My mother thought this was a great idea but she's a quilter and sees the idea behind the notion. Certainly not everyone would have the same opinion so making sure your mother is all right with it would be advisable. Can't do it with her dress because the fabric was in horrendous condition but I thought it was a very nice idea for using family clothing (also kids clothes too maybe) in a way that can be passed down from generation to generation.

Answer 4

No, though her dress was lovely. However, if I would have thought of it before I had a child, I would have had his christening gown made from my wedding gown. Mine's been hanging in a closet, and lately I've been thinking of what to do with it - something crafty. I've been collecting ideas.

Answer 5

I would have loved to wear my Mom's wedding dress except it was too small and ivory (and I look like a corpse in ivory).

Otherwise, I would have worn it unchanged. The fact that it was seriously out of style would have added to the charm.

Answer 6

I don't think I would. I see no point in it - my mother is always in my heart and I don't need a piece of cloth to remind me of that. Keep the dress as a keepsake or bring it to a tailor and have them redesign it into a regular classic dress that will never go out of style - it can also be dyed.

Answer 7

Actually its exaclty what i plan on doing...My mom was my best friend and she died of cancer two years ago. One of the items her husband gave me after she died was her wedding dress. I plan on taking a portion of the dress and having it made as part of mine when I do get married.

My mom can't be with me on my day but for her dress to be apart of mine..just brings tears to my eyes..even know as I answer this.

Answer 8

I think that would be a great tribute. For my wedding, I took a piece of my mom's veil/headpiece and used it as a wrap for my bouquet it was great to have a piece of my mom and dad's wedding at mine and made me feel even closer to them. They have had 30 years of marriage and I wanted a connection to that to wish me good luck. Great feeling and I hope to pass it on to my girls.

Answer 9

If the dress has a train, you can cut a piece from the train. That way if your daughter decides she wants to wear it it won't be completly altered.

Don't count on your daughter not wanting to wear it, I was very proud to wear my grandmothers dress and my mothers veil. I was honored to be able to do that.

Answer 10

I would have loved to have worn a part of my moms wedding dress at my wedding....unfortunatly shes divorced and got rid of hers.