Wedding dress preservation can keep your gown looking just as stunning as it did on your wedding day for years to come. Yet many brides still hesitate to have their dress preserved for several reasons. Here is a look at five of the most pervasive myths about wedding dress preservation. Do any of these sound familiar?
Myth #1: “I won’t be able to see or touch my dress ever again.”
The most common myth about wedding dress preservation is that you will never be able to see or touch your dress once it is preserved. Outdated preservation techniques required vacuum sealing the wedding dress in a bag within the preservation chest. However, this technique actually increased the fabric’s yellowing. In fact, in order to stay pristine and true to it’s original color, the fabric needs to be able to “breathe” in an acid-free environment.
What most people don’t know is that when your dress is professionally preserved, you will still be able to open the preservation chest to view it at any time. You can even touch the dress and gently sift through the layers of fabric. The only thing you will not be able to do is completely remove the dress from the chest. In most cases dresses are secured in place to protect the dress from shifting inside of the preservation chest. Most companies will void their guarantee only if the gown is completely removed from the preservation chest. This way they can ensure it has not been re-worn. However, this should not prevent you from opening the the preservation chest to inspect and adore your precious wedding dress at any time.
Myth #2: “I’ve already waited too long to preserve my dress.”
Most people don’t realize that it is never too late to preserve your wedding dress. Even a dress that has been hanging in the closet for a several years can be easily brought back to pristine condition unless it has been damaged. Gowns that are older may require restoration services as well, which can result in remarkable improvements. Stains are harder to remove as time passes. In fact, initially invisible stains due to perspiration, white wine, or frosting can show up as brown spots over time. These types of stains can slowly deteriorate the fabric if left untreated. As a result, it’s best to have your wedding dress preserved sooner than later.
Myth #3: “Sending my wedding dress in the mail is too risky.”
It is highly unlikely for a dress to become lost, stolen or damaged in transit. Reputable companies will offer insurance to cover these unlikely events, which can offer more peace of mind. Wedding dresses are typically difficult to resell, making them unattractive to thieves. It is practically impossible for a dress to be lost with the tracking capabilities that exist today. What most bride’s don’t know is that their local dry cleaners often send off their customer’s wedding dresses behind the scenes. Most dry cleaners are not wedding gown specialists and can’t risk damaging someone’s wedding dress. It’s almost always best to use a reputable wedding dress preservation specialist over your local cleaners.
Myth #4: “Wedding dress preservation is too expensive.”
It is true that there are some companies that charge over $1,000 for wedding dress preservation. However, for wedding dress preservation, of even the finest of dresses, price does usually not equal quality. There are very reputable preservation companies that are also very affordable – starting as low as $249, including 5 accessories (such as a veil, garter, gloves, handkerchief, shawl or purse) and insurance. Because of the high volume of gowns they handle, they can offer a lower price without sacrificing quality. Your wedding dress is likely the most expensive piece of clothing you will ever own. Why not give your investment the long term care it deserves?
Myth #5: “My dress is way too expensive or delicate.”
Some brides are concerned that the preservation process may damage the lace, fabric or elaborate beading on their wedding dress. However, a reputable preservation company will have in-depth expertise in cleaning even the most delicate and intricate bridal fabrics. Regardless of the price or fabric, almost any wedding dress can be safely cleaned and preserved by a reputable wedding dress preservation company.
Why Wait?
In summary, it’s never too late or too expensive to clean and preserve even the most delicate wedding dress. To learn more about preserving your wedding dress, contact Affordable Preservation at 800-877-0135. Our affordable, award-winning 5 star services on The Knot, The Wedding Channel, and WeddingWire, have helped more than 3 million brides preserve the memories of their wedding day at an affordable price.
I have a wedding that I had preserved in the 90’s. Can I get the preservation removed so it can be worn again?
Hi Diane – Thank you for your inquiry. Typically, recent/modern preservation techniques are more about how the dress is stored after being cleaned. We use acid free materials for everything that comes into contact with the dress. That being said, past preservation techniques could have been treated with a chemical. Are you aware of if it had any chemicals applied at the time of preservation? If it was treated you may want to have it cleaned again before wearing it. We offer a Clean Only service for this purpose. We look forward to your reply. Thank you.