How To Store Your Wedding Dress

A wedding is an amazing occasion and you want to cherish every aspect of it and remember it for the rest of your life. Some brides like to donate their dress or sell it to recoup some of the money they spent on their big day. However a lot of brides also like to keep their dress forever, to pass down to their offspring or to remind them of their big day from time to time, afterall it is their unique dress from their special day. 

 

If the latter applies to you then you might want some tips on how to properly store your wedding dress and preserve it, making sure it is exactly in the condition you remember.

 

Clean The Dress

Before putting your dress into storage you want to clean it thoroughly, making sure any dirt and stains are removed. There are two ways of going about this;

 

• Find a qualified professional who is used to dealing with cleaning the specific types of materials and can clean it based on their experience as a dress cleaner.

 

• Follow the instructions thoroughly and clean the dress yourself making sure to consider that it is a slightly different and more difficult process than cleaning other types of dresses and clothing.

Budget

When storing a wedding dress you are going to want to construct a budget, that may be for a storage unit and may include smaller costs for things such as cleaning. Weddings are expensive, all in all, with the average wedding costing tens of thousands, make sure to account for the smaller costs that can build up. This includes the cleaning and storage of your dress. 

 

Cleaning a dress can come in over a hundred pounds and storing it can come at a monthly cost from around 60 pound a month. Although these are unlikely to be the most expensive outcoming surrounding your wedding they are still important to consider and budget for.

 

Read Instructions

Before cleaning and storing make sure to check your dresses instructions thoroughly to make sure you don’t damage the material. The cleaning process and the drying process will vary depending on what materials are used in your dress and although getting advice from other brides can be useful it is important to remember that your dress is unique.

 

 

Find Suitable Storage

It is not recommended to store your dress in an area that is prone to fluctuations in temperature. An ideal storage solution would be a cool location in a airtight box. This would avoid the possibility of condensation leading to damage of the dress through mould and mildew.

 

 

Use White Gloves To Handle

A wedding dress is a very delicate piece of material, therefore you’re going to want to be careful. Using white gloves can prevent natural oils, fingerprints and dirt damaging the dress, it may sound like an extra careful precaution but it is always worth taking that extra step to avoid damage.

 

Get An Appropriate Cover

To ensure your dress’s safety avoid plastic covers if possible. They can deteriorate over time and lead to harmful chemicals affecting the dress, they are also not great for keeping out moisture and can lead to mildew. You are better off using a cotton or linen cover for the dress to prevent damage or deterioration as they are less likely to deteriorate like plastic.

 

Buy An Air Tight Dress Box

When storing your wedding dress you want to make sure to invest in a pH neutral wedding dress box. This will prevent any discolouration to the dress, they can often develop a yellow tinge. 

 

Getting a robust box can last a lifetime and can prevent any damage to your dress and can come in handy when you eventually look for more permanent storage or look to sell the dress.

 

 

Package in Acid Free Tissue

Place the dress in acid free tissue making sure to layer it above and below. This will act as a layer of protection to the dress.

 

Most dresses will come with acid free tissue and instructions about how to use it. If you use normal tissue paper then it may become acidic over time and damage the dress and its materials.

 

 

Store Accessories Separate

Make sure to store accessories for your wedding outfit separate to the dress. This is because the conflicting materials may damage one another and cause damage to the dress over time.

 

If you are looking to store your shoes then use acid free tissue paper and store them in a shoe box. This should keep them safe from damage as their materials are a little more sturdy than a dress. 

These tips should help you store your wedding dress and keep your dress in a healthy state for the future. No matter what the future brings, you will always remember your wedding day. If you check your dress every few months then you should be able to help maintain its health and make sure your storage is effective.