For many people, the wedding gown is the star of the show. You’ve spent months picking out the perfect gown and planning your big day. So, we want to ensure your gown makes it down the aisle and to the reception in pristine condition. We’ve collected four essentials of wedding gown care that will ensure you make it down the aisle in picture perfect fashion.
Essential #1: Hold the dress straight when picking it up and lay it flat while transporting.
When you pick up your gown from the bridal salon, you’ll want to avoid folding it, especially over an arm as you carry it out. This can cause creases and wrinkles that are hard to remove. When you are taking the dress out of the bridal shop hold it above your head so the dress falls flat. If you are vertically challenged, have a taller bridesmaid do this for you.
When transporting it in a car, avoid hanging the dress, as your car is unlikely to be tall enough to deal with the length of the gown. Lay the backseats of your car flat and lay the gown flat. When you get to your location, hang the dress where it won’t be disturbed or tripped over.
Essential #2: Eat and drink before you put on the dress.
There is no doubt that the wedding day is stressful, especially getting ready for it. While you may have been up since 5am getting your hair and makeup done, you also need to work in time to eat before your dress is on your body. To avoid staining your dress, have something to eat and drink prior to putting on the dress. It is best to wait until just before the ceremony to put on the dress, anyway, so cut out some time to have a snack or a meal. Once the dress is on, you should also be careful about water, too.
Essential #3: Don’t bustle the dress before the walk down the aisle.
It may seem tempting to bustle the dress a bit while you’re getting ready. Actually, many brides make this mistake, thinking that bustling the dress prior to the wedding, and letting it out before the walk, will keep it dirt free. While it will help cut down on dirt picked up by the bottom of the dress, it will also wrinkle the back of the gown. Instead of bustling, have a bridesmaid or flower girl hold the back of the dress up. This will keep your dress dirt and wrinkle free.
Essential #4: Get your dress preserved after the big day.
Once your wedding is over and done with, you might want to just settled into married life, but don’t do that before you have your dress preserved. Drop off your wedding gown, or mail it to a preservation company, as quickly after the wedding as your schedule allows. You might want to ask a trusted friend or family member to do this if you are leaving for your honeymoon straight away. The quicker you have it sent to the preservation company, the more likely they’ll be to get rid of any stains and markings on the dress. You can even set this up before you get married, so you’ll have a set date and time to drop off your gown.
Getting married can be stressful, but it’s also the best day of your life. While you should worry about keeping your dress in good order, don’t forget to enjoy your big day and soak in all the memories that come along with it.
Photo credit: www.sapr.in / Foter / CC BY
