The big day has come and gone. You’ve married your best friend, perhaps been whisked off on an amazing honeymoon, and now you are ready to settle into the business of being married. But, wait, not so fast. There is more to a wedding than the planning and execution of the big day. Once you are married there will still be some loose ends to tie up, and one of those loose ends is what to do with your wedding gown once you’ve worn it down the aisle. Wedding gowns are delicate, so you’ll need to think carefully before you make a final call. We’ve collected a few tips that will help you make sure your wedding dress gets the treatment it deserves after the big day.
Tip #1: Don’t Just Dry Clean Your Gown
Some women might be tempted to take their wedding gown to any old dry cleaner and have it cleaned, but you actually don’t want to do that. Wedding gown preservation is a specialized area of expertise, and not every dry cleaner is equipped to deal with the delicate fabrics. If you are looking to dry clean a wedding dress, you’ll want to first look for a company that specializes in delicate fabrics. A good place to start is through friend and family recommendations, and looking at reviews online.
Tip #2: Once You Find A Reputable Business Get Your Dress in Fast
Once you’ve found a location to dry clean a wedding dress, you’ll want to bring the dress in as soon as you can for its cleaning. The longer a dress sits, the more stubborn stains became, and the harder they are to remove. Experts suggest asking a friend or family member to take the dress in within a few days of your wedding if you are leaving straight away for your honeymoon. The quicker you get the dress into the experts, the easier it will be to restore it to mint condition, regardless of what you’ve spilled on the gown. Do remember, however, that dry cleaners are not magic, and some stains are simply impossible to remove from a gown. Experts suggest speaking with your professional dry cleaner about what stains may be on the gown when you drop it off. The more information you are them with the better the chance of them effectively removing the stains.
Tip #3: Don’t Wrap the Gown in Plastic
Many brides wrap their gowns in plastic before they bring it to a dry cleaner or preservationist for after care. Experts note that this is a bad idea, although they understand why it is such a common instinct. Plastic bags can trap vapors and moisture, which will further set stains and can lead to mildew and mold if left for an extended period of time.
Tip #4: It is Going to Cost You
If you find a dry cleaner offering a deal that seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. Again, wedding dress preservation is a delicate and exact process. Because of this it can be expensive. If you are looking for to dry clean a wedding dress, be prepared that the process can be rather expensive, but you do get what you pay for. A professional will ensure you are getting a dress that has been expertly preserved, and properly packaged so it will stay beautiful for years to come.
Once you’ve sent your dress of to be cleaned and preserved you can finally get down to the business of being married, right after you finish those thank you notes!
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