Tips for Caring for Your Wedding Dress Until Your Wedding Day
The New Normal
Have you had to postpone your wedding, like so many couples who planned their weddings to take place in this year? Unfortunately this is the hottest wedding topic that brides are now having to navigate. Besides rescheduling everything from the venue, all of your vendors, and sending out new ‘Save The Date’ notifications, have you thought about how to care for your wedding dress?
Important Tips for Caring for Your Wedding Dress
While the men in your wedding party can postpone getting their rental attire, most brides have already purchased their wedding dress and it’s likely hanging in the closet. It’s important to make sure it is properly stored and cared for so it is still perfect for your wedding day. Below are some suggestions for the proper care of your wedding dress.
- Invest in a quality bridal garment bag made of fabric (NOT PLASTIC). Plastic can cause the dress to yellow if stored for several months before your wedding. Plastic garment bags are only meant for short-term storage.
- Hang your dress on an acid free padded hanger.
- If your dress is heavy (beading, appliqués, bows, etc), consider hanging the bottom half of the dress on a separate hanger so the straps and/or bodice of your dress does not stretch.
- If you are not getting married for several months or a year, it’s best to store the gown in a white cotton sheet or a fabric garment bag and lay it flat. Prolonged hanging can create stretching and stress marks within the gown’s fabric. You might also want to get an acid free storage box so you can store it under a bed or on top of a closet.
- Keep your dress in a cool dry place (like an enclosed closet) with light traffic.
- If you have any pets or children, storing your wedding dress at the top of a closet is recommended.
- Do not store your dress in an attic or basement. Extreme temperatures and humidity can damage your dress.
- Check on your dress at least once a month to make sure it is not yellowing or getting creased. Try gently moving the fabric around inside the fabric garment bag or acid free box to prevent any deep creases.
Once You Get Close to The Big Day
- Consider getting a final fitting at least 1 month before your big day in case you have lost or gained weight.
- If you purchased a used or sample wedding gown, consider having your wedding dress professionally cleaned before you wear it.
- Remove your dress from the garment bag a week or so before your wedding to let the dress fall naturally and release some of the larger wrinkles, before having it steamed pressed.
- Steam press the dress vs. ironing it to avoid burning or melting the fabric or appliqués.
- Pre-order a wedding dress preservation kit to clean and preserve your wedding dress right after your wedding.
