How to Store Your Wedding Dress

It is a common practice to store your wedding dress after the big day so you can have it as a keepsake throughout your life. With the right storage techniques, your perfect bridal gown can last through the generations and become a cherished family heirloom. Read on to learn how to store your wedding dress.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• White sheet
• Acid-free tissue paper
• Sturdy padded hanger
• Wedding dress

1. Clean your dress as soon as possible after the wedding. Do not allow stains a chance to set in the fabric and possibly leave a permanent mark.
2. Wrap the bridal gown in acid-free tissue paper. Normal tissue paper contains residual acids from the manufacturing process which may leach into the fabric of your dress and cause damage.
3. Stuff any shaped or fitted parts of your wedding dress with more acid-free tissue paper to help retain the shape and prevent creasing. Creasing stretches the fibers in your dress, and over time, may permanently mar the fabric of your gown.
4. Decide whether you are going to hang your wedding dress or store it in a box. If you use a box, make sure to use acid-free cardboard boxes. Otherwise, wrap the dress in a clean white sheet.
5. Store your wedding dress in a climate controlled storage area. Avoid storing your gown in places that experience extremes in temperature.
6. Keep your wedding gown away from direct sunlight. Solar radiation causes most fabrics to bleach and break down over time.
7. Check on your wedding dress every couple of months. Make sure that the straps and other pieces of the dress are not stretching or deforming with age.

Tips & Warnings

• Excess humidity is another thing to keep away from your wedding gown in storage. Moisture tends to lessen the lifespan of fabric in storage.
• If you notice stains developing on your dress while it is in storage, take it to a professional dry cleaner immediately.
• Do not store your wedding dress in hot or damp environments. Heat and humidity quickly rot the fabric.