Family keepsakes are becoming a source of disputes in divorce, but due to their lack of monetary value, they can be hard to divide between the parties. In the most straightforward California divorces, couples equally divide their most valuable assets and move on with their lives. But what happens to those things that held sentimental value during the marriage, such as wedding pictures, attire, and rings? Each person will have a particular perspective on what they want to do with their wedding keepsakes, but before you toss that wedding album out, here are some options you might want to consider.
Once you and your ex-spouse have parted ways, it’s time to decide what you’ll do with the personal things that tied you to your marriage, such as your engagement and wedding ring. If your spouse gave you your engagement ring before marriage, the court will consider it a gift and treat it as premarital property you can keep. If you wish to keep them, one option is to wear your rings as personal jewelry, or you may want to store them away somewhere safe. Perhaps you would like to treat it as a family heirloom and pass it down to your children, although some may find that unlucky. Others may decide to sell the ring and get the most value out of it. Deciding what to do with a wedding ring may require some emotional advice, so if you find yourself in that situation, don’t be afraid to reach out to those closest to you for guidance.
One of the top questions people ask themselves after they have gone through the divorce process is deciding what to do with the wedding photographs and videos. Sometimes, a person might want to get rid of pictures after finding that their ex-spouse was unfaithful. But experts advise people to hide the picture album where they can’t see them instead of throwing them away. According to an article by Divorce Magazine, you should keep pictures and videos for various reasons. If you have children, they may find meaning in the photos and videos from their parent’s marriage, and it would be unfair to get rid of them because the marriage didn’t work out. If you’re comfortable doing so, go through the pictures and have them pick out any they would like to keep. Once they’re older, they can decide what to do with them. From there, choosing what to do with the rest of the pictures is up to you. It is also very simple to duplicate the photos and videos that accumulated over the court of your marriage and the cost of doing so should be equally divided between you and your former spouse.
The wedding dress is usually one of the most expensive parts of a wedding. But now, it’s time to decide what to do with the gown you may keep hidden in the back of the closet. One option is to donate the dress to places like Goodwill for others to use or places like Brides Across America, which donates dresses to spouses of those in the military. If you believe the dress is valuable, you can also opt to sell it for some extra cash. Letting go of the wedding dress and the emotional baggage that comes with it may help you move forward with your new life.
According to an article by Woman’s Divorce, while family keepsakes may hold no sentimental value for you, that may not be the same case for everyone. Of course, the idea of keeping your wedding memorabilia forever may sound daunting. Still, if there are children in the picture, they may have an attachment to certain things from the marriage, according to the article. Keepsakes such as wedding rings, photographs, and videos may remind children of the times their parents spent together, and they may find it upsetting later on if they discover mementos of their parent’s marriage no longer exist.
It’s normal to want to keep nostalgic wedding souvenirs, and it’s also normal to want to part with everything after the marriage. Those who have been through divorce each have their journey and emotions, and not every case will be the same. Some people may find it easy and even be eager to toss everything out, while others may want to keep the memories for the sake of the children. Depending on what you endured when you were married and how you ended things, what you let go of and how you do it will vary.
Because of the emotional impact divorce can cause, it’s essential to have an experienced attorney by your side to help you with critical decision-making. To speak with one of our experienced San Francisco property division attorneys about the issues specific to your divorce or legal separation, please get in touch with us online or give the firm a call today.
By Debra Schoenberg
