We all know that prior to your wedding you are handling your gown with kid gloves. It's either tucked away neatly in a garment bag or wrapped and hanging carefully in a plastic cover. Certainly it's not crumpled up on your bedroom floor! But what about AFTER your fabulous day? How do you clean and store it?
If you're me, and please keep in mind this was 37 years ago, you fold it neatly and wrap it up in a box. Trust me, it didn't work out so well! When I pulled my dress out some 10 years later it had yellowed so badly. I was devastated! I still have my veil even though it too had badly yellowed. 37 years later I still have something from that day that I cherish.
I want you to have the ability to have your dress many years later as you celebrate your anniversaries together. Whether you pull it out or not, it's the 'knowing it's there' that is the comfort.
Some of our secrets are :
Grease or wine stains: we liberally sprinkle baby powder on them as soon as we can. Let it sit overnight, shake the excess off and put the item in the wash or handwash the spot with the warmest water it can take. If it's taffeta, you can use hot water with no worries.
Wax: Lay brown paper on your ironing board, place the affected area on top and then a layer of brown paper over the spot. Place a dry hot iron. As you see the paper absord the wax keep moving to a fresh spot on the paper until there is no visible wax residue transferring onto the brown paper. Keep the spot warm and liberally sprinkle baby powder on it. Follow the instructions above.
We hope this is helpful!
For more tips on how to care for your dress post celebration here's a great article from Colin Cowie:
It should be stored in a porous garment bag in a climate-controlled environment, away from direct sunlight and heat, ideally in a closet or under a bed. If your gown had been soiled, it is recommended that you bring your gown in to the experts because the longer you take to address the stain, the more chance the stain will have to oxidize, making it more difficult to remove.
Want to learn more about preserving your wedding gown? Click here to see the rest of our interview with Madame Paulette and get a discount code for their Stain Removal Kit.
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