We’ve featured some really gorgeous wedding dresses on the blog recently! There are some pretty incredible photos which help brides to pick out the best dress for their Big Day. But not a lot of thought goes into how to look after your wedding dress once your wedding is over.
Our friends at Claregalway Hotel have a blog which is full of helpful wedding tips [check it out here] and they’ve given us some really great insight! One of their recent posts walks you through everything you should do to look after your wedding dress.
Dry clean
They advise brides to do this 24-48 hours after the wedding day. The reason? You’re probably going to have a lot of nasty stains on your dress, even if you can’t see them. Sweat, makeup, food. You name it. These substances, when left for too long, can cause permanent stains.
And if you can’t get to a dry cleaner in time? “If dry cleaning can’t be done immediately, be sure to place your gown in a cloth garment bag, not a plastic one, to allow the dress to breathe properly.”
Things to consider when storing your dress
Temperature – Make sure your store your wedding dress in an area that is cool and mildew-free.
Longevity – Protect your dress by keeping it away from other clothing and away from coloured tissue paper or tissue paper with acid.
Lighting – Light can turn your white dress yellow, so keep it in a dimly lit or dark space.
Humidity – An airconditioned home, or one with a humidifier, is a good place to store your wedding dress.
Box it
Now that you know where to store your wedding dress, it’s important to know how to store it. Experts recommend boxing it! “Boxing a wedding dress is the preferred form of storage, as it lets the gown lie flat and uses acid-free tissue paper in the folds of the dress to prevent decay.”
Expert tip from Claregalway
“Makeup stains and oil spills are likely to occur at some stage during your wedding day. In order to counter such mishaps, keep cornstarch or baby powder in your emergency bridal kit. By lightly coating the stain, the oil will be absorbed, camouflaging it and remove the excess powder after 15 minutes.
In the case of wine or any other beverage spillage, immediately sponge or dab the stain with club soda or cool water and dry with a towel or cotton wool. Do not use alcohol-based products like hairspray and perfumes after you are fully dressed on the morning of your wedding.”
Main image credit: The Fennells | An Exquisite Vintage Wedding
