The decision to preserve your wedding dress is one you will likely pat yourself on the back about for years. It is also one that means deciding whether to "go cheap" or spend a little more money. The latter is arguably the best decision, because it guarantees the preservation of this most important gown. Review three reasons to spend a little extra on wedding dress preservation:

Outstanding Service Guarantee

Working with a wedding gown specialist, aka someone who specializes in wedding dress preservation, generally means enjoying a lifetime+ warranty. State-of-the-art technology, dress fabric advances, and the knowledge of a professional equal a wedding dress that will last 100 years or more. Wedding gown specialists know how to work with your specific fabric to ensure its perfect preservation. Can your local dry cleaner claim the same guarantee? Oh, we don't think so.

The Right Materials

A wedding gown specialist can guarantee the ideal preservation of your gown in part because of the materials he or she provides. Acid-free paper with an acid-free box is the combination necessary to optimal dress preservation. Housing the gown in plastic or any old box is a direct path to Yellow Dress Town.

No Risk Of Damage

Preserving your wedding dress through a specialist means no risk of damage, something your local dry cleaner cannot guarantee. Giving your dress to a dry cleaner could mean the gown ends up in contact with other garments or chemicals that melt beadwork or otherwise damage the fabric. Your wedding dress specialist inspects your gown, applies pre-stain and stain treatments as needed, and ensures the dress is completely free of organic stains that will cause yellowing over time. Additionally, you get to inspect the dress before it is placed in the acid-free box.

The decision to preserve your wedding dress will cost around $200--money well-spent, yes?

If you are wondering how much it costs to dry-clean a wedding dress, you are hardly the only one. How much it will cost to dry-clean your gown depends on a number of factors, most of which revolve around your dress fabric. Read on to get an idea of how much dry-cleaning your dress will cost and what alternatives you should take advantage of.

Dry-Cleaning Cost

It usually costs between $100 and $150 to get a wedding dress dry-cleaned so long as the fabric is not extra-fragile and there is not a ton of beadwork or similar embellishments to deal with. If a dry cleaner tries to charge you more than $200, run screaming from the room. Some dry cleaners charge more because they simply do not clean wedding dresses that often. They jack up the price because they are not specialists and are spending more time on the labor.

Do your research to get a price range and ensure your dress is being cleaned by the best option in town. Plenty of horror stories exist about women finding their dresses have been ruined because they went to a less-than-reputable or knowledgeable dry cleaner. Don't let that be you!

Wedding Preservation Specialist Advantage

Rather than going to a typical dry cleaner, consider getting your dress worked on by a preservation specialist. Preservation specialists are experts in everything to do with wedding dress fabric and know how to deal with stains of all types. They also provide the acid-free box and acid-free paper your dress needs to remain unsullied by time.  Professional wedding dress preservation costs about the same as dry cleaning and guarantees the results you want. Some preservation specialists even charge less than dry cleaners because it's what they do for a living!

Remember, it should not cost a small fortune to clean and preserve your wedding dress!

If you are wondering what goes into the wedding dress cleaning process, read on. Professional wedding dress cleaning is indeed a process that requires careful inspection to ensure preservation.

Checking For Stains

First, a wedding dress is checked for obvious stains, such as those from mud, wine, food, and perspiration. Once such stains are noted, the dress is checked for "invisible" stains with a black light. Examples of invisible stains include clear beverages such as Sprite, and white cake icing. Invisible stains might not seem like a big deal, but they can cause the dress to yellow if left on for an extensive period of time.

Checking For Damage

The second stage of wedding dress cleaning is checking for dress damage, such as loose hems and torn fabric. You have the option to leave dress damage as is, in which case the specialist will place a stitch or three in the dress to keep the damage from getting worse.

Cleaning The Dress

Wedding dress cleaning generally involves soaking the hemline, applying spot treatment as needed, and dry or wet-cleaning the gown depending on the dress fabric and care instructions. Silk dresses are usually dry-cleaned, while polyester dresses are generally wet-cleaned. Some dresses feature a combination of fabrics, making working with a specialist crucial.

Post-Cleaning Inspection

Once the dress is thoroughly cleaned, it is inspected once again for any issues. If none are found, the bride inspects the dress before the gown is placed in an acid-free preservation box with acid-free paper.

The Bottom Line

Working with a specialist is highly, highly recommended if preserving your dress is a big honkin' deal to you. Specialists understand how to deal with wedding dress fabric of all types and won't make the mistakes a dryer cleaner might. Go pro if you want to preserve your dress--it is well worth the effort!

Your big day is almost here, and you know you want to preserve your wedding dress. This doesn't mean you have to limit wedding day fun because you are so gosh-darn worried about staining your dress, but you can take a few precautions. Take advantage of the following tips...and remember to have fun on Nuptials Day!

Bring The Right Tools

Keep a stash of safety pins in your makeup bag on your wedding day for emergency use as needed. You may need one for a broken zipper, bustle loop, or torn strap. Whatever you do, do not use tape or staples, as both could easily damage your dress.

