Whether you’re driving or taking public transportation to your destination, whether it’s two miles or two thousand kilometers, transporting your wedding gown can be a stressful experience. You could have found the trendiest printed wedding gown that will resemble a whimsical dream or a bohemian bridal dress that will make you appear like a hippy muse as you fly with your wedding gown to the lovely wedding location you’ve chosen.
However, millions of brides have looked for answers to the question “How do I pack a wedding gown?” We’d like to remind you of some dos and don’ts when traveling with a wedding dress so that your most anticipated day goes as smoothly as possible, and you look gorgeous in a lovely wedding dress without any creases or wrinkles.
Some Key Rules To Keep in Mind
To begin, don’t let your new gown out of sight until it’s arrived (unless you’re handing it off to a reputable seamstress). You may have your wedding salon ship you the dress or pick it up from the store, but avoid shipping it once you’ve acquired it; it could be damaged, stolen, or lost (yikes).
Whether you pick up the dress at a bridal shop or have it sent to your house, the designers and consultants will pack your gown for protection against rips, folds, and other problems. Keep it in that box! It’s all too easy to try on your wedding gown every day leading up to the ceremony.
Consider how much traveling you’ll be doing with your gown while shopping as well. If a dress needs special attention, be sure it won’t become too time-consuming to deal with as the wedding approaches.
Finally, here’s a guide on how to transport your dress no matter how you’re getting there.
Pack Your Dress, don’t hang
When traveling by air with your dress, the safest option is to carefully pack it in a TSA-approved carry-on suitcase, or hire a professional to properly wrap and protect it for travel. Hard-sided luggage is ideal because it will keep the garment from being damaged from leaking suitcases above it in the cargo area.
Carry-on, don’t check
It’s always hard to know how much you’ll need until you’ve already put aside all of your decorations and planning. If the bride was foolish enough to check her wedding gown with the airline, she never saw it again. Don’t let this happen to you. Always keep your gown in your carry-on luggage so that it doesn’t get lost
Keep it single
The biggest pain-in-the-ass part about traveling with your wedding gown is packing it. When packing your wedding gown for travel, keep in mind that it must be packed alone. Try not to add anything else to your suitcase, such as shoes or a veil, when transporting it. It’s critical to pack your gown individually to prevent any
Stock Up On Plenty of White, Acid-Free Paper.
It’s critical to pack a wedding gown in a bag with tissue to prevent the garment from developing any hard creases. For this job, stock up on plenty of white, acid-free paper. Acid-free tissue is your friend because it won’t color the dress and has a soft finish that protects the fabric from scuffs and scratches.
Bring a portable Steamer.
Your steamer is the final touch to ensuring that your wedding gown is walk-down-the-aisle ready on your big day. To prevent water marks, cover the steamer head with a white cotton sock and bring an adapter if necessary. You’re now prepared to create everlasting, magical memories.
Verify Airline Rules
Contact the airline ahead of time to ensure that you can transport your gown as a carry-on item. Most aircraft have closets where you may hang wedding dresses. If the airline refuses to allow you to bring the dress on board, it might be preferable to change your flight itinerary to an airline that will allow it to arrive on time.
If you can’t get a closet and your flights have to be changed, fill a garment bag with it inside a hard-sided luggage in the largest size allowed as carry-on luggage. The dress may arrive needing professional wrinkle removal, but it won’t be checked baggage that is vulnerable to handlers.
Before you leave paradise
If you get married on the beach (good for you!), allow your dress to completely dry before packing it to return home. Once dry, reattach your gown and try to repack it in the same way you did when it was wet.
Post-travel Dress Prep
Consider requesting that your resort venue press and steam your gown after you obtain a travel-friendly dress and garment bag. You should not wait until the last minute to do this, so I recommend that you ask your planner or concierge to take care of it as soon as possible!
You should now be prepared to travel to your wedding-day DREAM WEDDING DRESS destination with your ideal wedding-day wardrobe. So, book the flights and board the plane — it’s time to marry in style.