Your wedding gown is more than just a dress - it's a symbol of love, celebration, and a lifetime commitment. From the moment you say "yes" to the dress to the moment you say "I do," and beyond, taking proper caring of your wedding gown is essential to preserve its beauty and memories. In this guide, as past brides, we'll walk you through the steps to care for your gown before, during, and after your wedding day.
Before the Wedding: Preparing Your Gown for the Big Day
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Storage Matters: When you first receive your gown, keep it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, moisture, and strong odors. Hanging it in a garment bag on padded hangers, away from pets and curious hands, will help protect it from any potential mishaps. Regular hangers could work too but if your straps are thin or fragile, you may want to use some hangers with soft padding as cushions. If your gown is strapless and does not have hanging loops, or if you feel the hanging/ dress loops feel a bit fragile, consider using a hanger with padded clips.
This is the same for veils - fold your veil on your hanger bar so it remains its shape and avoids creases.
Hack tip: cut some foam/ sponge pads into rectangles to use as cushions for your clip hangers.
Reference: Amazon
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Professional Alterations: If needed, have your dress altered by a professional seamstress. Proper alterations ensure that your gown fits you like a glove, enhancing both comfort and aesthetics. A good tip on finding a good wedding gown seamstress is checking their portfolio of wedding gown alterations they've done. Not all seamstresses are experienced to alter bridal gowns.
Bride Jennifer had minor alterations done to loosen up the hips of her Saravine gown, so that it achieves the perfect column look she was going for.
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Professional Press: This is optional as most alterations/ bridal studios will press and pack your gown for you when you take it home, but this is likely available in your local city if you feel like there's a need for a further press before the big day to get rid of unwanted creases. You can also get a press done for your veil or opt to iron/ steam it yourself at home to save on costs!
At Bone and Grey Bridal, we always steam and slightly press your gown before we ship it however it may get creased on it's way to you!
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Avoid Makeup and Fragrances: When trying on your gown for fittings or final adjustments, refrain from using heavy makeup, lotions, or perfumes. These can leave unsightly stains or odors on the delicate fabric.
During the Wedding: Navigating the Big Day
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Makeup and hair first, then put on the gown: When getting ready, wear a button-down shirt or a robe. This prevents you from accidentally smudging makeup or damaging your hairstyle while putting on the gown.
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Assistance is Key: Enlist the help of a bridesmaid or a family member to assist you in putting on and bustling your gown. And don't be shy to ask your hair stylist if they could help you to put on the veil, this especially is helpful if your veil is a long one. They can ensure that the dress and veil are handled with care and secured properly.
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Mind Your Surroundings: Be conscious of your surroundings throughout the day. When sitting, make sure the area is clean and free of any potential stains. Also, consider a protective cloth to sit on when in transit to the ceremony and reception venues.
Optional: Get the seamstress to add on a bustle to your gown for easy movement around the venue(s) and for dancing the night away!
Bride Jennifer added a small bustle to the back of her Saravine gown, so she can easily move around for her first dance!
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Stain Preparedness: Accidents can happen, but being prepared can make all the difference. Have a stain removal kit on hand that's suitable for delicate fabrics. Test any stain removal methods on an inconspicuous area of the gown before attempting to remove a stain.
Hack tip: The Tide-to-go pen is our best kept secret. Bring one around with you to remove those small but annoying stains. It works on most stains and won't damage/ leave a stain on your gown if it's just a small stain. Make sure to spot test as always!
Reference: Amazon
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When the party ends, don't forget about your gown: As the night winds down and everyone is tired, do your future self a favour and hang that gown back up on a padded hanger inside a garment bag along with your veil. This way, it'll be safe and sound when you wake up and less for you to worry about the day after!
After the Wedding: Preserving Your Gown's Memories
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Professional Cleaning: Soon after the celebrations, have your gown professionally cleaned by a reputable cleaner experienced in handling wedding dresses. Delaying cleaning could allow stains to set in permanently. You can also choose to dry clean your veil as well but sometimes a quick hand-wash of your veil could do the trick!
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Choose the Right Storage: Store your gown in a cool, dry, and dark place to prevent discoloration and deterioration. Acid-free tissue paper can be used to stuff the bodice and sleeves to maintain their shape. Consider storing it in a preservation box designed to prevent yellowing.
Hack Tip: All of our gowns come in acid-free tissue papers and our Bone and Grey keepsake box which you can use to store the gown for years to come!
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Avoid Plastic Bags: Refrain from using plastic bags for long-term storage, as they can trap moisture and promote mildew growth. Opt for breathable garment bags instead.
Optional: All of our gowns come with a hand-washable garment bag which you can use to store your gown, or to carry your gown around. You can also choose to purchase your own of a different kind (the one below even has shoe pockets).
Reference: Amazon
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Regular Inspections: Periodically check on your gown to ensure it's still in good condition. Don't over complicate it though, once a year inspection should be more than enough! Gently refold it along different lines to prevent permanent creases from forming in one spot.
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Consider Preservation Services: If you wish to preserve your gown as a keepsake, look into professional preservation services. They will carefully clean, mend, and package your gown in a way that safeguards it for years to come.
An alternative to just storing your gown away: We offer Forever More, our bespoke tailoring service that works to evolve your wedding gown into a wearable everyday piece. We want your gown to be more than a single-event purchase, and one that you can continuously feel beautiful in for days to come - learn more here!
Congratulations from all of us at Bone and Grey Bridal! ❤️❤️❤️
We're so happy you came by our blog and we hope these tips were useful for preparing for your big day, make sure to bookmark this blog post in case you want to refer back to this. Oftentimes we're so busy preparing for the big day that we forget there's work to be done during and after the wedding too!
Your wedding gown is a symbol of a beautiful chapter in your life. By taking care of it before, during, and after your wedding day, you're not only preserving the physical garment but also the cherished memories that come with it. Follow our steps above to ensure that your gown remains as timeless and elegant as the day you walked down the aisle.
If you have questions about our gowns or need help with sizing, don't hesitate to Instagram DM us or WhatsApp us for a quicker response.
With all our love,
Bone and Grey Bridal Team
