Hello Imprinters!
We are so excited to join with you in making Angel Gowns!
When we first heard about Angel Gowns we knew we wanted to be a part of it. Many of us know people who have lost a baby too soon and it’s heartbreaking. Angel Gowns provides the opportunity to give a priceless gift to families during this vulnerable time in their lives.
I have a dear friend that lost her sweet daughter at 39 weeks. I had recently had a baby and those moments will forever be etched into my mind. My heart broke for her. I wanted to do something for her, but felt helpless. I felt that seeing me probably just made things worse because my hands were full, and hers were empty. She was strong, but that didn’t take away the pain she was dealing with. It is such a hard trial. One that is most people’s greatest fear! I love that we are able to do this to help those that are dealing with this difficult trial. Thank you in advance for joining us and leaving an imprint on these mom’s hearts and lives as they endure such a hard thing.
Quick Background:
We first first heard about Angel Gowns from Rachel. She said,
I saw a CNN video on a lady the other day and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Michelle (and her friends) volunteer their time to deconstruct donated old wedding gowns and make tiny gowns for parents who have lost their babies. This made me so happy. When I had to shop for an outfit for my sons, Evan and Charlie, it was so miserable because you have to go to happy baby stores and try to find something that is more tiny than stores usually have. You don’t have a lot of time and nothing ever seems special enough. I love this idea of taking these happy wedding dresses and making them into beautiful and special outfits for babies who have died (premature, stillborn, or infant death). I reached out to Michelle to ask if I could help in any way. She sent me her patterns and some information and encouraged me to start my own non-profit in my hometown. I love to sew and have some available time, and this idea touched me.
Rachel has had to stop making gowns due to unforeseen circumstances, so she has graciously shared the patterns with our team so we can continue to provide this opportunity with all of you!
WANT TO BE A PART OF ANGEL GOWNS?
Things you can do to help:
- Donate a wedding dress (your own, or one purchased at a thrift store)
- Donate white material
- Donate money towards purchasing material
- Spread the word and help us make others aware of this wonderful opportunity!
For more information, please visit our Angel Gowns Project page. We would love it if you would include (or email) a picture of yourselves in your dress from your wedding day if possible. It’s not at all mandatory, but if you are willing, we’d love for you to write your story as well. It will be so neat for those moms who have lost their sweet babies to come and read stories from those that have loved and served on their behalf.
Thank you Imprint Nation! You all are the best! Life is awesome when you leave Real Imprints!
Hello I am so impressed that you do such a wonderful service for families who are mourning the loss of a baby. I have been blessed to have four beautiful healthy children. I would love to donate my dress but it is 35 years old and I never paid for the protective box to preserve it. Wish I had. Would you still be interested in it?
Thank you Cynthia! I sent you an email with more info. Thanks for your kindness!
Hi Lindsey. What a beautiful thing you are doing. I have a dress to donate. It’s nearly 30 years old, but it was preserved and packaged properly. I’ve been lugging it around with each move and it’s time to part with it. Please email me if you’d like it. I live in Las Vegas.
I have my dress to donate as well and it too was packaged etc. perfectly. I am moving and need to donate and also am in Las Vegas. We just opened the box and it looks like new.
Thank you Lisa for helping us bring hope to these families dealing with such great loss! You can send your dress to P.O. Box 1742, Eagle, Idaho 83616. Please let us know when it’s on it’s way and we’ll keep our eye out!
I took to the post office today. It is on its way. 🙂 <3
Awesome! Thank you! We will keep our eye out for it!
I just sent mine to you. I hope you can make lots of baby gowns out of it.
Thanks Heather! We received your beautiful dress! We will be in contact with you.
Hello Lindsey, I am curious if we donate our dress, can the angel dresses be mailed back to us so that we can donate to our local children’s hospital? I have a couple friends that have lost children and our local children’s hospital treated them great during their loss. I would love to be able to give back to them. I am getting married next month and have no need for my dress after that. I think it is absolutely amazing that you do this!
How exciting!! Good luck with your wedding! Here is a link with more details about the project that will answer all your questions. We’d love to use your beautiful dress and yes we can send them back to you for you to donate. Thanks Lynn! https://realimprints.org/the-angel-gown-project/
Hi!
