Tips for Transporting Your Wedding Dress

It's a good idea to hang your wedding dress as soon
as you arrive at your destination 

Here are some practical tips on how to successfully transport your wedding dress ahead of your destination wedding.

Often transporting a wedding dress or gown is a dilemma realised last minute during a destination wedding bride’s planning schedule. Planning ahead not only reduces pre-wedding stress but can also save you time and money.

There are a number of considerations when preparing to transport your wedding dress to your destination wedding location. How will you transport it (eg. with you, by courier or with someone else)? When will you transport it (at the same time you travel or before)? How should you handle your wedding dress before and after your wedding ceremony?

OPTIONS FOR TRANSPORTING YOUR WEDDING DRESS

• Travelling with your dress

Given that a bride’s wedding dress is one of the key elements of the big day, many brides prefer the sense of security gained from personally transporting their dress to the wedding location. The challenges faced depend on the mode of transport. Destination wedding brides often fly to their wedding locations which can pose a problem. 

It’s recommended you contact your airline/s to check their policy regarding the transporting of a wedding dress as hand luggage.  Some will allow you to bring a suitably packed wedding dress on board and stow it away safely during the flight for no extra charge. Others may demand that the dress travel as checked luggage which may or may not incur extra costs.

If you’re travelling to your wedding destination by car, pack your wedding dress in its own box or suitcase using the packing guidelines below. Just be sure that the box or suitcase is out of the way of heavier items and that there is no chance of anything spilling or leaking onto it. Alternatively, you can simply leave your wedding dress in its bag and either hang or drape it loosely over the top of all other luggage in the car for the journey.

Travel by ship to your wedding location is relatively easy since you’ll have less space restrictions than air or car travel. Either pack your dress into its own suitcase or carry it on board in its protective bag following the packing guidelines that follow. If your wedding will take place aboard the ship, or in port en-route, you can utilise the ship’s own dry cleaning services to have your dress prepared for your ceremony. It’s a good idea to book this service prior to travel so that dry cleaning staff can include it in their work schedule.

• Shipping your dress

Shipping your dress to your wedding location ahead of time can be a great alternative to taking it with you on your journey. The most important things to keep in mind when shipping your wedding dress are:

·         ship your dress well ahead of time, being sure to allow for any extra time required for possible customs inspection, public holidays and transport delays;

·         have your wedding dress insured so in the event of it being lost, you can be compensated and;

·         ship your wedding dress to a responsible person who will care for it ahead of your arrival, and deliver it to you safe and sound in time before the ceremony.

• Sending your dress with someone else

With a trusted friend, family member or member of your wedding party taking responsibility for transporting your wedding dress, you can have peace of mind that it will arrive at your destination in safe hands. Be sure to brief them on any special instructions on handling the dress after arrival.

PACKING YOUR WEDDING DRESS

By far the best way to transport a wedding dress is in the protective gown bag it comes in. To further protect the dress and any delicate embellishments, it’s a good idea to place uncoloured, acid-free tissue paper around key areas such as the bodice.

If you need to pack the wedding dress into a confined space such as a box or suitcase, place layers of uncoloured, acid-free tissue paper in between each fold and around all embellished areas. This will reduce the formation of wrinkles and protect delicate embellishments.

Check with your wedding dress retailer or dressmaker if they are able to pack the dress for you since they will have expertise in how to protect any vulnerable areas. If they don’t offer this service, ask if they can at least provide guidance on how to best pack and transport your wedding dress since special fabrics and materials will need different treatment.

PREPARING YOUR DRESS FOR THE CEREMONY

Once your dress is safely at your wedding location, it’s time to get it ready for the main event, the wedding ceremony. As soon as the dress arrives on location it should be hung to help relax any wrinkles. If you can arrange a professional dry cleaning service to press the dress once it arrives this is ideal and frees you up for other pre-wedding activities.

Alternatively, you can hang your dress in a steam-filled bathroom (simply run a hot shower for a few minutes until the room is very steamy) being sure the dress is clear of any puddles of water, bathroom products etc. The success you will have will vary depending on the fabric, but many brides have been successful using this method. If wrinkles persist, you can also use a portable steamer (either brought with you or borrowed from hotel reception if they have one) to gently ease out any creases. Be sure to use a clean cloth in between the steamer and your dress to avoid any possible damage to the fabric, especially if your dress is made of delicate satin for example.

AFTER THE WEDDING

Since your attention will have been on how to get your wedding dress to your wedding location, you may not have considered what needs to be done after your wedding day. Here’s a step by step procedure you can follow post wedding ceremony:

1. If time permits, send your dress for professional dry cleaning
2. If dry cleaning must wait until you return home, attend to any spills or stains that may have occurred during your wedding day, being sure to follow professional fabric care guidelines
3. Hang your dress in a well-ventilated area to air.
4. Pack your dress back in the same way you packed it for its journey to your destination.
5. Either arrange for it to be shipped back home or otherwise transported.
6. Once your dress has arrived back home, have it dry cleaned as soon as possible. If you won’t be home until some time after your dress arrives, ask someone to take care of this for you.

  

Destination: Wedding - A guide to planning the destination wedding of your dreams is available in paperback and digital formats at Amazon (UK), Amazon (USA) and from www.destination-wedding-book.com.

For free tips and advice, connect with us on Facebook and Twitter to be kept up-to-date with everything destination wedding!