Why will a bride-to-be spend hundreds (maybe even thousands) on her wedding dress but not think twice about her wedding gown preservation? This is a common oversight as the very fabric from which your dress is made is sensitive to light and time.
The average lifespan of a wedding dress, with proper preservation, should be around a hundred years. That’s right! Your great-great-granddaughter could one day wear your gown if you treat it right.
Here’s how you can make it happen:
Have It Dry Cleaned
Your dress needs to be dry cleaned immediately after wearing it. It works like this: the fibres in your dress, whether it’s silk, lace, or cotton, will hold onto the body oils and sweat of the previous wearer.
If you leave it untreated, these oils can cause permanent damage to the dress. After your honeymoon, have it dry cleaned and then again every few years as needed. Also, avoid carelessly handling the fabric of your dress.
Put It in a Preservation Container
The next thing to do is carefully and neatly place your dress in a preservation box. These containers are designed to protect and preserve the fibres of your gown by keeping out light, humidity, and even dust mites.
They are available from the manufacturer of your dress (or you can buy them directly from us). There are a few different kinds of boxes, but in general, the point is to keep air, light, and moisture out.
Keep in mind that boxes should be made of non-reactive materials, such as wood or cardboard.
Store the Wedding Gown Safely
You should store your dress in a place free of light and heat. Many people choose to keep their wedding gown in the basement or attic of their home, putting it in a box or wrapped in a cloth.
Others have a special chest of drawers that was built to protect the precious garments or a closet designated for this sole purpose.
Once it is in storage, you should not touch the gown unnecessarily but only take it out to examine it every few years.
When you bring it out to inspect it, you should do it in a low-level lighted room, inside a protective cover. These covers are generally available from the manufacturer of the box or gown.
Keep the Wedding Gown Accessories
Because the wedding gown is the most important aspect of your bridal ensemble, it is essential to keep the accessories, such as the veil and headpiece, with the dress. Hanging onto these pieces will help you remember the day you wore your wedding dress and allow you to know where each piece is when you’re ready to put it back on again.
Make Your Wedding Gown Last a Century
The bottom line is that you need to properly care for your gown like you would any other fine garment. In general, wedding dresses are extremely delicate and sensitive to light, moisture, and temperature. It is crucial to make sure that you handle your gown and store it correctly so that it can last for generations.
Are you looking for a reputable Barrhaven dry cleaning for your wedding gown? Goodfellow Cleaners is here. We have over twenty-five years of experience and have established a team that is highly skilled at dry cleaning. Contact us!