Let's assume that you've already decided on the wedding flowers, hired a photographer, and secured a reception hall.
Maybe the "big day" (your wedding) is right around the corner. Maybe you're like a lot of women who are happily married but haven't yet decided what to do with their gorgeous wedding dresses, which are still hanging in the guest room closet.
Don't panic if you're a future bride, recent bride, or woman celebrating your 10-year wedding anniversary and you have questions about preserving your wedding dress.
Not everyone has figured out what to do with their dress after the wedding. It's a typical worry that many brides put off until after the big day.
When it comes to washing and preserving the wedding dress, many brides worry that too much time has gone before they should even start.
Don't worry; we cover any question that could come up.
Is it Too Late to Preserve an Old Wedding dress?
Don't stress if your wedding dress is on the tattered side or if you haven't had time to take it to the cleaners in the weeks or months following the big day.
Although it is preferable to have a wedding gown washed and preserved as soon as possible, it is never too late to do so.
Your dress may need to be restored before preservation, but a reputable firm that specialises in bridal gowns will have restoration professionals who can work their magic.
The first step in wedding dress preservation is usually a thorough cleaning to disinfect and remove any stains, visible or otherwise.
Invisible stains, yes. Sweat, perfume, white wine, and white cake frosting are just a few examples of imperceptible stains.
If you don't have your wedding gown preemptively cleaned for the invisible stains that may ultimately surface, a professional cleaner will check it using an ultraviolet light to find the causes.
This is the primary justification for not putting off sending your beautiful wedding dress to a reliable wedding dress preservation company.
Your dress will be steamed or hand-pressed, placed on an acid-free bust form, and securely stored in a preservation box once it has been thoroughly cleaned and treated to prevent the fabric from yellowing.
Dresses that have already yellowed severely, a problem typical with older dresses that were not properly preserved, or that have concerns with moths or mildew, will need the attention of a restoration specialist.
Your treasured garment may not be completely stain-free, but a professional restorer may often do wonders for it.
Your wedding dress won't have to be cleaned as soon as possible if it has been hanging in a closet throughout your honeymoon because any stains won't have had much time to build into the fabric.
Even if your gown hasn't been worn in months (or even years), it's likely that it may be expertly cleaned and restored to appear like new again.
A professional wedding dress preservation service should be able to clean your dress and safely store it after the wedding so that no one would suspect that you forgot about this important post-ceremony task.
How long can you put off preserving your wedding gown?
Your wedding gown can technically be stored for a long time, even years.
Your wedding dress should be cleaned and preserved by a professional as quickly as possible, if not on the day following the ceremony itself.
A wedding dress may look fine now, but it's possible that there are unseen stains which will set in, oxidise, and deepen in the months to come, especially if it's been exposed to humidity, heat, or acid.
As a result, the situation may rapidly deteriorate. In summary, you will be doing yourself a great favour in the long run if you get the wedding dress professionally cleaned and shipped to a preservation expert within the following few weeks post wedding.
Do not fret if several months or perhaps years have gone since your wedding.
You can always find a way to maintain your wedding gown.
Is it possible to whiten a yellowed wedding gown?
In most cases, experts are able to restore the original white colour of bridal gowns that have faded or yellowed with time.
Although there are methods for preserving and cleaning vintage wedding gowns, the best course of action is always avoidance.
White wedding dresses lose their lustre in as little as six months.
Quick action is essential if you want to avoid having to spend a lot of time cleaning and preserving the area in the future.
Find a wedding dress preservationist who has experience with yellowing, whether the garment is brand new or has been worn before.
The greatest approach to verify you are receiving the finest service for your unique needs is to check for reviews with before and after images on a company's website.
Most typically, chemical breakdowns of cloth, such those caused by:
- Breakdown of fibres caused by exposure to light, moisture, or high temperatures.
- Contaminants can be transferred from subpar packaging materials like plastic and cardboard.
- breakdown of manufacturing-stage additive compounds.
- Exposure to airborne pollutants and toxins.
- Messes and contaminates from the big day, like wine, beer, grass, and scent.
How Stains and Yellowing are Removed from Your Dress
Unbeknownst to you, your wedding dress's delicate fabrics will start to yellow as early as 6 months after the big day.
Stains like white wine, frosting, perfumes, and makeup that were formerly undetectable can turn brown and black as they slowly break down the inner fibres of your wedding dress and contribute to the general yellowing of the fabric.
Our staff performs rigors, multi-station inspections and cleaning methods to eliminate any spots and avoid future yellowing.
