For many brides their wedding dress is the single most expensive item of clothing they will ever buy. Their wedding dress is of great sentimental value, never worn again, a precious memory of a special day. They may even hope to pass it on to the next generation, to see it worn by another bride.
Store your wedding dress with care
You’ll want to ensure that such a precious, delicate item is stored carefully to preserve its unique features, whether it’s silk embroidery, bead work or precious heirloom features, such as lace or pearls, taken from dresses worn and loved by mothers or grandmothers.
Unfortunately, natural fibres such as silk are prone to attack by moths. Wedding dresses may be treated with sizing to shape the fabric, but some types of sizing can attract pests, so it is best to remove it before storage. Fabrics can discolour or fade if not stored with care. And hanging or folding in the wrong way can put creases into your dress or strain seams. The wrong packing materials can accelerate the deterioration of your wedding dress, too.
Repairing your wedding dress
Before you begin to store your wedding gown, check it over to make sure it’s in good repair. Deal with any fallen hems or loose beading before they become a much bigger problem. You can make simple repairs yourself, but for anything more complex, take it back to your dressmaker.
Clean your dress before you store it
The costs of dry cleaning a wedding gown may give you pause – but it is worth spending that money, even if you think you managed to avoid staining your dress. Even minute quantities of sweat residue and oils from your skin can attract moths, which will quietly munch their way through your precious stored wedding dress.
Tiny food stains or specks of dirt, particularly round the hem, can cause your dress to become mouldy.
A careful professional clean by a company that specialises in wedding dresses will ensure your gown is in the best possible condition for storage so that you can enjoy it for years to come.
Which is the best packing material for a wedding gown?
Experts recommend layering your wedding dress with plenty of acid-free tissue paper and placing it inside a box specifically designed for wedding gowns. For more advice on storing heirloom textiles, see our blogpost.
Turn to the professionals when storing your wedding dress
If your dress is really high-end or even if you just feel particularly strongly about it, seek out the services of a professional wedding dress preserver like Treasured Possession. They will guide you every step of the way. And should your dress be needed again, an experienced wedding dressmaker will help you freshen it up and adjust it.
A stable environment is best for a wedding gown
Wedding dresses, like any delicate clothing, do best in a space where the temperature and humidity stay constant. Avoid placing your dress in an uninsulated loft or shed. A spare bedroom is good, as long as you can store your dress out of the sunlight. But even better would be a climate-controlled storage unit. The cost of storage units varies, but you can rent a space as small as a locker if that is all you need, and this can be a good way of keeping your wedding gown safe. When you get your storage quote, remember that you may be able to save money on insuring your stored goods by shopping around. Get a quick quote from us today.
Make a date to check your dress from time to time
Opening up your dress box every once in a while will allow you to enjoy your dress all over again. It is also good to move the fabric around to stop creases forming. You can check for damage, too, and deal with any problems before they ruin your stored wedding gown. Experts recommend handling your dress with white cotton gloves – at the very least make sure your hands are clean!
If you make checking your wedding dress a regular ritual – for example on or around your anniversary – it will let you savour the memories of your special day year after year.
If your dress is important to you, take the time to store it in the best way possible to ensure that it will be beautiful when you bring it out.
