Caring and Preserving Your Wedding Gown

You’ve gone to all the trouble to find the perfect wedding gown. It arrives a few days before the wedding, and yes, it is absolutely gorgeous. It looks exactly as you dreamed your bridal gown would and you can’t wait to show it off.

Time to get dressed! Hair and makeup ready, you stand up to slip into your dress and…oops! You got a little bit of lipstick of on the front as you slipped the dress into place. No problem; it is so small that no one would notice unless they knew it was there.

At the reception, everything is going well. Unfortunately, some of the champagne dripped on your dress and you have a little icing from the cake on your side. Top it all off with a few flecks of sauce on your skirt and your white dress is becoming pretty colorful. What to do next?

The answer is don’t panic. It happens to a lot of brides. Just ask your bridesmaids if the stains are obvious. If they are not, then forget about them for now and just enjoy your party. A few stains should not spoil your big day.

What about if they are obvious? Again, don’t panic. Just relax and try to blot, not rub, the area where the stain is with a clean white towel. Let the towel absorb as much of the grease, oil, or water that it can. That will immediately lighten the stain a little bit.

Of course, sometimes the stain may be too big and too bright. Instead of experimenting on the dress it may be a better idea for you and your groom to change into your departure or party outfits. This way, you can move more freely (no more heavy skirts and train) and really boogie.

Let the professionals take care of your dress. They are better able to deal with it. Don’t wait too long though before brining in your gown. The sooner the stain is attended to, the better the chances of it coming out. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your family to have this matter attended to while you are off on your honeymoon. You may want to personally speak to the dry cleaner but this is one of those instances where you need to trust someone else to do it for you.
To help you minimize the risk of stains at your wedding try the following:

• Use a deodorant that you are sure doesn’t stain on your clothes. A deodorant that is also an anti-perspirant usually works here.
• To help ensure that you don’t perspire too much, make sure that the venue of both your wedding and reception has adequate air conditioning.
• Take extra care when retouching your makeup. Shield your dress with a cloth or towel to prevent your lipstick or foundation from sticking to your gown.
• Ask someone to check that the seat of the bridal car is truly clean before you enter it. The last thing you want is to have stains from a chocolate bar the last occupant left behind.
• Move carefully around the food. Take care to lean over your plate so that any drips or crumbs land on the china and not on your gown.