Wedding Dress Preservation

Planning Tips

Wedding Dress Preservation

Q. How do I store my wedding gown once the big day is over?

A. It may not be in the forefront of your mind while planning your nuptials, but securing a plan to keep your dress intact after the celebration is something to consider.

With eight locations throughout the Phoenix metro area, Prestige Preservation is the go-to spot for preserving your dress after the party. Wedding gown preservationist and restoration specialist Tina Nilsen oversees an affordable, precise preservation process, just one step below museum-level preservation. She recommends bringing in the dress within two weeks after the wedding for the first inspection, during which they look for stains, damage, missing beads, etc. From there, they start the cleaning process, which includes five more inspections before preserving the gown with a harmless, odorless gas. The goal is to keep the dress wearable and fit to be passed down from generation to generation.

Really, it’s about preserving that family history,” says Nilsen. “Think of how much it means if someone can hand you your great-grandmother’s wedding gown—even if you never wear it. It means something just to be able to see, touch and feel it.”

Get more from Arizona Bride! Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.