Contrary to common belief, the seal on a wedding dress preservation chest does not protect the dress from air. A dress that is vacuum sealed is likely to be ruined after just a few years. In fact, for a wedding dress to be successfully preserved over many years, air must circulate around and through the gown.
So why is a wedding dress preservation chest sealed?
The main reason is to keep pests away from your gown. You certainly don't want moths getting to your wedding dress, depositing eggs and causing damage to your wedding dress as the larvae hatch. Sealing the wedding chest helps.
But a properly cleaned and preserved wedding dress does not have to be sealed in order to last for generations. Just make sure the preservation chest is protected from pests...the six and eight-legged versions (i.e., insects) and the two and four legged versions (i.e., kids and pets).
Yes, the seal can also help keep out kids and pets so don't forget about that advantage of sealing the chest. But the preservation chest does not have to be sealed if you can protect it by storing it away from the reach of the kids and pets and away from insects.
But Happens If You Break The Seal?
While WE don't void our guarantee because the wedding dress preservation chest is opened, some other wedding gown cleaners will claim their guarantee is voided if seal is broken...so be sure to check first. If your wedding dress was cleaned and preserved by a member of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists (including us!), a broken seal does not void anything. Make sure your wedding dress preservation chest carries the AWGS seal.
Read more about our guarantees by following this link.
(C) 2009 - 2010 Champion Wedding Gown Specialist. All Rights Reserved
A Bride from Vestavia Hills, Alabama recently asked me why she should keep her wedding dress. That's a good question with more than one answer. But it all boils down to CHOICES. I told her to ask her Mom because I suspect her Mom would know why and she'd probably tell her the same thing I would tell her.
Your Wedding Memories
First, keep your wedding dress because you can re-live the ceremony. The hours of planning, the fun, the engagement, the walk down the aisle, the flowers, the people, the dance, the challenges of planning for perhaps the biggest day of your life... will come back to you just by holding your wedding dress. The memories will be stronger when holding your wedding dress. If you dry clean and preserve your wedding dress, you will then have many choices you can make down thge road.
Your Daughter
One choice you'll have is to give your wedding dress for your daughter...or perhaps for your daughter-in-law...to wear at her wedding. This is the the reason I hear most from Brides about why they decide to clean and preserve their wedding dress. And maybe she WILL want to wear wear your wedding dress at her wedding...but maybe she won't. Styles change. Many Brides have a desire to make their own wedding image.
Why else should a Bride keep her wedding dress? If the style of your wedding gown is no longer in favor 20-plus years from now (note to Brides: this is a good reason to select a classic style wedding dress...they never go out of style) why else should a Bride want to keep her dress?
Get Creative
Here are some other things you can do with your wedding dress:
- If you don't expect your daughter or daughter-in-law to wear your dress one day, you can use the dress to make a Baptismal gown or a flower girl dress. Here's a link to ideas about how to do this. But you need to clean and preserve your wedding dress or this choice will, most likely, not be available.
- Other creative ideas of things to make with your wedding dress...if you decide not to keep it (in its original form) include: ring bearer pillow, flower girl basket, communion dress, pillow case, baby bonnet, sachets, lingerie, wrap or shawl...even a Christmas tree skirt.
- You can always sell your dress through a consignment shop or even give it to a family member. But be sure to get it dry cleaned as soon after the wedding as possible. Second hand wedding dresses are a great wedding dress solution for a lot of Brides today.
- If you think you might want to sell your dress but you aren't sure, wait a few years before deciding for sure. Just be sure to get your wedding dress dry cleaned and preserved so you have the choice.
Recycle
Don't let your wedding gown rot in you closet, uncleaned, waiting to decide what to do with it. There are plenty of choices you can make about your dress after your wedding. But all the choices start with cleaning your wedding dress. Unless you plan to sell your gown, you should also have it preserved. You will keep it in better condition so you will have choices...because it's all about choices.
By the way, reusing (by your daughter) or recycling your wedding dress (as a second hand wedding dress at a consignment shop, or a Baptismal gown for your family) is an environmentally sound way to handle your wedding dress. Letting it rot in your closet is such a waste.
(C) 2009 - 2010 Champion Wedding Gown Specialist. All Rights Reserved
In follow up to my recent Wedding Gown Care blog posts, I've been asked several questions about wedding dress alterations...as well as Bridesmaids Dress alterations.
Can you complete a wedding dress or bridesmaid dress hem in a week?
My answer is ABSOLUTELY YES! As a Certified Wedding Gown Specialist in Birmingham, Alabama, we are committed to getting what you need, when you need it...including a wedding gown hem. This assumes an initial fitting and a final fitting without complicating factors like excessive layers, beading issues or other significant structural changes in the bridal gown. But please call for an appointment for a fitting at 205.588.4120 and make sure we know when it's needed at the time you make your appointment. But we can do it and we won't gouge you with extra charges for a rush job.
Shoot...we can do it in a day if you really need it that quick!
How long will it take to size a wedding dress?
