Preserving the Dress

One of the questions we get asked a LOT is about wedding gowns and the preservation thereof! It really breaks down into two camps, those that have a dress cleaned and boxed for posterity and those that could care less and in the past have been eager participants of a "Trash The Dress" session.


Those that DO:

• Find a reputable company to take care of cleaning your dress BEFORE the wedding
• Ask your friends and your bridal salon for recommendations
• Interview the cleaners on the short list
• make sure they have a track record, check them out with the BBB, ask for recommendations they have received
• Do NOT choose someone based purely on PRICE!!!!  This is not good when purchasing anything!
• Ask the cleaner if they make any repairs before cleaning
• Do they store the dress in archival/acid free boxes or containers?
• Be sure to inquire how many years a dress can be stored until it needs to be taken out and the process repeated. The answer "never" is not a good one. 
• Ask about things you need to do before dropping off your gown to them after the reception is over.
• Make sure you have someone that will deliver your gown to the cleaning company for you if you are leaving immediately on your honeymoon. TIME MATTERS. Just as you want to soak white dinner napkins that have lipstick or red wine on them as soon as possible, the same goes with your wedding gown. 

Those that DON'T:

• Really? You're not going to clean your dress in any way?
• Totally up to you------ but even if you don't want it for any future anything------ we doubt you'll toss it in the trash. 
• Find a cleaner that will take your dress and CLEAN it----- even if you are not going to the ritual of having it boxed, etc. 
• You can have a dress professionally cleaned and returned to you on a hanger---
• If you go this route take the plastic off the dress as soon as possible. Drape the gown with a clean, white sheet that completely covers the dress. Don't jam it in the closet. Store out of the light.

The main thing is to really think about this BEFORE you walk down the aisle! Investigate, discuss---- make a good decision.

78%  of brides have their dress cleaned and boxed
8%  of brides have their dress professionally cleaned
5%    of brides re-sell their dress online or at consignment shops
6%    of brides don't do anything to their dress
the remaining percentage either don't remember or don't care (!)

Make a decision you can live with now--------------- AND later!