TIPS ON PRESERVING A WEDDING DRESS

A wedding day-what a pretty picture. Imagine a smiling bride, walking down the aisle with love and affection in her eyes and totally oblivious to the fact that her dress is hideous. Not any fault of her own, of course. But it seems her Aunt who lent her the wedding dress did not carefully preserve the item. By the day of that young woman's wedding, the dress was yellow, creased and smelt of mold.

Maybe that's a horrific exaggeration but it does impress upon brides to be the need to preserve the wedding dress. Even if you're borrowing a dress politely and subtly inquire to its owner as to the gown's condition and whereabouts. Preserving your dress is important.





What Can Happen To A Stored Wedding Dress
True, if the gown is bagged up and protected then you won't be getting any wine stains on it. But you still need to pay close attention to preserving the shape, color and texture of the dress. You must protect it from yellowing, permanently creasing, oxidation spots, dust, and mold or mildew as well as light damage.





Ways To Ensure A White Bride
To guard your dress against yellowing, remove the dress from the plastic bag and have it professionally cleaned and treated. Preserve it in an acid free environment. Protecting your gown from creasing involves storing it in an acid-free board as opposed to a box, and refolding it every 2-3 years. However, an even better idea is to store the gown in an acid free bag, which will not require any folding or maintenance. Either boxing or bagging your gown will protect it from dust, light damage and mold or mildew production. (Make sure it is completely dry before storing it) Oxidation spots do show up within a year or two, and the sooner you discover there from regular inspections, the easier they will be to treat. Finally, keep your dress in a climate-controlled atmosphere. No freezing or excessively hot temperatures, as the conditions could damage the dress.

Keep your purchased wedding gown clean and spotless to preserve the memory of a lifetime-and perhaps even to pass the dress down to your child someday. If someone is offering to lend you her wedding dress, then make sure to get a close look at it before you say, "I will."