As a newlywed, I am left with this big burden. A fluffy, white burden to be exact. I'm talking about my wedding dress. While it was everything I wanted it to be and so much more, I honestly don't know what to do with the thing now. I got curious and decided I wanted to do a bit of research on the topic. To my surprise, there were a ton of women who did what is known as "Trash the Dress". At first, I was a little horrified! I spent way too much money on this thing to just "trash" it! However, the more research I did the more I thought it was actually a beautiful idea.

Let's be honest for a moment, wedding dresses are huge and take up tons of space in the closet. My dress doesn't even fit into my closet, it hangs out and we have to shut the door just slightly. If you purchased your dress from a bridal boutique then I know they tried to sell you the preservation kit. Have you actually done the time to research what that is? They clean your dress, treat it, press it, and then they basically air seal it into a box. You're still left with this monstrous thing to store in your house. Plus, gown preservation kits are on the expensive side of things. Most range from $100-$200, or even more depending on the size of your dress. I don't know about you, but I spent enough already!

Make trashing your dress a fun event! For your one year wedding anniversary take a vacation with your husband. Don't forget to bring along your wedding attire and then find a local photographer. For example, a beach trip would be a beautiful place to trash your dress. This will give you and your husband a chance to relive those magical feelings you had on your big day, except this time... You're both swimming around in the ocean! It may sound crazy, but this provides you with a beautiful memory that you and your husband will remember for years to come.

If you're still not convinced that trashing the dress is a good idea and you'd rather keep it, why not do both? Admit it, the idea of trashing the dress is a fun concept. However, I know how much a wedding dress means to a bride. You can actually do both and still keep your dress as a keepsake afterward. In this scenario think of planning a fun photo shoot with your husband by a waterfall or in a river. This can give you a more clean alternative if you think the sand in the beach scenario mentioned above is too messy. You can still enjoy the concept without actually ruining your dress. You'll get some unique photos while making unforgettable memories with your husband, and then you can still send it to the bridal boutique for preservation after you've had your fun. Despite what people say, you can have your cake and eat it too!

What do you plan to do with your wedding gown once the wedding is over?