Your wedding was one of the best days of your life. You can keep those memories alive by saving your wedding gown. Then, you can look at your gown anytime you want to relive that special day. You can also pass it down to your daughter or soon-to-be daughter-in-law to wear for their weddings. Some women simply put their wedding gowns away, only to discover the material didn’t stand the test of time. You can ensure your wedding gown lasts by taking steps to preserve it. Find out how wedding gown dry cleaning and other methods will help you preserve your dress.
Wedding Gown Dry Cleaning – The First Step for Preserving Your Dress
You might think you don’t need to dry clean your wedding gown since you only wore it for a few hours. Plus, you were extra careful when it was on. Even so, it likely contains body oils and sweat. It might even have a bit of makeup that you’ve yet to detect. If you store the gown without cleaning it, the stains will set in and could discolor the gown. Thus, the idea that you don’t need to clean your wedding gown is just one of many dry cleaning myths.
The dry cleaner will remove oils and stains and also prevent the fabric from stretching or tearing. Also, dry cleaning is gentle on embellishments, so your wedding gown will look new when the dry cleaner is finished.
Consider using a wedding gown dry cleaning drop-off service so you won’t have to transport the gown yourself. An attendant will pick it up, take it for cleaning, and then drop it back off to you. This is much easier than attempting to transport the delicate gown in your own vehicle.
When’s the Right Time for Wedding Gown Dry Cleaning?
You can get your wedding gown dry cleaned, even if the ceremony was years ago. However, if possible, have it dry cleaned immediately after the wedding. Many brides schedule a dry cleaning pickup service to come the day after the wedding to pick it up.
Prepare the Wedding Dress for Storage
After your wedding dress has been dry cleaned, you need to prepare it for long-term storage. Use acid-free tissue paper to wrap your wedding gown. Only use white tissue paper since colors can bleed onto the dress.
Also, put tissue paper between each fold on the dress. This will prevent the dress from creasing while it’s in storage.
Finish preparations by stuffing the sleeves and bust with tissue paper. Then, when you remove the dress from storage, it will still have the same shape.
Place the Gown in a Preservation Box
When you get your wedding gown back, you need to place it in a preservation box. A preservation box is filled with nitrogen instead of oxygen and is airtight, so nothing can get inside. The box is also acid-free, which is critical when storing a wedding gown.
Wedding gown preservation boxes are available with and without seals. If you choose a box with a seal, do not open it unless you intend to use the dress. On the other hand, if the preservation box doesn’t have a seal, you can open it and look at your wedding gown when you want. Just keep in mind that opening the box exposes the dress to sunlight and other elements. Because of that, don’t open it too often.
If you want to keep the preservation box closed but also want to look at your dress, you can choose one with a viewing window. Then, you won’t have to open the box to admire your dress.
Store Your Preservation Box
Wedding gown preservation boxes can be large, so you might want to store yours out of the way. Don’t put it in the attic, basement, or garage, though. The temperature and humidity levels can get out of hand in these spaces. That can harm your dress, even when it’s in an airtight box.
What About Breathable Bags?
Some women choose to store wedding dresses in breathable bags instead of preservation boxes. This is a good short-term solution, as long as the bag isn’t made of plastic. If you choose a breathable bag, don’t use a hanger since that can cause the dress to stretch and become mishappen. Also, store the dress in a cool and dry place to protect it from sunlight and moisture.
While you can keep it in the bag for a few weeks or even months, transfer it to a wedding gown preservation box as soon as possible. That is the best way to ensure your dress lasts for generations.
Check on the Wedding Gown
If you choose a box without a seal, it’s a good idea to check on it every two years. Even with the proper preparation, your dress can form creases when it’s in storage. When you check on it, look to see if any creases have formed, and add additional tissue paper if needed. Doing this can prevent deep, permanent creases from forming in your dress.
Don’t Forget Your Accessories
Depending on your dress materials and the size of the box, you might be able to store your shoes and accessories as well. Many women like to do this so they can enjoy the complete look when they open the box. Make sure everything is clean before you place it in the storage box.
Schedule an Appointment for Wedding Gown Dry Cleaning
Whether you are planning a wedding or just tied the knot, your life has probably been a bit of a whirlwind lately. Your schedule is already jam-packed, and you can’t add one more thing to your list. Fortunately, you can schedule a dry cleaning pickup service online. This is quick and easy to do, so you can mark an item off your list in a matter of minutes.
Once you schedule your pickup, your driver will be there quickly. Put on white gloves when handling your wedding dress off to the attendant. That will prevent any additional oils or stains from getting on the dress before you get it professionally cleaned. Then, when you get it back, follow the rest of the steps to preserve your gown.
Source:
https://www.brides.com/story/is-wedding-dress-preservation-worth-it
https://www.theknot.com/content/preserving-your-wedding-dress