I have a dress that is nearly 32 years old, but was not preserved. I would love to donate it to such a beautiful cause, if you can use it. It is in good condition.
Thank you.
If it is in good condition that would be wonderful! Just go to this link to get on our waiting list and we will let you know when we are ready for your dress. The response has been unbelievable so thank you for your patience! Here is a link to the form https://realimprints.org/dress-donation-waiting-list/ Thank you thank you for being a part of this wonderful cause!
Lindsey:
My name is Kim Miles. I am an RN who has had the opportunity to work in NICU for over 10 years at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and know how sad this situation definitely is! I want to start a non-profit organization here in Arkansas, especially in Northwest Arkansas as we have 4 NICU units and Arkansas Children’s Hospital is breaking ground to build a hospital here in Northwest Arkansas which will include another NICU.
How do I go about getting this started? Being an RN for over 34 years, I would love to be able to provide these special gifts to the babies who lose their struggle in the beginning of their new life. Also, would you be able to provide me the patterns so I can find some older ladies who would love to sew with a purpose! I have been searching for a “purpose” and when I read about this, something spoke to me inside. I CAN make a difference!
I look forward to hearing back from you! Please message me at your earliest convenience!
Thanks! God Bless YOU!
Kimberly. Thanks for your work as an RN. I have an admiration for RNs. You bless so many lives everyday! I’m sure working in the NICU is so rewarding but also so heart wrenching. I’m so grateful for strong, loving, and nurturing nurses that do that hard job. We can definitely get you a pattern. Email angelgowns@realimprints for that. We are getting flooded with emails so if you don’t get a quick response, that is why. I think just starting with the pattern and finding people who want to do it with you is the key. There is so much need for this. It’s sad. Best of luck! That’s so awesome you’re doing this! If you’re interested in us sewing them and sending them back to you, I would highly suggest getting on the waiting list ASAP because we’ve had such a high response to this project. Here is the link https://realimprints.org/dress-donation-waiting-list/
I would love to donate my wedding gown it would mean the world to me to help in someway a family that has lost a beloved child. Please send me info on what I need to do to get my gown to where it needs to be. This is an absolute blessing and you are a wonderful person with a huge heart God bless you.
I would love to have my dress to be used for this purpose. How does the process work? Thanks in advance Melissa
Do the dresses need to be all white? Mine is white and champagne. Would like more info. Can we choose the place to be donated to?
Hi, I was reading about angel gowns, I have big pieces of my older sisters wedding dress, she was unable to have a baby, after 5 miscarriages, she gave up, he and her husband were working on adopting a little boy, when she was diagnosed with brain cancer, she has been gone about 10 years, and we didn’t know what to do with her dress, and Debbie would have loved this idea, I wonder, can I send the pieces, (we made little hankies. As keepsake for me, my 4 sisters, ) anyway, still quite a bit left, how can I donate or get pattern to make myself?
Cindy thanks for sharing about your sister. What a heartbreaking story. She sounds like an amazing person who was asked to endure a lot of hard things. It sounds like she is still inspiring people! We also publish and share peoples stories, so if you’re ever interested in sharing her/your story in more detail please do! I know it would inspire many readers. http://realimprints.org/submit-stories.
Yes we would definitely be willing to make gowns from the pieces! Email me with the subject line PATTERN for Angel Gowns and I’ll get you more information. We are working out the details as we’ve been inundated with emails, messages, and comments so please be patient if it takes us time to respond. We are so excited to collaborate with you to spread hope! We love what we do because we get to “meet” so many amazing people! Our thoughts and prayers are with you, your family, and your angel sister.
I will also be posting more details on the site as soon as possible so keep your eye out for that in the next day or two.
My son was born still almost 13 years ago. He was our only bio child, but we did adopt 2 amazing children.
If I send in my wedding gown, it is possible to have the gowns sent back to me to give to local hospitals in Luke’s memory?
Or – I am not great at sewing, but have friends who are – would it be easier to get the pattern and do our own?