Know Your Fabric

Gain a thorough understanding of your wedding dress fabric prior to your big day. For example, a dress made of a synthetic fabric such as polyester will usually survive a spot treatment. Water-soluble stains such as coffee, tea, and mud will usually come out of synthetic fabric when dabbed with cool water. Do not use water on silk or rayon, and DO NOT rub the stain. Spots can also be disguised with baby powder, baking soda, or cornstarch.

Let The Professionals Handle It

Keep in mind it is best to leave stain treatment to the professionals unless said stain is so large and noticeable you might as well change out of the dress. Inorganic stains such as those from makeup or grease can be treated with a solvent such as lighter fluid, however such fluids can also damage the dye within the dress fabric. Perform a spot test on a hidden area of the dress, or just leave the stain be. Organic and inorganic stains should be left to the professionals for best results.

Take your gown to a specialist for preservation--they know what they are doing and will ensure your dress comes back stain-free, beautiful, and ready for storage.

The decision to preserve your wedding dress is one that allows you to enjoy the gown for many years and possibly pass it down to the next generation. Whatever your reason for preservation, you are probably wondering how much preserving the dress will cost. The answer is contingent on several factors, such as dress fabric. Let's take a look at these factors to give you a better idea of how much dough it will cost to preserve this very special dress.

Dress Cost

How much your dress cost affects how much you will spend to preserve it. Why? The finer and more expensive the fabric, the more you will spend on the preservation. For example, silk usually costs more to preserve because it is a expensive, delicate fabric. If you have yet to purchase your wedding dress and know you will want to preserve it, keep this in mind.

Dress Embellishments

Dress embellishments play a significant role in preservation cost. Think about it: if your dress features intricate beading, a long train, lots of delicate lace, detailed embroidery, or other dramatic embellishments, it will cost more to preserve it. Extra care must be taken to ensure none of the embellishments melt or are otherwise damaged.

Dress Stains

The degree of staining your dress sustained is another preservation price factor. If the dress was subjected to organic stains from wine, cake, and other foods and beverages, more labor is involved to preserve the gown. If the dress was not badly stained, you obviously won't have to pay as much. Try to keep this in mind amidst wedding reception fun!

Your Location

Your location also plays a role in wedding dress cost. For example, if you live in New York City or another expensive metropolitan area, it will likely cost more to preserve the dress.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

You threw a DIY wedding, but does that mean you should go the same route with your wedding dress? Well, no. Much like cutting your own hair, cleaning your wedding dress yourself is not the greatest idea--that is, unless you are a gown specialist! Learn why leaving cleaning to the professionals is ideal.

The Fabric

Bridal gown cleaning is a specialty. Period.  Developing a knowledge of different fabrics and how to work with them takes time, whether the fabric is satin, silk, tulle, chiffon, or something else. There's also vintage gowns, which are a whole other fabric animal. Unless you have a deep knowledge of various fabrics and how to clean them, put your wedding gown in professional hands.

Beading, Trim, Lace...

Not only would cleaning a wedding dress yourself require a serious knowledge of fabric, it also requires understanding how to deal with embellishments such as beadwork, trim, and lace. For example, some cleaning techniques work great for beadwork, while others leave them as melted messes. DIY wedding gown cleaning gets complicated quickly if you have many intricacies to deal with.

Pressing & Steaming

Sure, you can press and steam your wedding dress...if you have a steamer. You can also hang it in a steamy bathroom to get rid of minor creases and wrinkles, as it usually works as a last-ditch effort. However, do you really want to attempt pressing your wedding gown? It could be a nightmare. A big, scary nightmare.

Save Yourself The Trouble And Go Pro

Leaving wedding dress cleaning to the professionals is by far the best choice for ensuring gown preservation. Find a specialist in your area, or ship it off if necessary. Don't take your dress to the local dry cleaners, as it could end up touching other clothing and become stained. Improper dress handling and cleaning could also occur, with the results disastrous. If you really want to preserve your wedding gown, spend the money on professional preservation. It usually costs less than dry cleaning and comes with necessary accessories such as an acid-free box and acid-free paper.

Good luck!

The vows have been said, the cake has been cut, the first dance was super-romantic, and the honeymoon was one joy after another. Now that the craziness is officially over, it is time to take care of one of the most important mementos from the Big Day: your wedding gown. Use the following seven tips to ensure your gown stays as beautiful as it was the day you said "I do."

Hang By The Loops

Hang your wedding dress by its inside loops. Never, ever hang the gown by its shoulder seams, as the weight of the dress can cause everything to sag or stretch. Not good!

Choose The Right Specialist

Work with a wedding gown preservation specialist who will clean the gown with expert precision in-house. If a so-called specialist says the gown will be sent away for cleaning, move on.

Ask The Right Questions

Ask your specialist what care will be taken concerning the delicate parts of your gown, such as the beadwork, trim, and other embellishments. Some solvents and other cleaning chemicals can cause beadwork and other delicate pieces to warp or melt.

Don't Store The Gown In  A Plastic Bag

Refrain from storing your wedding gown in a plastic bag, even if it is vacuum-sealed. Plastic bags emit fumes that can cause your dress to yellow over time, while shrink-wrap containers may hold moisture and cause mildew problems.

Stay Clear Of Extreme Temperatures

Store your wedding gown in a temperature-controlled area, not a space subject to extremes. This means keeping the dress out of your basement or attic.