Caring for your wedding dress

Once your big day is over you will need to care and store your wedding dress properly so it stays in perfect condition. The last thing you want after spending a fortune on your wedding gown is to leave it to get ruined.
Caring for your wedding dress starts as soon as you wear it. Make sure you have plenty of helpers around you to fetch, carry and help you when you need it. Do not apply any make-up when wearing your dress. Check the forecast for the weather to ensure you take precautions if required.
If you are changing outfits after the ceremony then trust one of your family members or a friend to arrange for the dress to be professionally cleaned. Before doing this you must research all dry cleaners in your area to see if they are equipped for cleaning wedding gowns. To ensure you get the best possible results from the cleaning, provide the professional cleaner with all the care instructions that came with the dress. Once the dress has been professionally cleaned then make sure it is suitably stored away. You might only wear your beautiful wedding gown for one day, but the importance of it will last a lifetime.
Once the gown has been collected from the cleaners, carefully prepare the dress for storage. Under no circumstances must you cover the dress in plastic and hang it in the wardrobe, as any sort of plastic or PVC cover will ruin the dress over time. Remove any pins and hangers and carefully wrap the dress in acid free tissue paper. Wherever there is a fold in the dress ensure there is a sheet of tissue. Once wrapped in tissue ensure you pack it in an acid free box. Make sure the box is bigger than required so the dress is not squashed.
Store the box in a dark dust free area where there is sufficient air circulation. Do not store the box in a garage or unheated loft space as it will be prone to damp setting in.