For many brides, the wedding dress is one of the most important aspects of their big day. It is often one of the biggest expenses as well. Here are some basic guidelines for the proper care and storage of your wedding dress, to keep it looking its best.
Caring For Your Dress Before The Wedding
Naturally, after the effort involved with finding the perfect dress you will want to keep it looking pristine for the wedding.
Most bridal shops will allow you to pick up your gown a day or two before the wedding. But what if you need to keep your dress stored for a longer period?
If you are going to need to store your wedding dress for several weeks or months then it is very important that it is kept out of direct sunlight, such as in a closet.
Ideally, the dress should have plenty of space either side to prevent creasing, although if you have limited closet space you can always have any wrinkles removed by a dry cleaner before the big day. To protect the fabric from dust, keep the dress covered.
Plastic is nonporous and cause mustiness and mildew, so invest in a proper wedding dress cover made from either muslin or pure cotton. Finally, avoid damaging the seams or shape of the shoulder straps by using a padded hanger.
Storing A Wedding Dress After The Big Day
A wedding dress is a wonderful reminder of a special moment in your life. If you have a daughter, then you may also hope that she will choose to wear the gown for her own wedding one day. But this will only be possible if the wedding dress is properly preserved and cared for.
Professional Bridal Gown Cleaning
Your bridal gown should be taken for a professional clean shortly after the wedding. If it has serious stains such as red wine on, then it is imperative that this happens within a few days. After this time, the stains can oxidize and conventional cleaning will no longer be enough to restore the fabric to its former state.
If the staining is minor, then cleaning can be left until after the honeymoon, but should still be done within a month for optimum results.
It can be a good investment to use a service which specializes in cleaning bridal gowns, rather than your regular dry cleaner. This is because they will have better knowledge of working with different fabrics and embellishments, and can give you expert advice on how to store the dress.
After the stains have been removed, a specialist cleaner will carefully wrap your wedding dress in acid-free tissue paper and place it in a corrugated cardboard box.
Special Bridal Goen Box
This box should be stored somewhere with a controlled climate, such as a bedroom. Your wedding dress should never be kept in an attic or a basement, as the temperature is too inconsistent. At best, your wedding dress will fade and smell musty once removed from the box.
At worst, the box can become damp and your bridal gown will be ruined by mildew.
Following these simple tips will ensure that decades from now, your dress will still look as stunning as it did when you exchanged your vows.
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Laura Greening is a mom and a part time wedding planner. She loves to write about wedding planning and preparation. She is currently working as a consultant MyKidStudio, a flower girl dress store, based in Los Angeles, CA.