How To Preserve Your Wedding Gowns

Your wedding gown was only worn once. If you take as much care in preserving your dress as you did in choosing it, it can be enjoyed as a family heirloom for generations to come.

1. Get the dress to the cleaner as soon as possible after your wedding. Select a professional dry cleaner, preferably one that specializes in formal gowns. Ensure that your cleaner can give your dress the best care possible.
2. Purchase space saver bags at your local home store.
3. After purchasing your space saver bags, open the large one with the zipper provided at the top of the plastic space bag. Gently, insert your precious wedding gown, then veil.
4. Once your wedding gowns and veil are zipped up inside the space saver vacuum bag, take off the top of the black hole where the vacuum will be placed on. Now, turn on your vacuum and let the suctioning begin.
5. When it looks like all the air has been suctioned out of your space saver bag, remove the vacuum from the hole and replace with the black top to keep the air out. This is what your wedding gown and veil should look like with air suctioned out.
6. Store your gown in a cool, dry, space with little light. Basements are generally a bad place to keep textiles because of the moisture, and attics are often extremely hot in summer. A guest room closet is ideal.
7. Check the dress's condition each year.