Wedding Gown Cleaning & Preservation
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It's not easily visible when you view the photo (at left), but this 30 year old wedding gown had stains on the skirt before we cleaned and keepsaked the dress. Wedding gowns should always be cleaned as soon as possible after they are worn to remove soil from car doors, dirt and mud, food, drink, makeup, and other “stains” that have come in contact with the dress.

This dress sustained some damage in the cleaning process due to age and the condition of the fabric prior to cleaning. A wedding dress that is cleaned as soon as possible after the wedding should survive the cleaning process in good shape.

Looking good! The cleaned dress prior to keepsaking. Note that the bride (or maybe the groom!) stepped on the hem of the dress at some point on the wedding day.

The bodice of the dress has a form inserted to help the dress retain its shape. Acid free tissue paper is used to help prevent wrinkles and add further support to delicate fabric.

The photo at right shows the bust form being assembled.

Wedding dresses (and other garments such as baptismal gowns) that are keepsaked are placed in specially designed  boxes that are sealed to prevent contamination. 

The photo at left illustrates the sealing of the keepsake box seams.

In the photo at right, the box is being lined with acid free tissue in preparation for the dress.

The keepsake box ready to receive the dress. Wedding dresses can be placed in either a standard keepsake box or a deep pack box, used for dresses with long trains. Baptismal gowns and smaller items such as baby or toddler clothes can be placed in a smaller sized box.

The dress is placed on a hanger which is hung from a hook in the ceiling. The skirt of the dress is lowered into the box first and smoothed out (right)

Acid free tissue paper is placed over the skirt before the remainder of the dress is lowered into the box.

Care is taken as the dress is placed in the keepsake box to keep the fabric as smooth as possible (left.)  Layering acid free tissue paper over the dress as it is gently folded helps to preserve the fabric and keep wrinkles to a minimum.

The photo at the right shows the placement of acid-free tissue paper over the skirt of the dress.

Once the skirt of the dress is in the keepsake box, the bust form is inserted into the bodice of the dress (left.)  The bust form helps to prevent stretching and distortion of the shape of the dress. Typically, this part of a wedding dress will have the most decorative trim on it. The bust form also helps to prevent beads and other trim from being damaged during storage.

Note how the dress appears with the bust form inserted (right.) Acid free tissue paper is placed around the dress to hold it in place and sleeves are stuffed with the tissue paper to help them retain their shape.

At this point in the keepsaking process, we can add your wedding invitation, head-pieces, silk flowers or other items to the keepsake box. Whether or not to do this will depend upon the colors of these items, as dye transfer could occur in the storage process.  We will work with you on the best method to preserve your wedding memories.

A lid with an insert for viewing of the dress then is closed over the dress and sealed with tape. Sealing the dress in the box prevents contamination.

Another view of the sealing of the box (right.)  The keepsake boxes have an attached lid.

A close up of the completed keepsake (below left.)

Your wedding dress is a symbol of one of the most important events in your life. Preserve its original beauty by taking good care of it before, during and after the wedding. Liberty Cleaners recommends you pay special attention to the care label on dresses as you are shopping. Be sure to check the cleaning instructions for the trim on the dress. Trim that is glued on, rather than sewn, can come off during cleaning. Some beads and pearls can dissolve in cleaning.

Liberty can also clean heirloom gowns. Fabric that is old and/or yellowed takes extra time due to its delicate nature. Please allow plenty of time to have your dress cleaned prior to your wedding day.