Birmingham Wedding Gown Care Blog

Frequently Asked Questions About Wedding Gown Preservation

  

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Whether you have questions about wedding gown cleaning and preservation in general, or questions about our services specifically, we want to be here to answer them for you.  That's why we have put together this collection of frequently asked questions; we hope that you will let us know if you think of something else that should be here!

What should I do with my wedding dress when the wedding is over?

Whether you want to sell your gown, give it to someone, donate it, or keep it in the family as an heirloom, you must have it cleaned!  The sooner the better, so try to set up your wedding gown cleaning and preservation plans before leaving for your honeymoon.  Have Mom, your Maid of Honor, a sister or anyone get it to your wedding gown cleaning and preservation specialsit soon after your wedding.

What should I look for from a wedding gown preservation service?

You will want to avoid those service providers that boast of “vacuum packaging,” because this method of storage can be bad for the dress.  Sealed, plastic containers can trap moisture that will leave stains, so choose a service that provides paperboard, acid-free boxes.  Also check to see if they perform the cleaning themselves or if they ship the dress somewhere else.  Those that do it themselves are likely to be more skilled and knowledgeable and can respond better to your questions and resolve problems that could arise.

Is a plastic container bad for preserving a wedding gown?

Common plastic will emit a damaging fume and is an unwise choice for preserving a wedding gown.  Either use a 100% acid free preservation box or stoure your gown in a muslin bag on a hanger.  Take special precautions to avoid seam stretching when storing your wedding gown on a hanger.  Use the loops inside the dress and consider using a second hanger to support a heavy train.

We use wedding gown preservation boxes with a plastic window so the Bride can see at least part of her gown.  The plastic in the box is inert and will not decompose and cause damage to the gown.  Our preservation boxes are 100% acid free, they are museum quality boxes and are rated to last more than a century.

Is there a guarantee for wedding gown preservations?

Any wedding gown preservation specialist worth his salt will offer some sort of guarantee—the longer the better!  Make sure you ask who will honor the guarantee 25 years down the road.

Our guarantee, through the Association of Wedding Gown Specialsits, last for the life of the dress.  It covers yellowing from sugar stains and includes pressing your wedding gown if you decide to wear it again.  It does not cover damage caused by improper storage (like in a basement or attic) or by a disaster.

Do you remove pads before preserving?

It is important for the wedding dress preservation process to remove the bust pads, shoulder pads, and any underarm shields from the dress before cleaning.  Many times they can adhere to the fabric of the dress and cause damage, so they are always removed here and not placed in the  preservation box with the wedding gown.  Your wedding gown specialist should return these to you separate from the preserved gown.

Can all wedding dresses be successfully cleaned and preserved?

Unfortunately, sometimes a wedding gown is subjected to irreversible damage.  Not every stain can be removed, not every wrinkle smoothed, and not every problem solved.  In most cases, however, your chances of successful wedding dress preservation are good.  The sooner we get the dress after the wedding  the more likely it is that we can successfully handle the problems.  No wedding gown cleaning and preservation specialist can guarantee that she can remove a stain…but if anyone can remove a stain, it’s Champion Wedding Gown Specialist!

What if my wedding dress does not come clean?  Should I still preserve it?

A wedding dress is a part of your family history.  Whether it is a second or third generation family wedding dress or even if you were the first to wear it…there is a piece of family history with that dress.  If you ended up with a stain that will not budge, it still has a place in your family.  Even the cause of the stain may have some significance in 20 or 30 years. 

Call us with your specific issues to see what we can do for your bridal gown...or click on the button below and leave us a question.  We'll get right back to you via e-mail,