Once you've walked the aisle, said your vows, cut the cake, and danced the night away, there's one more thing you'll need to do before you take the next step as a newlywed - clean your wedding dress!
Okay, I know it's not as exciting as a champagne toast, but it's way more important if you want to preserve your wedding gown.
Here are some top tips and things to keep in mind when cleaning and preserving your wedding dress:
1. Get your dress cleaned as soon as possible after the wedding day or you'll risk having spots and stains set into the fabric.
2. If you take your dress to a professional cleaner, clarify which processes they offer and which is best for you: standard dry-cleaning, specialized wedding dress cleaning, or wedding dress preservation. The latter is a much more detail-oriented process, but will guarantee your gown withstands time.
3. Some stains like champagne, white wine, sugar, and sweat might not be visible at first, but can lead to discoloration over time. Professional cleaners can spot such stains and even pick out small stains in areas like the hem that you may overlook.
4. Check the label for any specific directions it might have, like which solvent to use. Make sure the cleaner knows this before they begin cleaning and/or preserving the gown.
5. For red wine stains, mix a little white vinegar with water and a drop of liquid detergent, and dab the spot with a sponge.
6. Dab a little vodka on lipstick stains for a quick fix.
7. Never use bleach on your gown, as it is too harsh and can damage the fabric.
8. If you want to DIY clean, remember to wear white cotton gloves and use a soft-bristled toothbrush on the fabric. Mind any beading or 3-D embellishments. For more in-depth DIY wedding dress cleaning tips, check out Wedding Bee's article.