Thanks
Chris
Chris. I’m so sorry to hear about your son leaving too soon. I wish that was something no one had to deal with. What a great project to be a part of to honor your son. We love adoption and feel it’s such a blessing. Congratulations on your 2 adopted children. What a blessing! If you’d like the pattern, please email angelgowns@realimprints.org. If you’d like us to do it, there is more information on this link.https://realimprints.org/the-angel-gown-project/ Thanks Chris!
I would love to donate my dress which is 19 years old. I was the lazy, cheap person who didn’t clean or preserve my dress, but would love to contribute to this cause. Please let me know if my dress has hope.
Lol. We clean your dress so that’s no problem. If there are some stains, we can go around that but if the entire dress is not in good shape, it might not work. Just depends on the condition. We can always try:-)
This is such a beautiful thing you are doing! As a mama of twin angel babies (born at just 18 weeks gestation), these precious little gowns are priceless. Thank you for making these beautiful gowns to lay angel babies to rest in. I was unaware that there were companies that donated these dresses…thankfully I had a family friend who made 2 tiny burial gowns for my angel babies. How much do you charge to make the gowns? Do you ever send them back to the lady who donated her gown so she can donate them to the hospital in which she delivered? Do you make tiny gowns for the micro-preemies? Thank you again for your kind heart and all you do!
Amy, thank you for your comment! It’s such a heart wrenching thing. I’m so sorry you lost two sweet babies. You have two angels rooting you on, I know it. You can find answer and more info at this link (https://realimprints.org/the-angel-gown-project/) We can send the gowns back to you! We love that you have the special connection and can give them to the hospital that means so much to you. We have different sizes of dresses and then we also do small beautiful wraps for those that don’t fit into dresses. The dresses range from XS-L and the Large is the size of a full term baby. Thank you for your goodness to be a part of this project. Heavenly Father sure has had a hand in this and we are seeing the miracles and goodness of so many!
Hi,
I would like to donate my wedding dress. What hospitals that accept them? I will dig it out and let you know when I am shipping it. My husband passed away last year and I believe this will make me feel better
I would love to donate my wedding gown, It is preserved in a box for 25 years. What a wonderful thing you do. Please message me the details on what I have to do. Thank you
Hi Lindsey,
I have a wedding dress I would like to donate if you can use it.
I wore it 14 years ago this past July 20th 🙂 It has been in my closet with a bag over it that came with the dress. I know my daughter will not want to wear it and its just hanging there. I want to put it to good use.
What is the process and cost etc. and can I have the dresses sent to me to distribute to our local hospital?
The dress is a eggshell white.
Thanks!
Michelle Mitchell
The most precious gift you can give someone is your time.
Hi Lindsey!! Beautiful thing you are doing here! Do you know of a Canadian contact of someone who does this that I could possibly send my dress too? Thanks so much! Connie
Hi – Do we get the angel gowns back to donate to our local NICU or do you have specific hospitals in which these angel gowns are given?
I would love to donate my dress for this purpose I was wondering if the small dresses can be sent back to me so I can take them to the hospital in my town to donate there I wasn’t sure if that was possible or not
After we donate our wedding dress do we get to see the pictures of the gowns?
I’m sure we could arrange for that! Here is a link with more info and answers to FAQ. We’d love to make your dress into sweet angel gowns! https://realimprints.org/the-angel-gown-project
I’ve heard of the gowns being returned to the person donating the dress so they can be given locally. Do you do this?
Yes! Here is a link with more info and answers to FAQ. We’d love to make your dress into sweet angel gowns! https://realimprints.org/the-angel-gown-project
I would love to find out more information about giving my dress away to make ANGEL Gowns. What an amazing idea. Could you please send me more information.
