We are so sorry you’ve had to put everything on hold and we understand how hard it is to have to suddenly change all your plans and dreams for your big day.  Many of you have been asking for advice on storing your dress – So here are our top tips to keep your wedding dress looking as clean and fresh as possible while you wait for your new date.

(All of this still applies after your wedding day if you want to keep your dress safe and sound, too.)

Don’t forget – love is not cancelled – you will have your day.

The Best Way to Hang Your Wedding Dress

 ALWAYS hang your dress by the hanging loops – these ribbon loops are usually inside the dress, under the arms on the side seam, some dresses have one at the centre back of the dress too.   Pop the hanging loops around the hanger so that they take the weight of the dress instead of the straps. This is especially important if you have a lace or tulle wedding dress, as it prevents any stretching caused by the weight of the dress.  If your dress has a lace top section or lacy shoulder/straps its ok to leave these hanging down (much better than risking them stretching out of shape on the hanger)

If your dress has a train allow this to hang down into the bottom of the bag.  It’s ok if it folds over at the bottom.  This is better than hanging the train up by the ribbon onto the coat hanger (which could cause creasing on the train which is sometimes tricky to remove)

If hanging your wedding dress full-length isn’t practical, it may also be worth investing in a special storage box or laying it out flat.(Check out our blog on how to pack and store your dress in a box)

We always recommend getting your wedding dress professionally cleaned and packed if you’re planning to store it long-term after the wedding. Just make sure you always use acid-free tissue as packing material. 

We understand the temptation to keep on taking a sneaky peek from time to time.  Dreaming about the day to come -But do take care to keep your gown away from strong sunlight (which can bleach/discolour the material).  

Even while we’re all being extra careful about washing our hands lots, your fingers still have natural oils in the skin, and over time excessive caressing of that gorgeous fabric can take its toll.  Not to mention prying eyes and sticky fingers.

Wherever you’re storing your wedding dress, you should aim for the Goldilocks effect.  Not to hot.  Not too warm, and of course never every damp.   Keep away from radiators, draughts, damp.  We suggest a spare room, on top of a cupboard, behind a door but never ever in the loft or attic.  

You should always keep your dress in the breathable gown cover you collected it from us in.   There is usually plastic sleeve inside to protect the dress during transport, but ideally you should take this off to give the dress chance to breathe within the bag.  If you do not have a gown cover we do have some available instore.

Keeping Your Wedding Dress Fresh

Remember that fabrics (especially the delicate ones) do absorb smells, so always store your wedding dress away from the kitchen and any food odours.  

As much as we all love our fur babies, pet hairs can be really difficult to remove from fabrics and of course no bride wants her dress to smell of her favourite pooch.  

And once you’ve worn the dress, get it professionally dry-cleaned asap after the wedding. The sooner this is done, the better the result.  Our go to cleaners are Newmans, who always do an amazing job with our dresses.  

Have a quick check of your home’s contents insurance policy or wedding insurance (if you have it) so you know exactly what’s covered if the worst happens while it’s being stored and check that you cover is extended to your new wedding date. 

Last but certainly not least, if you haven’t already had your wedding dress altered, make sure we know about your new wedding date and have it in our diary.

The effects of the pandemic will mean that next year alteration season will be pretty hectic for us, so get in early and make sure you’re top priority.  We suggest booking your first fitting at least 4 months before the wedding day.  

thank you for reading and please let us know if you have any questions we haven’t covered here.