Dress Preservation

Congratulations! The day you had awaited for months finally came, you exchanged your vows and now you have made the transition from being a singleton to a wife. The reception was a success with champagne, dance and laughter; the gifts received and now also opened, and now its time to settle into a new life as a married couple.

But wait- what happens to that wedding dress that made you look the resplendent bride you were that day? Surely, the dress shall hold a special place in your heart for all years ahead, and preserving it would be a priority on your mind. A delay in having the wedding gown cleaned and preserved is its worst enemy, and should be done as soon as possible.

Ways of Preserving Your Wedding Dress

Regardless of the method used for cleaning, your wedding gown should be completely clean and wrinkle-free before you put it away for storage. The cleaning procedure depends on the dress material and the embellishments on it. Though many prefer dry cleaning, for gowns made of polyester and those heavily soiled, wet cleaning is the best option.

In the dry cleaning method, one of three different cleaning solvents are used, the most common of these being perchloroethylene. Although,this solvent works best for gowns made of fabrics like rayon and silk, it damages any sequins or beads on the gown along with the glue that holds them to the fabric.

For wedding gowns with a lot of embellishments, an older but not commonly used solvent these days called Stoddard solvent can work well.

Storage of Wedding Gowns

The wedding gown requires preservation against damaging factors like dust, yellowing, mold, permanent creases and oxidation. There are three ways of storing a wedding gown after it has been cleaned:

• Sealing- This involves placing the wedding gown in an acid-free box with a window along with tissue paper (again acid-free) and some cardboard shapes that would prevent wrinkles in the dress. Though the most commonly used method for storage, many argue that sealing the box promotes mold growth and it is better to leave the box unsealed.
• Bagging- The gown is hung from padded hangers and placed in cotton bags.
• Boxing- Placing the wedding gown in a box and leaving it unsealed is what some suggest to be the best way of preserving the gown. Care must be taken to refold the gown every three to five years to avoid permanent wrinkles

 The day may be gone and the festivities over, but your wedding dress is for you to keep for all years ahead. Preserving it the right way is important; who knows, many years later your own daughter might want to down the aisle in the same dress that was so dear to her mother!