PHOTOGRAPHER | Lucy Munoz

So, What Exactly Goes into Gown Preservation?

It’s a process! Before the gown is preserved it has to be cleaned. Because of the intricate details and delicate fabrics, cleaning a wedding gown is different than cleaning a regular garment, even different from cleaning most cocktail dresses. It is important that wherever you choose to take your gown specializes in cleaning wedding gowns, specifically. Your gown should have a care label sewn somewhere inside the dress (likely on the side seam towards the hem) that your cleaning specialist can refer to. Most gowns require spot cleaning, and each layer of fabric may require a different process, depending on the type of fabric and the fiber content. This is a meticulous process and it is done by hand, which is why it costs so much more than your average dry cleaning bill. To make sure that they address every stain, some companies even use a black light to find ones that may be invisible to the naked eye but would cause the gown to yellow over time. It is possible that your cleaning specialist may not be able to remove all of the stains, but they should let you know if that’s the case, so you’re not surprised years later.

After your gown is cleaned, the preservation specialist does a quality control inspection and makes minor repairs to the gown like re-sewing beads that have fallen off or mending small tears. Once your gown has been cleaned and repaired, it is treated with a special formula that protects it from mold and mildew. It is then folded placed in a keepsake archival box and wrapped with muslin or acid-free paper to prevent the creases from setting in. The box is sealed and it’s ready for you to take it home. The seal prevents the gown from being exposed to the air and microscopic particles that may be in it, so it is important to keep the gown sealed and in the box until you are ready to take it out for good.