Three women share how they repurposed their wedding dresses – from charity runs to teddy bears
AS the wedding season draws to a close, this summer’s brides are putting their dresses into storage.
But as the average gown costs £1,385, some newlywed women have come up with ideas to “repurpose” them.
From transforming a gown into a toy or wearing it at charity races, there are some ingenious ideas out there.
Nikki Watkins talks to three brides who found different ways to keep saying yes to their wedding dress.
'Put it on for charity run'
HIDDEN in her wardrobe, Natale McDonald’s beloved wedding dress had been gathering dust since her wedding to husband Warren, 37, a CCTV engineer, in August 2017.
The 38-year-old florist longed to wear the satin and toile strapless gown again, so when she was invited to take part in a 3k race where spectators splatter you with powder paint, she knew it was the perfect opportunity.
The mum-of-four, from Blackpool, says:
"When I bought the dress, there were only three left in the shop. So I thought I may as well try them all – and this was the one for me.
It was completely different to what I thought I was going to go for. However, it turned out to be my dream dress – as soon as I put it on, I started crying.
I’d tried about 20 on and this was the last one. I felt like a princess and I just didn’t want to take it off.
After our wedding, the dress had been in my house just hanging there waiting for something to happen.
I learnt about The Colour Run, organised to raise money for Trinity Hospice, where staff had taken care of my grandmother, Marie, in the last weeks of her life.
She died in September 2017, aged 74. I decided to do the event – running in my £1,600 dress through clouds of colourful paint on the beach.
I laced up my trainers before completing the race in June with my daughters Kealy, 13, and Eleanor, eight.
I powered off from the starting line wearing the same dress I walked down the aisle in – accessorised with white cycling shorts.
The dress was so heavy to run in, but I loved every minute of it.
I have no regrets about it. Lots of people couldn’t believe what I was doing, but my family understood.
After being splattered with paint powder, I now plan to frame my new multicoloured dress and hang it at the top of her stairs like a piece of artwork to commemorate my grandmother."
'I made mine into a teddy'
AFTER her big day in August 2015, Imogen Hopkins did not want it to be the last time she wore her gown.
She decided to “trash” the dress for charity and then turned it into a teddy bear for daughter Phoebe, two.
The charity co-ordinator from Long Eaton, Notts, is married to chip shop manager Liam. They are both 28. She says:
"I’d bought my dress from a bridal warehouse for £500 and felt absolutely beautiful.
After our traditional wedding day I didn’t want it to be the last time I wore it, so I asked my photographers if they would come to take some pictures of my first anniversary when we would hold a “trash the dress” party.
It’s an idea I’d heard about from America, where brides ruin their dresses after the big day.
One year to the day after my wedding, myself and my bridesmaids met up at Rufford Country Park.
Standing under a waterfall in my gown, I looked a sight.
My husband was throwing paint, my bridesmaids were pouring champagne over me and, by the end of the day, my gown was in ruins.
We had a lot of fun and raised £300 for charity.
I put the dress in the washing machine, but it was ruined. A friend suggested making a teddy bear from the material and I loved the idea.
She used the beading and lace to create a gorgeous little bear that sits in Phoebe’s nursery.
I like the idea of passing on something that was part of our special day."
'I wear mine every day'
DAWN Winfield-Hunt, 54, wed school curriculum manager Steve, 57, last month and has barely taken her bridal gown off since.
The office manager and mum of one, from Ryde on the Isle of Wight, says:
"Both Steve and I have been married before, so were determined to have loads of fun without blowing the budget.
I bought my ivory dress from a charity shop for £300. It still had the labels on and was meant to be £1,800.
The morning after our wedding, I felt sad when I thought about boxing it up and never seeing it again as it was so beautiful.
We arranged to have a barbecue the day after our wedding, and as I scanned my wardrobe for something to wear, my eyes fell back to my beautiful gown, hanging in the corner.
I didn’t want my wedding to be over – so I decided to put it on again!
Everyone thought it was hilarious, and it made me happy, so I decided I’d wear it all the time.
I wore it to a local festival teamed with wellies and I got compliments all day.
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I even decided to wear it when I went paddleboarding. It got covered in seaweed but I just laughed the whole time.
I got funny looks when I wore it to the supermarket and I have cooked, cleaned and even done a bit of carpentry in it.
I don’t mind the stains or tears as each one is an adventure, like the lines on our faces, it’s happiness and lots of excitement."
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