Heritage Album - Are wedding dresses heirlooms or individual?

Are wedding dresses heirlooms or individual?

A co-worker is getting married and has been showing photos of her dress and talking endlessly about how he's going to preserve it for her daughter to wear someday as an heirloom. I asked her why she isn't wearing her mother's and she said that dress is out of fashion. Can somebody help me make sense of this?

Public Comments

Her daughter won't want to wear her dress, just like she didn't want to wear her mothers. But you don't need to tell her that now. She will figure it out in the future when her daughter breaks the news to her.
Maybe she is hoping it will become an heirloom and her daughter will want to wear it. More then likely her daughter will think the same way she does and think her dress is out of style and get one that shows off herself and not her mom :)
It should be individual. Wedding is a celebration for YOU (1st) and then for the family (2nd). She still can offer the wedding dress but can not dictate it as it is an Heirlooms! Except it's made of thread GOLD and DIAMOND BEAD :)
an heirloom is timeless and personal opinion i guess her mother's dress wasn't time appropriate to her wedding everyone wishes there daughter will be an exact replica of them let her hope for the best
I do not know anyone that wore their mothers dress. I think that this was tradition back in the day. I seriously do not know of anyone that has even thought about wearing their mothers dress. I would say they are definatly induvidual.
Everyone talks about saving their dress for their daughter to wear but how many daughters actually do that? Since everyone has their own tastes, why not allow the daughter to pick her own dress? There's nothing wrong with keeping your own dress for a keepsake but it is selfish and narcisstic to automatically presume that your children will want to wear it. Not to mention, styles change from one generation to the next, even from one year to the next, so what you wore won't be the same style that is in or even flattering on your daughter when she is old enough to get married. My mother got married 3 times, in the late 70s, in the early 80s and most recently around 99/00 and she and I have never shared the same taste in clothes. On top of that, while we may be the same height, we are nowhere near the same size since she is much smaller than me in every area. So in my case, it is not practical at all.
LOL! I had to laugh when I read this post..I am getting married soon and I told my fiance that I would probably sell the dress on ebay and he said "You cant do that..I mean...arent you supposed to keep it!" I had this same conversation with him and said no matter how much I love it and how much you think I look beautiful in it, its doubtful anyone else will want it in 20-30 years time! To be honest, the only real use I have heard of was a woman who used some of the lace off her gown to make a christening gown for her babies and that WAS passed down as an heirloom. ( I guess fashion isnt such a big deal when your'e 6 months old! ) It sounds like such a sentimental thing to do...and fashion aside..who's to say it would even fit properly....alterations would be hard to do with aged fabric. I think beautiful photographs are a nicer way to pass memories down to future generations.
it is a lovely fantasy that her daughter will quickly put an end to when she is ready to get her wedding dress. Let her enjoy the dream while it lasts and think of this as proof that what goes around, comes around.
She seems to think her daughter will prefer her taste more than she likes her mom's. It's possible she's right. My mom got married in a lime green pant suit in the 1970's so I won't be wearing her outfit. If it had been something a little more traditional, I might have worn hers.
A lot of people dont wear their mother's wedding dresses anymore, and the few that do usually have it restyled so it will be more modern. I will keep mine for my kids, but not so they will wear it, but more for the memories/keepsake qualitiy of it.
You make a good point. But you have to remember that some brides *do* incorporate fabric from their mother's gowns into their own, or use the fabric to make pillows, blankets, etc. at a later date. Such objects may become a family heirloom. It sounds like your co-worker has good intentions, but is a little misguided. Although some families DO preserve wedding gowns (especially if custom made or elaborate), very few brides actually wear their mother's gown, although it can and does happen. Perhaps your co-worker is overly optimistic, or simply just in shock due to the wedding. ;)
i am having my dress preserved but not because i want my daughter to wear it.. but because i want to make sure it doesnt get ruined over the years.. i may only wear it once but i want to keep it forever as a reminder of the day i married my sweetheart... i really cant see my daughter (if i have one) wearing it
haha, she's oblivious to it. i wore my mom's dress but i had it changed to make it more moderen but i'm also the only girl i know that has done that. i'd say there is a very very slim chance that her daugter will wear it but let her keep it and don't burst her bubble, she'll find out soom enough.
Some people have this bizarre delusion that "I am going to preserve my wedding dress for my daughter someday" and then boards like YA fill up with questions like "How do I tell my Mom I don't want to wear her ugly, old, dated weddding gown - I want my own!". I think it is just some twisted way of thinking or maybe it is us romanticizing seeing OUR gown used by someone again. Personally, I plan on making a pillow or blanket out of mine once I am done wearing it so I have it as a memento of my wedding, but thats it.