This can be accomplished by utilising either wet washing, spot cleaning, or dry cleaning.
Wet Cleaning a Wedding Dress
When compared to dry cleaning, wet cleaning is superior since it is better at removing various stains like food, alcohol, and grime.
Modern wet cleaning equipment may effectively remove organic stains from your wedding dress while also neutralising the textiles from which it was made.
Distinct from standard household washers, these appliances include gentle cleaning mechanisms ideal for cleaning delicate fabrics.
The optimal results can be achieved with minimal water exposure thanks to the combination of designated wash cycles and precisely managed temperatures.
Polyester, a common synthetic used for wedding dresses, may be safely and effectively washed in a washing machine, while silk and taffeta, both delicate natural fabrics, need to be handled with care and delicacy when being washed in water.
Dry Cleaning a Wedding Dress
Grease, deodorants, body oils, dressings, makeup, and moisturisers are just some of the oil-based stains that can be removed by dry cleaning but not by wet washing a wedding dress.
Twenty years ago, dry cleaners frequently employed PERC (Perchloroethylene) to get rid of these stains.
Conventionally effective though it may be, PERC is a very toxic chemical both for your wedding garment and the environment, and can even melt precious sequins and beads.
Fortunately, modern dry cleaners employ organic ingredients that are safe for both your outfit and the environment while still being as effective as PERC.
We have dry-cleaning machines that are light years ahead of anything you'd find at a regular dry cleaner, and the same is true for our wet-cleaning machines.
Wedding Dress Spot-Cleaning
Spot cleaning may be required prior to either wet or dry cleaning, or both, depending on the results of the inspection of your wedding dress.
To find the hidden stains that could cause issues down the road, we employ an ultraviolet light.
Cleaning a wedding dress on the spot is typically reserved for regions that have been heavily soiled, such the hemline, or for stains that are very stubborn.
Different types of stains, different amounts of discoloration, and different fabrics require different chemical treatments.
Can you keep wedding gown accessories along with your gown?
Definitely! In addition to the dress, the bride's shoes and veil are typically included in a museum's collection.
Send these to a conservator and they can create a stunning keepsake box for you to showcase in your house, just like a piece of art from a prestigious museum.
Check the wedding dress preservationist's website or contract for details on what can and cannot be included in the preservation package.
You should discover the best expert in bridal gown preservation if you want to keep your wedding dress, shoes, veil, bouquet, garter, and corset in pristine condition for your wedding day.
How long does it take to preserve a wedding gown?
The time it takes to preserve a wedding dress ranges from four to ten weeks, depending on the season of year and where you live.
Following the selection of your specialist, you can expect the following procedures and timetable:
- Pick up or place an order for your kit now! The first shipment of your order will arrive in just a few days via standard mail.
- Then, you have your bridal gown brought to the venue by packing it at home.
- When your garment finally makes it to the preservation centre, it will be expertly cleaned and given stain treatment. Your conservator may also be able to fix mending and beading for you.
- Your wedding dress will be returned to you in its protective, tailor-made packaging after it has been cleaned and preserved.
- Once you receive your preserved wedding dress, be sure to keep it in the designated location. This includes finding a place that is protected from the sun and has consistent temperatures.
How long can a wedding gown be cleaned and preserved?
You may expect your preserved wedding dress to look as beautiful as the day you wore it for decades to come.
Many businesses that offer to preserve bridal gowns offer guarantees of up to 75 or 100 years.
It's crucial to remember that a guarantee is not a warranty against accidental damage or stains.
Simply said, it's the time frame during which a business will accept a return to the original position.
It implies that within the guaranteed period, if any new spots or yellowing occur on the preserved wedding gown, you can send it back to the preservationists for a free touch-up.
It goes without saying that not every business that preserves bridal gowns follows these guidelines.
Do not sign anything until you have read the fine print. It is crucial that you have a thorough understanding of what to anticipate and how to maximise your substantial investment.
Can you wear your wedding gown after it has been preserved?
You need not worry that your bridal gown will magically vanish the moment you remove it from its delicate packing.
However, the guarantee of freshness may be voided if you remove the product from its packing.
It is important to define the conditions of your preservationist's agreement with you before you unpack the wedding dress.
Many businesses that store bridal gowns don't bother to seal the customised boxes they ship them in.
This is so because there is a chance that the cloth will become stale and dirty from too much exposure to the elements.
The dress can usually be removed from the box and handled with care.
If you really care about how it looks, you should probably clean your hands or wear cotton gloves.
