Wedding Dress Preservation

From LoveToKnow Weddings

What follows are some tips for wedding dress preservation.

Your dress should be preserved carefully.

Your wedding dress has been selected and worn. The reception is over and you’re back from your honeymoon. Now what? If you’re like most new brides, your first order of business is to clean and preserve your wedding dress. Whether your dress was informal or designer, cheap or worn on the beach, there’s more to storing it than placing it in a bag and hanging it in the back of the closet.

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Where to Begin?

If you’re unsure of where to begin, start with the shop that sold you the dress. In most cases, they’ll handle the cleaning and wedding dress preservation themselves. Unless you agreed to it prior to the purchase of your gown, the cost is additional. If the shop doesn’t have cleaning facilities it will send the dress to an outside cleaning service. Since it’s their job to earn a profit, this may be the most expensive option. You might do better to search for a cleaning facility on your own.

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Let Your Fingers Do the Walking

Start with the yellow pages. You may find several entries under the “wedding dress” listing. Dry cleaners like to print advertisements where brides are sure to find them. In addition, there will likely be many listings under the “dry cleaning” categories as well. Most dry cleaners do clean and preserve wedding dresses. If you don’t find this information listed in the advertisement it won’t hurt to give them a call. Your best bet is to go with someone who specializes in this type of cleaning.

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Beware of Wedding Dress Preservation Scams

Do your research and be sure you’re working with a reputable professional. There are countless tales of wedding dress preservation scams. Many a bride has found herself holding a sealed box containing a neatly folded but dirty wedding dress. If you find someone to preserve you dress, do an Internet search and contact the Better Business Bureau to make sure you’re indeed working with a reputable wedding dress preservation expert.

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Stains and the Elements

Once you do find a wedding gown preservation specialist, be sure to advise him of any details he may need to know about your dress. For instance, did you drip beef Wellington on your lap or spill wine on the hem? If this is the case, the professional will need to know this. You should also advise the professional of the details of the wedding itself. Was it outdoors? Was it on the beach? Certain elements can cause a reaction with the dry cleaning solvent. If your dress was exposed to anything out of the ordinary, be sure to disclose the details.

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Storage

Once the dress is cleaned and pressed, you’ll have it returned to you in a sealed box. Make sure the box is air tight and be sure no moisture is trapped inside. Don’t store the dress anywhere it can be exposed to dampness, mold or mildew such as a basement, garage or attic.

It’s not enough to hang your wedding dress in a closet and forgetting about it for thirty years. Make sure you take the proper steps to protect it against insects, mold and fading. With luck, your dress will be worn again by someone special. Don’t you want it to look as good as new?

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