Your wedding day has come and gone, but your gown remains. You have photos and mental notes to store the memories, but you need to learn how to store a wedding dress. Here’s how to preserve your dress for years to come:
How to Store A Wedding Dress, Step-By-Step
Clean it.
Fancier than your everyday attire, wedding dresses have many delicate details—like lace, gems and tulle—that require unique care. And because they come in different silhouettes such as mermaid and A-line, bridal gowns aren’t easy to clean.
Take your wedding dress to a professional dry cleaner that specializes in formalwear. Here’s what to verify with your potential gown cleaner:
- Make sure they use a virgin solvent, which prevents impurities from ruining the dress (this only applies to white and ivory gowns)
- Ask them to include a guarantee stating they will not damage the dress. And if they do, they refund the cost of the dress—not just the cleaning.
Time it.
Clean your dress within the first week following your wedding—the next day is best! Stains you can’t see—like a spot of white wine or dirt on your train—will darken over time and become more difficult to remove.
Box it.
When you get your dress cleaned at a gown preservation specialist, they will have preservation boxes available for purchase.
Ensure the box is acid-free and airtight. These features will prevent aging and discoloration.
Store it.
Store your wedding dress box in a cool, dark area such as your closet, basement, or a climate or temperature-controlled storage unit.
Now that your dress is done, learn how to store your wedding jewelry.
