Your wedding dress is going to be the most important and meaningful dress you will ever select. All of the memories you made dreaming about it, searching for it, and then wearing it on your wedding day are all in this one garment. Storing your wedding dress properly is imperative before your big day arrives.
To ensure your bridal gown remains in pristine condition, follow the tips below so there will be no unpleasant surprises.
Wash Your Hands
When you pick up your dress from the bridal store or your seamstress appointment, there are a number of ways to keep it safe until your wedding day. The first step is always to make sure whoever is touching it has clean hands and little to no make up on.
Inspect and Clean It
Before you pack your dress in the bag, make sure it is clean and dry. Any stains already on the dress can become very difficult or impossible to remove overtime. If you purchased a sample or stock piece dress, consider having it professionally cleaned before storing. Buying a sample is a great option to save money, but may have stains already on it and must be cleaned before wearing. Professional cleaners know the proper methods to clean it without damaging the fabric and/or bead work.
Properly Hang It
So now you have your clean dress back, the next step is to make sure it is hung up properly. Start with a padded hanger and make sure it is hung by the dress hang straps and not by the dress straps or sleeves themselves. If your dress has spaghetti straps or beaded sleeves, the weight of the dress can cause them to stretch, lose their shape, or lose beads. Do not have the weight of the wedding dress born by the dress sleeves or straps, only by the sewn in hanger loops.
If the dress has a long train, there will be a loop underneath the center of the train that you can hang around the hanger to keep it from puddling at the bottom of the bag. If you do not wish to hang the train from the loop, simply fold the train neatly and place in the bottom. This will be steamed out before the wedding. Do worry about wrinkles.
Nicely Stuff It
Next is to stuff the bodice and sleeves with acid-free tissue paper to keep the shape. this will prevent sagging and creasing. Do not use colored tissue paper! The color and chemicals can transfer to the dress causing discoloration.
Correctly Bag It
Once it is hung properly, you need something to store it in! Chances are good that your bridal shop provided you with a fabric garment bag which will protect your dress. Any accessories or detachable pieces should be stored separately. A veil can be kept in the dress bag, but should be wrapped in color- and acid-free tissue paper until final steam out. A cloth, breathable garment bag will also protect it from dust, insects, and potential dirt marks. Do not use plastic bags as these trap moisture and lead to odor issues and potential damage to the fabric.
** NOTE: If you decide to remove the dress from the bag, make sure to take care when re-zipping the bag! If you catch the dress in the zipper, there is a very good chance this will become an emergency. Fixing it depends on the fabric and the placement of the snag; sometimes it is impossible to fix a snag or a pull.
Lovingly Store It
Your clean dress is hung properly and in its bag, now you need the best place to store it. Your dress must be away from moisture, pets, direct sunlight, and excessive heat. Ideally, having the dress lay, flat is the best option, so there is no strain on it. Having said that, laying the dress flat on the floor/on a bed (even in the bag or an acid-free box) is not the best option if you have pets! If you do not have the room to lay it flat, and you have it hung properly as noted above, hanging it in a spare room or bedroom closet is a safe place.
Do not store your wedding dress in a basement or an attic! The potential moisture in a basement and extreme temperatures in an attic can quickly damage delicate fabrics.
If you do not have a place that is safe to store your dress, ask your bridal salon if they can store it for you. They may not do long-term storage, but they could offer to keep it for you until you have your alterations done. The dress would be safely kept by your seamstress until your final fitting.
Remember: you must store your wedding dress properly so it stays in perfect condition for your big day! The best way to do this is to: keep the dress clean and dry, hung properly in a cloth garment bag, and stored in a dry place away from moisture and direct sunlight.
When your wedding is over, it is a good idea to consider wedding dress preservation options! Preservation includes a full cleaning with a special attention to the bottom (which will be discolored!) and a professional preservation using chemicals that will ensure your dress is pristine for many years to come.
If you have a destination wedding, read our informative blog on How To Pick and Pack Your Wedding Dress.