Care

Before the Wedding
The day before your wedding, take your dress out of its bag and hang it somewhere safe to let any creases drop naturally. It will most likely need to be steamed, use a steamer that does not leak, holding it a small distance from the fabric. If your steamer leaks, some steamers come with a sock that covers the plate, or equally get a stocking to wrap around the plate to catch any excess water. Unless a professional, do not attempt to iron your dress.

We advise steaming and prep the day before as it is ideal to spend time to steam and prepare without any stress. If you are wearing fake tan, allow at least 48 hours and a shower before your wedding day, as fresh tan is one of the most common causes of marks on bridal gowns. The same goes for makeup, so we recommend getting dressed after hair and makeup are finished, with clean, dry hands, and being mindful of rings and jewellery on delicate fabrics.

If something spills on the day, resist the urge to rub. Gently blot with a clean, dry white cloth and leave the rest to the professionals. Water can mark silk, so it is best avoided.

After the Wedding
We recommend having your dress professionally dry cleaned within a few weeks of your wedding. Even if it looks clean, invisible marks such as champagne, perfume and body oils can oxidise over time and become permanent if left untreated.

Our Recommended Dry Cleaner
We trust all of our gowns to the dry cleaner below in London. Please quote WED and they will give you a small discount. They also offer a collection and delivery service. Please note our recommendation is based on experience, however we are not responsible if the service does not meet your expectations or if they do not deliver.

Diamond Tailors & Dry Cleaners
21 Watney Market, Commercial Road
London E1 2PP

If you are outside London, please choose a specialist cleaner with experience in bridalwear and delicate silks. We recommend not going to a dry cleaner without the expertise in Bridalwear. Please let the Dry cleaner know what the composition of the dress is, you will find the composition in your sales order and invoices that we send you, please check.

Preservation
Your gown is given to you in a biodegradable plastic garment cover as we are reducing the amount of plastic we use. However, this is not suitable for long term storage. For everyday keeping, hang your dress in its WED cloth garment bag, which is breathable and made to protect it. If you would like to keep your dress for many years, perhaps as an heirloom, professional preservation is worth considering. After cleaning, a specialist will box your dress flat in an acid free box, padded with acid free tissue so that no hard creases can form. Delicate silks, particularly bias cut styles, can slowly stretch under their own weight when hung for years, so boxing flat is the kindest way to store a dress long term. Fibres also need to breathe, so professionals never seal a gown in plastic.

Keep the box somewhere cool, dark and stable. Lofts, basements and airing cupboards are best avoided, as changes in temperature and humidity can damage the fabric. Handle your dress with clean, dry hands, and if you check on it over the years, refold it along slightly different lines each time to stop creases becoming permanent.

Share Your Day With Us
We love to document and archive our brides. Please send your favourite photographs to sales@wed-studio.com, including your photographer's name for credit. It means the world to us to see you and your dress on your big day!