Everything You Need to Know About Wedding Dress Preservation

After trying on countless different gowns, attending numerous fittings, and wearing it for what is arguably one of the most important days of your life, saying goodbye to your wedding dress once the nuptials are over can be a hard pill to swallow for many brides. Here's the good news: You don't have to! Today's brides have plenty of options for what to do with their wedding dresses after the big day. Some choose to donate or sell their gowns while others repurpose their dresses into lingerie or cocktail attire. Many women, however, want to simply hang on to that dress that represents so much love, happiness, and celebration.

That's why wedding dress preservation is so important. A wedding dress is usually intricately designed and extremely delicate, and it can't be cleaned like any other piece of clothing. Wedding dress cleaning and preservation are key to making sure your dress lasts a lifetime. If you choose not to preserve your wedding dress, you may risk yellowing of the fabric, brown oxidation spots, mold and mildew growth, and permanent fabric creasing.

To get the full picture on wedding dress preservation, we went straight the expert. Here, Jonathan Scheer, president and CEO of J. Scheer & Co., a company that specializes in conservation cleaning and preservation of wedding dresses, shares everything you need to know about the process.

What Is Wedding Dress Preservation?

Wedding dress preservation is a special cleaning and packaging process that is done to ensure the garment will retain its quality for years to come. According to Scheer, this is not as simple as dry cleaning the gown, putting it inside a box, and handing it back to the bride. "When I think of preservation, I think of a completely different standard," he explains. "Preservation means using materials appropriate for ensuring the long term physical and chemical stability of the fabric." This, he says, is done by using "highly specialized materials" that are typically acid free.

Once a dress has been properly cleaned and restored (Scheer's company, for example, will remove as many stains as physically possible and repair broken hems, beading, and more), it should be housed in an acid-free box and folded using special lofting tissues to support all folds and portions of the dress, like the skirt, sleeves, and bust. "We do all of these things so that the dress can be taken out of the box years later and there will not be creases," he explains.

Wedding Dress Preservation Cost

It's important to factor wedding dress preservation into your wedding budget. Ultimately, the cost of wedding dress preservation varies, but you should expect to pay anywhere from $250 to $1,000 for this service depending on where you're located and what level of work your gown requires.

Wedding Dress Preservation Versus Standard Dry Cleaning

There's a significant difference between standard dry cleaning and wedding dress preservation, Scheer explains, and it can be difficult to know what you're signing up for. "Any dry cleaner can stick a sign outside their window that says we specialize in wedding preservation," he explains. "For them, this typically means after cleaning the dress, putting it in a cardboard box, and stuffing it with paper that's typically acidic." Generally speaking, dry cleaners will not analyze the specific stains on your gown or make repairs—they'll follow a standard one-size-fits-all cleaning approach. Wedding dress preservation, on the other hand, begins with an experienced specialist's assessment. The specialist creates a unique treatment plan according to your dress fabric, stitching, and details.

There are, however, some dry cleaners who also offer specialized wedding dress cleaning. You can use them, but make sure to vet their process first. "My suggestion would be to ask a lot of questions," suggest Scheer. "Ask questions about training, how many dresses they handle each year, what kind of dresses, and how much overall experience they have. I would also ask if they warranty their work or if they can give you a reference to a designer or a store that can confirm their credentials that you say you have."

It's also important to get a clear picture of their cleaning process. Specifically, you'll want to find a dry cleaner that uses a solvent that is gentle and pure enough for a gown. Other solvents used for regular dry cleaning might contain impurities that can redeposit onto clothing and leave your wedding dress with a strange smell. Wedding dress cleaning and preservation should only be done with dry cleaners who specialize in cleaning gowns.

Wedding Dress Preservation Tips

First and foremost, know that wedding dress preservation should only be undertaken by a professional; this is not a DIY job or something that the average person can do at home. Next, read up on the following tips, which will ensure you know what to expect and that you're setting your preservationist up for success.

Stains—Both Visible and Invisible—Need to Be Addressed

Professional cleaners and preservationists are trained to spot the unseen. They'll be able to deal with any stains on your wedding dress, from the invisible to the visible. Did the bottom of your dress get dirty from your picture-perfect shots in a garden? Did someone slosh red wine on it during the reception? Did an overzealous aunt smudge her foundation on it when she came in for a hug? They'll create a treatment plan for each type of stain.

Most importantly, remember that "surface" stains are a bit of a misnomer. According to Scheer, "There are very few such things as surface stains. Most of the stains—aside from him heavy soils which are inorganic and pretty straightforward—have a water or liquid component to them that act as an accelerant to push the acids, alcohol, or sugars into the yarns and deep into the fibers of the dress. By the time we see these items, those things are not are no longer surface stains, which is part of the complexity of this work."

Time Is of the Essence

Professional cleaning is the first step in wedding dress preservation, and the sooner you can get the dress to a preservationist or the dry cleaners, the better. Brides leave for their honeymoon and wait weeks to take their dresses to be cleaned. By that time, stains may have had time to really set in.

The Preservation Box Should Not Be Sealed Airtight

Here's something that comes as a surprise to most brides: Your preserved wedding dress should not be stored in an airtight box. Many people will recommend that you never break the seal of the box, and if you do, that you have it preserved and sealed back up again; according to Scheer, this is contrary to everything expert clothing conservationists know to be true and a sign that you might not be dealing with a true pro. Anyone who doesn't want you to be able to examine their work should be a red flag.

"There is not a museum in the country that specializes in textiles like that would recommend sealing [a wedding dress] in an airtight environment," Scheer explains. "Our goal [with preservation] is to keep the dress in an environment that is stable and predictable. We do that by using a box that can be opened right and should be opened at least on a yearly basis."

Handle Your Wedding Dress With Care When You Do Open the Box

It should go without saying, but clean hands are a must when handling your cleaned and preserved wedding dress; Scheer always provides a pair of white cotton gloves that you can wear when assessing the garment each year, ensuring that oils from your hands don't discolor the fabric. Once you're done giving it a once over, be sure to repackage the garment with the acid-free materials that were originally used to loft it in place.

Store the Wedding Dress in a Cool, Dark Place

Once you receive your wedding dress back from your preservation specialist, be sure to store it in the appropriate place in your home. A basement or attic, says Scheer, is the wrong decision. Instead, choose a cool, dark place within your primary living quarters—the top shelf of your everyday closet is a great option. "Somewhere with a moderate temperature and moderate humidity is best," he adds.