My answer is...it depends. It depends on the wedding dress, the number of fittings required, how available you are for the fittings and the type of changes required with the bridal gown. A simple wedding dress with a hem and/or sleeve change along with a change in the bodice and waist will usually take a minimum of two weeks (this assumes 3 fittings at one week apart). But again, this is with a simple wedding gown. It can...and often does...take longer. See my earlier post about beads, layers, etc.
(C) 2009 - 2010 Champion Wedding Gown Specialist. All Rights Reserved
"How long will it take to do my Wedding Dress alterations?"
We get questions all the time asking about the time it takes us to complete Wedding Dress alterations at our gown care shop in Birmingham, Alabama. The same questions also come to us about Bridesmaids Dresses, Mother of the Bride Dresses, Maid of Honor Gowns and Prom Gowns. These questions are often in the form of e-mails and phone calls.
And the answer is......
...we need to see the dress first and then we can answer this question.
But let me try to explain the factors that enter into the answer to this question.
There are many different needs when altering and fitting a wedding dress. The actual amount of time it takes to do the alteration typically depends on three primary factors:
- the style of the wedding dress,
- the complexity of the desired alteration, and
- the backlog of work to be done by the wedding dress alterations specialist
Style of the Wedding Dress
A heavily beaded gown will require more time for an alteration affecting the beaded area than a simple wedding dress. Beads must be handled with care to make sure the gown keeps its look when altering an area of the gown involving beads and other adornments.
Hemming sleeves with buttons and beads require more time than sleeves without buttons or beads.
A wedding dress with multiple layers will likewise require more time for a hem or bodice alteration than a simple wedding gown. We must hem each layer when hemming a wedding dress...and the more layers, the more time it takes for the alteration. The number of layers and the structure of the wedding gown will also impact the job of replacing a wedding dress zipper.
Complexity of the Alterations
It often takes less time to hem a bridal gown than to take it in or let it out. Removing straps in a wedding dress can be simple, but if combined with a bodice alteration...and it often is, the process can become more complicated and more time consuming.
Adding a bustle might be simple. But again this depends on the complexity of the gown, especially the number of layers and type of fabric. Beading can also affect a bustle. When adding a bustle, I recommend adding more than one, even on a simple wedding dress. If the Bride steps on the hem or sits the wrong way, a single bustle can break...so always add more than one. Add even more when the train is heavy and extra long.
How Many Fittings?
One other common factor that can affect the time it takes to do bridal gown alterations is the number of fittings required to make sure your wedding dress fits perfectly. Again, a hem on a gown without extra layers or beading should take fewer fittings while changes to the design or taking in or letting out the bodice typically requires more.
As I've said in my previous wedding gown blog posts, the best solution is to purchase a wedding gown that most nearly fits you. But our commitment to our Brides is that we'll do whatever it takes to get your wedding gown alterations in Birmingham done right and on your schedule. All I suggest is to make arrangements ahead of time and meet with with your alterations specialist. Let her see the wedding gown to get a good idea of the complexity of the wedding gown and the required wedding gown alterations.
Backlog
A person can get only 8 hours of work done in 8 hours. But an experienced seamstress has fewer "start-overs" and can get more done than a less experienced seamstress. However, a major issue for completing wedding dress alterations is to make an appointment with your wedding gown specialist and keep the appointment...and all subsequent fitting appointments That will help insure timely completion of your wedding dress alterations
Experience Counts
One last bit of advice is to make sure your seamstress is qualified and experienced with wedding gown alterations. For successful wedding dress alterations, experience is critical. A seamstress or even a tailor who spends all of their time hemming pants and sleeves...or even making men's suits... might not be able to handle a wedding gown correctly.
My suggestion is to make sure your wedding gown specialist is a qualified dressmaker and has years of experience with wedding dress alterations. This will reduce the number of fittings required and get your wedding dress alterations completed on schedule. And you'll stand a better chance of getting it done correctly when your wedding gown specialist is qualified.
(C) 2009 - 2010 Champion Wedding Gown Specialist. All Rights Reserved
Choosing the right size wedding dress will save you money and time. I don't mean the "right size" dress will fit you perfectly off the rack, since this almost never happens. I do mean you should select the size that will minimize wedding dress alterations. And don't get me wrong here...I'm in the wedding dress alterations business. But there is no point in spending money if not absolutely necessary.
Not the same size.
Many brides, for whatever reason, insist on ordering a bridal gown in the same numeric size as their everyday clothing. These same brides are shocked to learn that their wedding gown alterations can cost hundreds of dollars.
Three Tips For Buying Your Wedding Dress
Here are three tips from our dressmaker and a Birmingham wedding gown alterations specialist to help you choose wisely. These ideas apply equally to bridesmaids dresses as they do to wedding dresses.
