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Every woman spends hours and days preparing every detail to have their dream wedding– from the venue, theme, flowers, and down to the smallest details. Brides-to-be can’t help but get excited to try their wedding gown.

After going through dozens of wedding dresses, you find one that fits perfectly for your dream wedding look. You can imagine wearing it down the aisle on your big day. But, makes your love for the dress stop on the day? I bet you want to preserve your wedding gown to keep all those memories alive.

Your wedding gown is one of the few things you can preserve from your wedding day. You can either pass your wedding gown down to future generations or use it again for your wedding anniversaries. Thus, it is best to have it preserved and stored by professionals.

Here are some of the benefits and the things you need to know about wedding gown preservation:

Do It ASAP

The sooner you will bring your wedding dress to a professional preservationist or dry cleaner, the better. Some of us take the time or have it done after the honeymoon– that’s not advisable as the stains might already settle on the fabric, making them hard to remove.

Instead, we have a tip for lovely brides:

As soon as the reception is done, take off your wedding dress and deliver it to the dry cleaner the next day. If you are going on a honeymoon the next day, arrange for your mother or bridesmaids to take it with you. You might also ask the dry cleaner or preservationist if they offer laundry pickup and delivery.

Prevent Irreversible Damages

Wedding gown preservation is not an ordinary process– it is not the same quality as regular laundry or storage. The method of preserving your gown helps prevent any future damages that are irreversible.

During your wedding day, there are unnoticeable or invisible stains on your dress. These stains will cause discoloration if they are not adequately cleaned. You may think your dress is fine, but over time, but.

Professional wedding gown preservationists have a keen eye. They are trained to see invisible stains. Moreover, whatever type of stain your gown has from your wedding day, they will create a treatment plan for it.

Wedding Gown Preservation is Done by Experts

Wedding gown preservationists are experts. They check the label of your gown for any specific dry cleaning directions. You can ensure that the cleaning solutions they do are appropriate for your wedding dress.

As mentioned, it is not the same as regular laundry or dry cleaning. Wedding gown preservation starts with the initial assessment of the experts with your wedding gown. They will check your dress’s intricate details– especially the fabrics, stitches, and analyze whether there are unnoticeable stains on the gown. 

You have to be careful between the standard dry cleaning and preservation. There are dry cleaners that use recycled solvents with impurities that can be redeposited on your dress’s fabrics— leaving an unpleasant odor and damage on the gown. Always ask the wedding gown preservationist about the process. 

Store Preserved Wedding Gown in Cool, Dark Room

Wedding gown preservation does not end in dry cleaning. You have to store the gown in a cool and dark place to have it appropriately preserved. Do not hang your wedding gown as they are heavy, and it can misshape the dress. Place the gown in a room that has no direct sunlight. If it is exposed directly to sunlight, it might cause yellow discoloration or fade. 

The attic, basement, cellar, or garage is not the right place to store your wedding gown. These areas have extreme temperatures and humidity. Moreover, do not place it in a plastic bag to avoid moisture and mildew. 

You can only use the acid-free plastic bag that is used in wedding preservation boxes. Thus, go with a wedding preservation box or chest. 

The wedding preservation box or chest protects the gown from harsh lights and air. It is the safest way to store your gown for several years. The preservation box is an airtight box that does not contain oxygen but nitrogen. Nitrogen prevents oxidation, and oxidation is common for clothes that are stored for several years. 

Lastly, if your wedding gown is already inside the preservation box, do not break the seal. If you do, you need to have your wedding gown preserved and sealed again. 

Preserve and Create a Memory with your Wedding Gown

When you decide to have your wedding gown preserved, you are making a living memory with it. You can look at its mesmerizing beauty whenever you want and look back at the celebration of your marriage. Moreover, you can pass on your dress to your future generations if you have it preserved.

There are several laundry services and wedding dress shops that offer wedding gown preservation options. Always check on their service offer first to ensure you have your wedding gown in the right hands.

Include Shoes and Bouquet

Since you hired a professional preservationist for your wedding gown, you can preserve your shoes and bouquet alongside it. You have to clean your shoes before putting them inside the box.

If you have cloth shoes, you can use gentle cloth or a sponge and a mild detergent to scrub lightly on the shoes. Meanwhile, leather shoes need good polish. However, if you think it is not enough, you can take your shoes to a dry cleaner. After they are cleaned, you can wrap the shoes with white tissue and put them inside the box.

Moreover, if you want to include your bridal bouquet, you may do so. You can press, hang, and coat the flowers with wax to preserve them. Talk to the wedding preservationist if it is possible to have these additionals inside the box.

With all the time and effort you made for your wedding day, it is worth it to have your precious keepsakes to look back on the day now and then.