Is Wedding Dress Preservation Worthy? A Comprehensive Guide

A wedding dress is one of a bride’s most expensive outfits. After sifting through multiple boutiques and trying on several dresses, you have chosen the best outfit for your special day. However, many brides end up storing their wedding dresses in a closet. 

What they don’t understand is that wedding dresses are made up of delicate fabrics and prone to damage, especially if stored improperly without cleaning. Environmental factors like UV light, dust particles, and stains from food and wine can lead to discoloration and yellowing. Here is where wedding dress preservation comes into play.

What is wedding dress preservation?

Wedding dress preservation is the process of cleaning and preserving your wedding gown in a preservation chest box made of sturdy, acid-free material. The preservation chest has a UV-coated display window that helps protect your gown from UV light and prevents discoloration.

Unlike regular dry cleaners, professional wedding dress preservation experts use state-of-the-art fabric cleaning technology, like SYSTEMK4. They use gentle cleaners and follow a custom action plan to eliminate all kinds of stains from your dress and preserve its beauty for years to come.

What are the benefits of wedding dress preservation?

Wedding dress preservation is a significant investment, as it helps:

• Prevent discoloration and yellowing: Prolonged exposure to UV rays can cause wedding dress fabric to break down. Not only can this cause fabric deterioration but also lead to fading and discoloration. The longer the exposure, the more discoloration occurs.

However, when you opt for wedding dress preservation, your dress is stored in a UV-coated box made of acid-free material. This can help prevent fabric discoloration and yellowing.

• Safeguard delicate fabrics: Heat and humidity lead to fabric oxidation. Delicate fabrics like silk are prone to mold and mildew growth, especially when they come in contact with heat and humidity. That is why storing your wedding gown in a room with a temperature below 75℉ and a humidity level below 65% is recommended. 

When you preserve a wedding dress, it helps prevent fabric oxidation by storing the kit in temperature and humidity controlled spaces. This can also help prevent mold and mildew growth.

• Prevent stains from setting in: When you store your wedding dress without cleaning, various types of stains can permanently set into the fabric, further leading to fabric deterioration and yellowing. 

However, a professional wedding dress preservation company inspects your dress thoroughly, cleans each stain, regardless of its type, and then preserves it in a preservation kit. This can protect your dress from stains that can otherwise permanently set into the fabric. 

• Preserve sentimental value: For many brides, their wedding dress holds significant sentimental value. It’s a tangible reminder of one of the happiest days of their lives. 

Preserving a wedding dress allows you to keep that memory alive and even pass it down to future generations as a family heirloom. Whether you want to keep it as a family heirloom or simply as a cherished keepsake, preservation ensures that your dress remains in pristine condition.

• Potential for future use: While you may not plan to wear your wedding gown soon in the future, you can wear the same gown on your anniversary to relive the moment. And if you don’t want to wear it again, you can either create a christening gown for your little princess or dye it into a different color to change its looks.

No matter what you choose to do with your wedding gown after the wedding, it is only possible if you have preserved your gown and maintained its original beauty. 

Is wedding gown preservation worthy?

Cost Versus Benefit

Preservation of a wedding dress may sound expensive at first glance, but if compared to the cost of the dress itself and the emotional value of the gown, it is usually a worthy investment. Preservation helps to maintain the gown in the best condition possible without having to incur other costs of restoration.

Long-Term Considerations

While some people may consider their wedding dress as a product that can only be used once, preservation may not be very relevant. However, if you consider the dress as a memento or something that can be passed down to the next generation, then it should be preserved. It’s not about owning a dress; it’s about preserving a part of your life.

Should You Preserver or Not: The Bottom Line

A wedding dress tends to be expensive, and it is worth investing in wedding gown preservation. Not only does it help preserve your wedding gown and the sentimental value and memories it holds but also allows you to pass it to your future generations as a family heirloom.

Whether you have taken vows several years ago or said ‘I do’ a few weeks ago, preserving your wedding gown is beneficial. However, whether you should go for preservation or not depends on your choice – the ultimate decision rests on how you view your gown’s future role in your life and family.