Your wedding dress will need some tender loving care after your wedding. Your gown will look more loved and worn after your wedding. From taking photos outdoors to dancing the night away or even just hopping in and out of cars, it’s inevitable. Restoring the gown to its former glory is not difficult. Gavin Evans has over 34 years of experience as the director of one of Perth’s leading dry cleaners. He believes that choosing a retailer with high-quality gown fabrics is key to achieving success in your wedding dress.
Before the Big Day
Care for your wedding dress begins even before you get married – once you’ve picked it up at the store or designer. Evans says that you should only cover the gown in a nonwoven wedding bag or natural fabrics like cotton or linen. The gown should never be stored in plastic as it encourages the buildup of acidity, which can lead to oxidization. Placing the gown in a plastic bag will also result in yellowing due to the chemical reaction between the fabric and the chemicals within the bag. Evans’ advice for brides with less than one year until their wedding is to hang the gown up. This will help prevent creases that are difficult to remove. Evans advises that you hang up your silk, rayon, viscose, or acetate gown within three months. “Longer periods might require a gown-box with acid-free tissues; however, that will mean you will have to press your gown before the big day.”
The Day itself
Allowing your bridesmaids to help you with your wedding gown can be a great idea. Avoid
Evans suggests that your bridesmaids lift the train from the ground before the ceremony and between photo shoots to avoid an unsightly dirty edge. This will minimize the time it spends collecting dirt. Keep away from naked flames. “Guests congratulating each other can easily knock over a candle on the table,” he says. Evans says that at the end of it all, the wedding is about having fun. He even confirms that the majority of gowns his team and he works on will have some makeup or soiling around their train. He continues, “In wet conditions, we often receive nearly black train bottoms. We sometimes see torn or ripped tulle. Occasionally, we find tears in the bustle. Or stilettos holes. But the biggest challenge is spilled drinks that transfer onto the gown. He says that while these situations are not a problem for most, the biggest challenge comes when drinks spill onto a concrete surface and stain the train. Even in the absence of concrete flooring, metals from shoes that have been walked on bitumen or gravel can transfer to the reception area, especially on wet days. Alcohol will help transfer elements from the car fabric to the train fabric.
The Restoration Process
Even if you think your dress is in pristine condition, it may still have hidden stains. This is where the professionals come in. It is important to have your wedding gown professionally cleaned if you want it to stay as white as the Day of the wedding. This will prevent discoloration or holes over time. The expert warns that even an invisible stain from sugar or salt can oxidize quickly or over time at high temperatures. The area will become yellow, then rusty, and eventually, holes will appear.
Evans says that when a bride takes her gown to be dry cleaned, the experts will assess many things, including its age. He says that the checklist begins with the bride’s details. “[From here, we] identify any soiling or damage that could be problematic. We also examine potential damage from servicing. We advise on what the gown will look like and explain packaging options.
It’s good to know that your dress will look like new after it has been professionally cleaned. So, it’s worth leaving it to professionals. Evans warns brides to stay away from any DIY remedies for accidental spills, including those on the wedding day. This is to prevent doing more damage than good to their dress. He agrees that if the wrong treatment is applied to a stain, it can cause permanent damage. You can try dabbing tap water – and not soda – on the stain before you send your gown to the experts.
Evans recalls a restoration from two years back that was particularly impressive. A fifty-five-year-old gown that had oxidization stains was brought into the store. It was fully recovered and preserved despite its age. Your wedding day is about spending time with those you love, and in particular, that special person. You can rest assured that your dress will be restored to its original condition by professionals, allowing you to “have the most amazing day ever!”