Blog for Wedding Gown Care

Are your aware of the many problems that can arise with your wedding gown, both before and after your wedding?  While wedding gown cleaning and preservation by a certified wedding gown specialist is absolutely essential for the long-term protection of your wedding gown, there are many things YOU can do  to protect your wedding gown.  Even a simple wedding dress needs your attention.

The three culprits that can cause many of the problems with the long-term protection of your wedding gown that you need to keep in mind include: 

• Kids
• Pets
• Heat and Humidity

OK...so that's four...but I'll talk about heat and humidity in the same context.

Watch Out for the Kids

First, kids don't always know the significance of a wedding gown to the bride.  This is always a concern both before and after the wedding.  Of course, the little girls want to preen while imitating the big girls.  So they may "try on" your gown just to feel like a big girl. Greasy hands, dirt, ice cream or just innocent oils from her hands can do a job on your gown.  Guard against this. 

And for the little boys and girls, they might just want to hide from their friends when playing inside.  The bottom line here ladies...put your gown away so it's not attracting the kids.  Don't let let your gown become an "attractive nuisance" to any youngsters exploring your home.  Messy hands, noses, hair...and maybe some body parts I haven't thought of...can all cause problems for your gown.  The last thing you need is to get your gown out to take it to your wedding site just to learn that little Billy ate some chocolate ice cream while hiding behind your bridal gown stored in the closet. 

Plastic Can Help...But Only For So Long

If your wedding gown is in your possession for a couple of months before your wedding, it's OK to keep it in the plastic bag you might have received from your gown shop or the wedding gown dry cleaning specialist.  But even two months is pushing it a little because plastic emits fumes that can cause a gown to discolor.  Don't leave it in plastic for much longer than a couple of months.  But your wedding gown needs protection, both before and after the wedding.

And What About Pets?

There have been problems with bridal gowns from pets on more than one occasion.  Once, a frantic bride brought a gown in when she found out that she had locked her pet cat in the closet with her gown.  It's amazing what a cat's claws can do to a wedding gown in just a short period of time.  A couple of hours with a seamstress who is qualified to handle wedding gown alterations can work wonders with a scratched and clawed wedding gown.  And while not perfect, I'm betting that no one noticed...but the bride.

I know of another case where a bride had her bridal gown dry cleaned after the wedding and was storing it in a closet.  The cat got in, had her litter of kittens overnight, and made a mess out of her gown.

The bottom line here is to protect your gown...before and after the wedding.  I believe the best way to protect your gown after your wedding is by dry cleaning and preserving by properly boxing your gown using the right materials...including acid-free "treasure chest" and tissue are essential.  Hanging your gown in a closet for a long time will result in seam streatching and leaves your gown exposed to other risks...like kids and pets.

Coincidentally, I can help you with proper wedding gown preservation methods!  We are a Certified Wedding Gown Specialist.

I'll give you the low down on HEAT and HUMIDITY in the next post!