First, be prepared to order a size you might never have considered. Formal bridal gowns are designed to fit close to the body with little margin for error. The waist and hips are usually easier and less expensive to alter than the bust, so bust measurement is generally used to determine correct size. Dress styles vary, however, so it is wise to consult with an wedding dress alterations specialist before deciding which size to purchase. She might see that a particular style is easier to alter in one area than another. She may also direct you to a more flattering style of bridal gown for your figure. Don't feel insulted if she suggests a larger size. Professional wedding gown specialists really do want to get you into the optimal size so they can alter the gown to your satisfaction. If the size tag bothers you, the wedding gown alterations specialist will be happy to cut it out of the dress!
Second, be sure to try on your dress with the undergarments you plan to wear with the dress. Undergarments make a big difference in the fit of a bridal gown, and you will need those same undergarments for your alterations fittings. If you change bras or crinolines after ordering your dress, you may find that you need more alterations than you anticipated, although sometimes you may need fewer alterations, e.g. a fuller slip may make a hem unnecessary if you are already tall.
Finally, remember it is not about the size of the bridal gown; it is about the fit. Wearing a size 10 if you are a size 12 will not make you look smaller. Wedding gown specialists know that you look your personal best in a gown that fits you perfectly.
Follow this wisdom from an experienced Birmingham wedding gown alterations specialist and you'll look better...and save money.
Our wedding gown alterations specialist is available by appointment in Vestavia Hills on Rocky Ridge Road and in Hoover at Highway 280 to help with your wedding dress and bridesmaids dress alterations needs. Call us at 205.588.4120 for more information.
Next to you and your bridal shop, we're more interested in how you look in you wedding dress and your brides' maid dress than anyone else! We specialize in last minute and emergency wedding dress alterations in Birmingham, Alabama.
Find us on the web at www.ChampionWeddingGownSpecialist.com.
(C) 2009 - 2010 Champion Wedding Gown Specialist. All Rights Reserved
Mom's Wedding Dress
I talked recently with a Bride-To-Be from Vestavia Hills, Alabama. She was asking about our ability to restore the original color to her Mother's wedding dress and wanted to know about our skills in making some changes to better fit her style and personality. The gown had yellowed over the thirty-four years it had been hanging in Mom's closet but I felt reasonably sure we could return the color to near its original color. And with an effective wedding dress cleaning, her Mom's dress should be in good shape. The alterations she had in mind required dress-maker skills...a skill level we regularly provide. Mom's wedding dress was a classic style which helps when restyling an older wedding gown. But sometimes an older gown has a personality different from what the Bride wants. My suggestion was to not try and make the "old gown" into a "new gown" by making extensive stylistic alterations. If you like the basic look of the dress, and the dress will fit, even with required alterations, you have a great candidate for your wedding dress. And you can save a good bit of money in the process.
We cleaned and restored the gown using a wet cleaning technique and a special bleaching process. She changed the straps, added some lace and a bustle but she didn't try wholesale changes in the style. She respected the personality of this vintage wedding gown and ended up with a beautiful gown that both she and her Mother loved.
Trouble Areas On Previously Worn Wedding Dresses
With many second generation gowns or previously worn wedding dresses, there are often trouble areas if the gown has not been properly preserved or stored. A skilled wedding gown specialist can often find ways to handle these trouble areas without making wholesale changes. Some lace can help cover discoloration in local areas. And a creative dress maker can suggest other ways to hide many faults in a second generation wedding dress.
These same concepts can be applied as well to second hand wedding dresses, including consignment wedding dresses. I suggest that you always respect the gown and don't try to do more with the gown than its personality can handle.
Don't Forget...
My final suggestion is to clean and preserve your gown immediately after your wedding. Meet with your wedding gown cleaning specialist before your wedding. Get someone to deliver your wedding dress to your selected specialist while you're honeymooning. Some specialists will even pick up your gown for you after your wedding. Just ask your wedding gown specialist! But get your gown in to a certified wedding gown specialist for a proper cleaning and preservation...because you never know who will wear your dress next.
(C) 2009 - 2010 Champion Wedding Gown Specialist. All Rights Reserved
I was recently asked about how quickly a Bride-To-Be from Pelham, Alabama could get wedding dress alterations completed. She said she was working with a personal trainer and buffing up for the big occasion and she didn't want to have her wedding dress fitted until a month or less before the wedding.
While it obviously depends on the extent of alterations required on the wedding gown, we can complete routine hem and sleeve wedding dress alterations in a couple of days...and more extensive alterations in a week or two, depending on how available the Bride is for fitting sessions. In other words, we will do whatever you need in order to meet your needs. And we can handle last minute jobs... and we'll do it with a smile :)
Our wedding dress alterations specialist is a dress maker with many years of experience with all types of gowns and dresses, including wedding gowns and brides maids' dresses. She can handle the needs of the entire wedding party
And by the way, we'll handle wedding dress alterations like this for Brides in Vestavia, Mountain Brook, Homewood, Hoover, Chelsea, Calera...or Pelham, Alabama because we're convenient to all of these areas in the Birmingham, Alabama area. Along with wedding dress dry cleaning and wedding dress preservation and restoration, we can handle most any requirements for maintaining and altering your wedding gown.
(C) 2009 - 2010 Champion Wedding Gown Specialist. All Rights Reserved