Looking for the perfect gown was not easy. You had to spend countless hours visiting numerous bridal stores and fitting an endless array of wedding gowns. But all your efforts were worth it because just when you were about to collapse in exhaustion and despair, you spotted the ideal gown with at the right style, trimmings, fit, and color. One look at it and you knew it had that magic you were looking for all this time. Now that the wedding is over, you feel sad that you have to say goodbye to this wonderful dress. But this is not necessary, as there are so many things you can do to preserve this gown and make it last for a very long time.

Clean the Dress

Clean the gown immediately after the wedding (or the honeymoon) to prevent stains such as food spills, body oils, and perspiration from seeping into the material. The longer you leave the stains on, the more difficult they would be to remove. Check the care instructions on the wedding gown to know the right process of cleaning it. Some types of gowns especially those that contain sequins and beads cannot be dry cleaned while others such as silk, acetate, and rayon are recommended for dry cleaning. Many wedding gown experts would advise gentle washing of the gown with hand using specialized gentle cleaners to remove visible stains.

Store it Properly

Keep your precious gown in a clean, acid free tissue. Place the acid-free tissue in between the folds of the dress and around it. This would help prevent permanent folds and wrinkles. Remove shoulder pads, metal buttons, and buckles, and anything made of foam that is attached to the gown as these materials do not have excellent shelf life. Do not store the gown in plastic bag because this has poor air circulation. It is also not a good idea to hang your wedding gown. Instead, store the gown in a pH-neutral box in a secure place free of insects and away from heat sources. Take out the dress from times to time to examine it.

Hire a Professional

If you do not have time to care for your gown or you feel you do not have the skill to preserve it efficiently, it would be a smart move to hire a professional gown preservation service so that it would be able to maintain its original beauty. Yes, this may be a little more costly but at least you would not have to worry about your much-loved wedding dress. You can be assured of expert specialized cleaning and storing procedures.

Preserving your wedding dress is one of the important things that you have to do after the wedding. You have to ensure proper cleaning and safe storage. It would also be a good idea to hire a professional gown preservation service. Who knows? In the future, your daughter may want to wear your gown and she would be very thankful that you did everything to maintain its original condition.