[kgentz13]

Anyone know the cheapest way to preserve a wedding gown? Is it possible to do something on your own or do I need to have it done professionally? I really love my dress but can't afford to spend $150 on this...any suggestions? Thanks!!

[phlack]

My wife hocked hers.

Hey, she isn't going to wear it again, and we have no room to keep it!

-Mike

[nibblesaurus]

I kept mine, sent it off to wedclean, paid the $150 w/ insurance, etc. etc. But only because i'm a sentimental fool. Hopefully on my 25th and 50th anniv's I'll be able to pull that badboy back out and still have the same charm I did on my wedding day. .

Mine got *extremely* dirty and from walking on the beach in mine, salt water/sand/seaweed got in the bottom part of it. It was disgusting. I also danced like a maniac so let's not even start on the "sweaty"-ness of it. ugh. Mine would have turned yellow from the wear on the day alone, not the exposure to air. Something to consider.

[QueenAngie]

My wedding gown has been in that special dry cleaner's box for 24 years.

It was beeeee-utiful too, on the cover of Bride's Magazine,
and made me feel like a princess!

Bye, the bye....I am not the same size as when I was married, either. !

[kgentz13]

Thanks for your replies...I really do want to keep it, so if anyone has more ideas about preserving it cheap I'd love to hear them. I'm considering having my mom clean it, but what about storage? Thanks again.

[tightwad]

I had my gown professionally preserved but that was 17 years ago - it cost $50 then. I had heard that you shouldn't open the box to keep it preserved so there it sat with the box in a bag for 10 years. Then I was watching People's Court one day and saw an episode where a bride had gotten her gown professionally preserved and when she opened it up later, discovered it wasn't her gown! So I got all paranoid and got mine down and tore open the bag and discovered that the box had a window in it where you can see the gown - and it was mine - .

[phlack]

Originally Posted by tightwad

I had my gown professionally preserved but that was 17 years ago - it cost $50 then. I had heard that you shouldn't open the box to keep it preserved so there it sat with the box in a bag for 10 years. Then I was watching People's Court one day and saw an episode where a bride had gotten her gown professionally preserved and when she opened it up later, discovered it wasn't her gown! So I got all paranoid and got mine down and tore open the bag and discovered that the box had a window in it where you can see the gown - and it was mine - .

The window makes sense.

I was wondering what the point was of preserving it if you can't open the box to look at it!

-Mike

[Jorelanu]

Mine is sealed in this plastic coffin looking thing with a window for viewing. My grandmother hand-made the dress for my aunt who had it professionally preserved. We opened it many years later, had it cleaned, the hem altered and I wore it for my wedding. My aunt went ahead and had it professionally preserved again (no clue on cost) simply because you cannot replace this dress as it is completely hand-done.

Dunno if it will ever be worn again by my kids, doubtful as both seem to have gotten their bone structure from their father and will most likely not be teeny tiny 90lb girls when they get married.

Jore

[Jusk]

When I got married my sister offered me the dress that she had worn about 5 years earlier. She never cleaned it and it was in a box. The entire bottom of the dress was filthy. You could tell what types of food was served even. The top of the dress and the veil were still great and intact. Off I went to a bridal shop and bought my own dress. My sister told me to throw hers out because she didnt even want me to pay postage to send it back since it was destroyed. I couldnt stand to throw it away so I stored it. 10 years later when she had her first child, I took the dress out and started cutting....I made a christening gown out of it. I used the detail in the sleeve to make the neck line....there was plenty of good fabric for the long flowing dress. The many covered buttons and loops was the back closure. The lining made the little slip. The nice part was that the wonderful detail in the headpiece became the bonnet. I only had to buy some very narrow satin ribbon to make a bow for the front of the gown. A few years later when I had a daughter.....she wore the dress for her christening and my sister is her godmother so that was very special. Before you decide to throw out a "ruined" dress.....think of the possibilities of what else you could do with it.

Mary

[notatenanine]

How about this for an idea on what to do with it. Have it turned into a christianing gown...if you believe it that.

I had this done..my daughter looked so cute in my wedding gown..tailored down to her size of course! The baby had a train on her gown that put Princess Dianas gown to shame!


ahhh how about I read all the post before hand..