Thank you
Great! Thanks Kayla! Here is a link with more info. We’d love to make your dress into sweet angel gowns! https://realimprints.org/the-angel-gown-project
Hello Lindsey I have had my wedding gown for 21 years this October and the train on it is very long and would make alot of beautiful gowns but I never had it professionally clean but is still in the bag I bought it in unfortunately I learned about angel gowns recently because I lost my 3 week old grand daughter suddenly this past April 2016 she was so little and precious and we are all still grieving but she was given a wonderful angel gown and was so much appreciated so thank you for that I would love to give back to the cause and donate my gown for others because I know the cost is unbearable in itself to bury a child but I was wondering if it was possible to pick the place to donate to and if I could have 2 personal handkerchiefs for me and my daughter please contact me if this is possible
Missie that is heartbreaking. I’m so sorry to hear about your granddaughter. It’s so hard when they have to go back so soon. Here is a link with more info. We’d love to make your dress into sweet angel gowns! https://realimprints.org/the-angel-gown-project/
I would LOVE to donate my dress. My husband and I tried for 5+ years on having a child of our own. We went through a few miscarriages and thought we would never have a family of our own. Finally we had the wonderful opportunity to adopt 2 wonderful girls and start our very own family. Soon after that we found out we were I was pregnant with girl number 3! When she was born she spent a few days in the NICU with a wonderful crew of nurses! I would LOVE to see my dress help out families in need! Once the dresses are made is there any way we could get them mailed back? I would like for my family and I to go to our local hospital and donate them personally as a thank you to the staff that gave my family and I so much support in our time of need.
What an incredible story! My husband and I have hearts that are close to adoption. What a blessing! We have a house of girls too!:-) You can have it sent back to you. Here is a link to FAQ. Thanks Stephanie! https://realimprints.org/the-angel-gown-project/
May I purchase the pattern and make the angel gowns at home? I am interested in this project. What a great idea
for helping those at such a time in their life. God Bless your ministry.
Thank you Alma! We are currently looking for seamstresses to be part of our team! Would you be interested? Here is a link to the project in more detail. https://realimprints.org/the-angel-gown-project/ Let us know if you’re interested and we’ll talk more details! Thank you for your support!
Hello Lindsey.
I have been looking for someone who makes angel gowns for a few years and had not found anyone accepting dresses until now. Could you please send me more information? Also, do you distribute the gowns or will I get them to donate to my local hospital?
Thanks you so much!
You have the option of having us donate it or you. Here is a link that answers FAQ and will answer your question more in depth! Thanks Emily! https://realimprints.org/the-angel-gown-project/
I would love more info on this I have my wedding dress from 6 years ago that I would like to donate, once we donate the dress do you donate the angel gowns to a hospital or do we get them and can donate to whatever hospital we’d like my nephew was in the nicu for a few days he’s now a healthy 3 yr old I have 3 boys and have had 3 miscarriages I would absolutely love to do this
Heather here is a link with answers to FAQ that will answer your question in depth. You have the option to have us deliver them or you. Thank you for your interest! https://realimprints.org/the-angel-gown-project/
I want to do the angel gowns. I heard about it on facebook. Do you keep the angel gowns or can you send them back to us so we can donate locally? I am newly divorced and dont want to keep my wedding dress. I have been looking for a way to help someone else out and so i want to do this
I contacted my brother as soon as i found out about this to see if possibly my dress was at his house since i stored alot of stuff when i moved the first time my ex and i seperated. He knows right where my dress is and will be bringing it over in the morning..
Yay! Just go to https://realimprints.org/dress-donation-waiting-list/ to fill the dress donation form out to get you on the waitlist and we’ll contact you as soon as possible!
I’m sorry to hear about your divorce. What a wonderful thing to do with your dress, and this project is a circle of giving. It’s been really amazing to see the miracles of it! Here is a link with answers to your questions and other FAQ https://realimprints.org/the-angel-gown-project/. Thank you Anna!
He!lo, I am interested in donating my dress. Please let me know how to go about doing this. I saw this through Facebook.
Great! Thank you! Here is a link with all the answers to frequently asked questions… https://realimprints.org/the-angel-gown-project/. Please let us know if you have any other questions!
I am interested in having my wedding gown made into angel gowns but I would like to have them sent back to me so that I can donate them here in my hometown can you please provide me with addition information on how this works with contact information and cost as well? I do not know how to go about setting this up
Thanks so much
Here is a link with more information and should answer all your questions. Please let us know if you have any that aren’t answered. Thank you Audrey! https://realimprints.org/the-angel-gown-project/
HI I am in Las Vegas and have a wedding gown to donate,, it is like new,, it was cleaned, sealed in a box and the box sealed , I am moving and just opened it is in such good shape,, I would love to donate it to this program.
Wonderful! Please contact Lori at angelgowns@realimprints.org to make arrangements for your dress. Thanks Katy for being a part of this project!