Keep your wedding memories alive in a whole new way!
Anyone else experience the post-wedding blues? In an admittedly odd way, when mine was over it felt almost like losing a friend. No? Just me? Ok then, let me try and explain. Your wedding is this thing that you spend countless hours “with” via your planning. It rules your weekends; vendor meetings, online favor shopping, shower, bachelorette, etc. Then in one (albeit joyous) day, it’s all over and a thing of the past. No note, no goodbye. What am I supposed to do with my time now?? Who am I supposed to hang out with?? Even if you didn’t feel quite the same way as I did post-wedding, I bet all of you felt some sense of sadness mixed in with your marital bliss. If, like me, you’d like to keep your wedding in your life a little longer, there are tons of cool ways to do so:
1) Bouquet – All of us have dried and hung a bouquet in our bedrooms. My prom flowers must have hung upside down in my room for a good 5 years afterwards. Your wedding bouquet deserves something a little more special though, don’t you think? How about drying them and having them made into eco-friendly thank you notes for your guests? Or turning them into jewelry? A perfect gift for the mother of the bride/groom! Prefer home decor? Have them melted into a candle that will quickly become the centerpiece of any room! When in doubt, though, charity is NEVER a bad idea. See if there’s a local floral donation organization in your area, or contact nearby hospitals and nursing homes to see if they’re accepting flowers. Bringing smiles to others is a great way to extend that wonderful wedding feeling long after the big day!
How adorable are these?? Stationary photo courtesy of Cast Paper Art; Candle photo courtesy of The Isle Co.; and bracelet photo courtesy of Blossoms into Beads
2) Cake – If having a year-old, frozen bite of cake on your first anniversary just isn’t quite enough for you, we’ve got the thing for you. Why not turn your cake into an insanely adorable ornament that can have an honored place on your Christmas tree for years to come? Don’t celebrate Christmas? These also make cute little keepsakes, perfect for your bookshelf or kitchen table.
Yes, those are all ornaments! Photos courtesy of Aberrant Ornaments
3) Gown – Our department! We found a ton of really great ideas for repurposing your wedding gown, but here are some of our favorites. While you may not be able to force your future daughter to wear your gown on her wedding day, you can still find a way for her to wear it (at a time in her life where she can’t really resist!). Create a Christening gown out of it for her baptism, or for a less religious idea, just have any small dress made and have a fun photo shoot of your child in it. Or how about a wedding quilt? Take squares of your dress and other important items of clothing (maybe your rehearsal dress, mother’s dress, bridesmaids, etc.) and have them made into a quilt that you’ll cherish for years to come. Charity is always a welcome option, too! We love Brides Across America and Brides Against Breast Cancer, but a quick search will find you tons of amazing ways to donate your gown to a bride in need. Last but not least, if you’re not sure what you want to do with your gown, you can always preserve your gown with Flair (it’s on sale right now!) and decide down the line!
Top photo courtesy of freeshipping.org; Bottom left photo courtesy of madeofhonorquilts.com; Bottom right photo courtesy of thepatchworkbear.wordpress.com
Tell us – did you re-purpose anything from your wedding?