Kilee Manulak’s ex-fiance sent her a text message one week before their wedding saying he didn’t want to marry her anymore. So she did the only logical thing to do, which was to take herself in her wedding dress, and her bridal party in their bridesmaids dresses, to the Color Run, a 5k run where participants come out cloaked in colorful cornstarch. Instead of leaving the dress sitting around in her house, a constant reminder of the wedding that never was, she trashed it in an act of friendship and recovery. This is probably one of the most fun and kick-ass ways to deal with heartbreak that we’ve ever seen, but we understand that it might not be ideal for everyone. If you’ve found yourself in a similar situation to Manulak, but aren’t so sure you’re ready to take your broken heart and expensive dress to a 5k, here are three other things you can do with it that’ll help get you back on the road to recovery.
1. Redesign it
If your dress is casual enough and the fabric isn’t too wedding-dress specific, you can always take it to someone you know or a professional tailor/designer, who will help you redesign it into something you can wear to another event. This’ll help you reclaim its meaning and allow you to associate it with a happier time.
2. Keep it for your children
Or if you don’t have or intend to have children, save it for a niece or a cousin or any family member who will get a better use out of it than you did. If you’re superstitious and believe there’s some bad luck attached to it, this might not be the option for you, but seeing someone you know so happy in it will help you change your memory of it and feelings toward it.
3. Sell it
Whether it’s to someone you know personally, or someone on the internet, selling it and getting it off your hands is a good step to start letting go of your ill feelings towards the situation. Also, you can use the money you make from it to take a trip for yourself, or a buy that piece of jewelry you always wanted, or donate to your favorite charity. And we think we might know just the place to sell it!