If you choose a preservation service that places the gown in a sealed box, you will likely void the warranty if you open the box.
If a daughter or another family member wants to wear or repurpose the dress for a future wedding, they will have to go through the same steps again to keep it in good condition and maintain the guarantee.
Conclusion
Some women still haven't decided what to do with their wedding gowns after the big day. If your wedding gown is a little worn or you haven't had time to take it to the cleaners, don't worry about it.
Cleaning the dress thoroughly to remove any stains, both visible and invisible, is the first step in wedding dress preservation.
Imperceptible stains include sweat, perfume, white wine, and white cake frosting.
In extreme cases of yellowing, a professional dress restorer will be needed to salvage the garment.
After the wedding, have your dress professionally cleaned and preserved so that it can be safely stored.
Your gown can be cleaned and restored to look brand new, even if it hasn't been worn in months (or years).
Modern wet cleaning equipment may be able to neutralise the textiles, like silk and taffeta, from which your wedding dress is made, and remove organic stains effectively. Hemlines, as well as other heavily worn areas, are prime candidates for spot cleaning, as are particularly stubborn stains.
Organic dry cleaning uses ingredients that are harmless to you and the environment without sacrificing any of the efficiency of traditional dry cleaning.
Conservators can also assist with minor repairs, such as mending and beading. In a matter of days, the initial portion of your order will arrive at your door via regular mail.
Send the preserved wedding dress back to the preservationists for a free touch-up if any new spots or yellowing appear.
If you take a product out of its original packaging, you risk it not being as fresh as promised.
Before you unpack the wedding dress, it's crucial that you and the preservationist establish the terms of your agreement.
Content Summary
- Not everyone has figured out what to do with their dress after the wedding.
- Although it is preferable to have a wedding gown washed and preserved as soon as possible, it is never too late to do so.
- The first step in wedding dress preservation is usually a thorough cleaning to disinfect and remove any stains, visible or otherwise.
- If you don't have your wedding gown preemptively cleaned for the invisible stains that may ultimately surface, a professional cleaner will check it using an ultraviolet light to find the causes.
- This is the primary justification for not putting off sending your beautiful wedding dress to a reliable wedding dress preservation company.
- Your wedding dress should be cleaned and preserved by a professional as quickly as possible, if not on the day following the ceremony itself.
- You can always find a way to maintain your wedding gown.
- Find a wedding dress preservationist who has experience with yellowing, whether the garment is brand new or has been worn before.
- Unbeknownst to you, your wedding dress's delicate fabrics will start to yellow as early as 6 months after the big day.
- Modern wet cleaning equipment may effectively remove organic stains from your wedding dress while also neutralising the textiles from which it was made.
- Spot cleaning may be required prior to either wet or dry cleaning, or both, depending on the results of the inspection of your wedding dress.
- In addition to the dress, the bride's shoes and veil are typically included in a museum's collection.
- You should discover the best expert in bridal gown preservation if you want to keep your wedding dress, shoes, veil, bouquet, garter, and corset in pristine condition for your wedding day.
- Pick up or place an order for your kit now!
- Once you receive your preserved wedding dress, be sure to keep it in the designated location.
- It implies that within the guaranteed period, if any new spots or yellowing occur on the preserved wedding gown, you can send it back to the preservationists for a free touch-up.
- It is important to define the conditions of your preservationist's agreement with you before you unpack the wedding dress.
FAQs About Wedding Gown Preservation
Can you wear a wedding gown after it's preserved?
Yes. One of the most common reasons a bride chooses to have her dress preserved after the wedding is so that a future family member can wear it in honour of her.
What is the point of preserving a wedding dress?
Wedding dress preservation is convenient because it allows for easier long-term storage of your dress. Preserving a wedding gown is an option that is good for the environment, the dress, as it stops any future fading or stretching and protects it from stains and the elements.
How long can you wait to preserve my wedding dress?
Your wedding dress can technically be stored away for months, if not years. However, your wedding gown should be professionally cleaned and preserved as soon as possible, preferably right after the big day.
Can you take your wedding dress out of the preservation box?
Because the preservation container will be airtight and sealed for safety, opening it could cause discoloration. Don't open it until you're ready to give it away or use it for something else, or unless you're willing to have it sealed and preserved again.
Should you preserve or sell your wedding dress?
You can always decide to donate or sell your gown in the future if you keep it, but once it's sold, it's gone for good. Keeping your dress will buy you time to think things over, find a good cause to donate to, or sell it if you ever find yourself in a bind.