My wedding dress was the prettiest dress I have ever owned. I truly felt like a princess in it and wish I could have worn it for more than one day. Let's face it though - when will you ever wear your wedding dress again? Probably never - but you spend so much money on it and it is very special to you because of what it symbolizes - well how do you preserve that?
Well, I had a great idea. I was going to take it to the local cleaners and get it cleaned, pressed and boxed - $225 later my husband freaked and asked why we couldn't try Zoots. I waited some time and I went to a local bridal consignment store in Glastonbury, CT - Brides To Be - a great place by the way... I asked what they suggested because they have dresses cleaned all of the time. She suggested the cleaners I had went to - Neet Cleaners on Main Street in Glastonbury. She told me to only get the dress cleaned - why spend the money to get it pressed when you are going to fold it up and put it in a box. Makes sense right... Then the best part of this story, she asked if I needed a box. She had extras in the back room and to buy one from the cleaners was around $100. She just saved me quite a bit of money and gave me invaluable advice...
My mom brought my dress in for me to be cleaned and then asked the owner of Neet Cleaners if she could have some acid free tissue and a bodice form so my mom could put it in the box. The owner told my mother to come in to the store with the box and she helped her box it all up and then gave my mother further advice on how to better preserve the dress. So, not only did I save a ton of money, it was still boxed professionally and I was given advice on how to make my wedding dress a family heirloom. Before I get into that I want to recap a few very important points.
1. Go to a reputable cleaners. Regardless if you are going to wear the dress again or not - it still cost a lot of money and you are paying to try and make it last.
2. Only get your dress cleaned and NOT pressed - remember why bother you are putting it in a box.
3. Go to a local bridal shop and see if they have any extra dress boxes, this could save you at least $100.
Now for the best advice... So let's face it, as much as you love your wedding dress - chances are you are not going to wear it again and as much as you would like to think your daughter may want to someday, that is not likely. Well the owner of the cleaners suggested that when I have a baby, I use the material from my wedding dress to make a christening gown. She said there was one that has been brought in to be cleaned and every time a child in the family was baptized in the gown they sowed the babies name into the inside so it truly became a family heirloom. She also suggested making a first communion gown for a daughter that you could pass on as well. What a great idea and what a way to pass your dress on and it could be a son or daughter who wears the christening gown.
For me, I just got married in November and being so sentimental I cannot think about cutting up my dress just yet. I will however keep it in mind when the day for a baby christening gown comes my way. What great ideas!
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