Wedding Gown Care Tips

Few pieces of clothing hold quite the significance that a wedding dress does. More than just a pretty dress for a special occasion, a wedding gown is a symbol the love, commitment, and relationship that you share with your partner, and it's also a reminder of the joyous occasion of the day you officially tied the knot. With all the meaning wrapped up in your wedding gown, it's critical to take great care of it – and as world class dry cleaners & clothing care experts serving the San Rafael area, we at A Touch of Class wanted to give you the best tips for caring for your wedding gown.

​Before the Big Day

​Most professionals will recommend starting to shop for a wedding gown at least 6 months before thee big day – and we second that advice. It's critical to give yourself enough time to find a design, fabric, material, and style that you like, and even then, you'll need time for any alterations. If you're using an heirloom gown from a relative, you'll need to leave ample time to have the dress professionally cleaned and altered to fit you.

After Wedding Care

​You may think that after the wedding is over, your work is done – but that couldn't be farther from the truth! Unless you're planning to toss your wedding dress, you'll need to act fast to keep it in good shape. Often, wedding gowns can accumulate stains – even invisible ones – from food, sweat, champagne, or bodily oils, and the faster you clean the stains out, the less likely they are to set in permanently. Have your wedding dress professionally cleaned as soon as possible after the wedding to ensure it lasts as long as it should.

​How to Store a Wedding Dress Long Term

​After having the dress cleaned, you'll need to store it carefully to preserve it for posterity. Our recommendation is to leave it to the pros and let us store the gown in a purpose built storage box – that's the best way to protect it from the elements and keep it looking beautiful for a lifetime. However, if you opt to store it yourself, you'll need to make sure to stuff the bodice with tissue paper to prevent wrinkling. If you plan to hang your gown, we'd recommend sewing straps to the gown waistline to prevent damage, as the weight of the dress can destroy the shoulders over time. No matter how you store it, be sure to store it in a cool, dark, dry place, and only use pure white materials to cover or stuff it – dye can transfer to the dress and ruin its color.

Professional Dry Cleaning in San Rafael, CA

Of course, if you really want the best for your wedding gown, nothing beats professional care. A Touch of Class has been serving the San Rafael area with world-class laundry, dry cleaning, and laundry valet service for years, and we'd be happy to give your wedding dress nothing less than the royal treatment. Call us today at (415) 453-8620 to find out more about our wedding dress cleaning service and make sure your dress looks dazzlingly beautiful at your wedding and for years afterwards. We can't wait to hear from you!