Experts Share How to Store a Wedding Dress Before and After the Wedding

Your wedding dress is one of the most important items of clothing you'll ever wear, and it should be treated as such. Knowing how to store your wedding dress both before and after the wedding is a key step in the wedding-planning process. In the months leading up to your wedding, it's important to have a safe place to store your wedding dress after you pick it up from the boutique so that it remains clean and damage-free. Similarly, after the big day, proper wedding dress preservation and storage are essential for keeping your dress in pristine condition for future generations.

In this article:

• Wedding Dress Storage Dos & Don'ts
• How to Store a Wedding Dress Before the Wedding
• How to Store a Wedding Dress After the Wedding

Wedding Dress Storage Dos & Don'ts

If you don't know where to begin when it comes to what to do with your wedding dress, you've come to the right place. We spoke to Sally Lorensen Conant, PhD, executive director of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists, and Jeff Schwegmann, president and owner of Sunshine Cleaners Company and Happily Ever After Gown Preservation, for their expert tips on the best ways to store your wedding dress.

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Do: Lay the Dress Flat if Possible

While the obvious choice is to leave your wedding dress hanging in a garment bag, it is actually better to lay the dress flat if you have the means to do so. Wedding dresses are significantly heavier than normal clothing, so hanging them can cause strain on the straps. "If you have the proper container and space, it is actually better for a dress to be stored flat," Schwegmann explains. "This takes the pressure off the fabric. Wedding dresses can weigh more than the typical dress, so less strain on the fabric is best."

"If it has to be hanging, then use the appropriate hanger and utilize the hanger straps the designer installed inside the gown for this purpose. If they do not have hanger straps, then a seamstress can easily add them at the hip inside the gown."

Lorensen Conant suggests laying the dress on a guest bed if you happen to have one available.

Don't: Squeeze the Dress Into a Too-Small Garment Bag

If you do choose to hang your wedding dress, opt for a large enough garment bag that has enough space for your dress. "Garment bags are often a bit small for the gown," Lorensen Conant says. "Rather than a garment bag that is too small, try pinning two fitted sheets together to protect the gown."

It's important to note that when hanging the dress, it is always best to use the hanger straps inside the gown instead of the garment straps or sleeves, which can stretch out over time. The hanger straps are specifically designed to bear the weight of your dress.

Do: Invest in a Steamer

No matter how carefully you store your wedding dress, there will likely be a few folds and creases left in the garment over time. The best way to remove these is with the help of a portable steamer. Never attempt to iron your wedding dress, as this can damage the fabric.

"I always suggest brides invest in a portable steamer such as the Jiffy ESteam to steam folds open rather than hoping that hanging the gown in a steam-filled bathroom will relax the creases," Lorensen Conant advises. "A portable steamer is a lot more effective, and it's always useful for fluffing your clothes when you travel."

Don't: Skip Dress Preservation

While wedding dress preservation may seem like an extra, unnecessary step, it is actually crucial in ensuring your dress stands the test of time. You may want to just pack up your own dress and call it a day, but investing in a professional dress preservation service will help protect your dress for years to come—which you may thank yourself for years later if you want to pass your wedding dress down to your daughters.

Schwegmann says you don't necessarily have to preserve your wedding dress, but if you don't, "more care is needed in the long term to check the condition of the gown and keep it from temperature changes and sunlight. All gowns need to be cleaned. Storing anything that is dirty for a longer term will result in brown spots at any untreated beverage spills and could lead to set stains."

"Preservation is definitely the best way to be sure your wedding gown will be ready years from now—either for you or for some other special bride," Lorenson Conant says.

The Knot Vendor Marketplace is a great place to find wedding dress preservation services near you. Search bridal salons in your location and filter by "dry cleaning and preservation."

Do: Keep Your Dress in a Temperature-Controlled Space

Any extreme temperature can have adverse effects on your wedding dress, so be mindful of not only how you are storing it but also where you are storing it. "Temperature changes and humidity changes can lead to fabrics yellowing over time. An air-conditioned room with no sunlight on the dress is best," Schwegmann advises.

When picking up your wedding dress, do not keep it in the car for too long. We recommend bringing the dress inside as soon as you get home, as the temperature in the car can cause damage and wrinkles, plus you run the risk of theft. Lorensen Conant also advises against storing your dress in the basement or garage, which can be damp, or the attic, which can be too hot.

Don't: Store Your Dress in a Vacuum Seal Bag

Vacuum seal bags are a great storage solution, but they aren't the best place to store something as delicate as a wedding dress. "The air is extracted from a vacuum bag after your gown is folded into it, and your dress will be completely flattened," Loren Conant explains. "A gown stored in a vacuum bag takes up very little room, but it will also be impossible to press out the wrinkles when your gown is removed from the bag."

How to Store a Wedding Dress Before the Wedding

It's so important to keep your wedding dress properly stored before the wedding to prevent any damage. You'll likely get your dress months before your wedding, so you'll want to ensure you have a safe way to store it to keep it looking new before the big day. In addition to our suggestions, your bridal boutique may offer personalized wedding gown storage recommendations based on your dress.

Wedding Dress Garment Bag

A wedding dress garment bag is the most common place brides store their wedding dress before the wedding, as many bridal boutiques give you your dress in a garment bag. The garment bag is designed to protect your dress from damage that can be caused by light, water and air. However, not all garment bags are alike, and Lorenson Conant advises against plastic garment bags that can emit fumes.

"When fabric oxidizes, it turns yellow," Lorenson Conant explains. "As long as the garment bag is not plastic and is large enough, your gown should be safe when stored in a closet or a guest room."

"If you do not have a garment bag, studies have shown the most effective protection from air and light is black polyester fabric, but other fabrics are also safe. Unbleached muslin that has been washed to remove the sizing or freshly washed sheets are both good choices for wrapping your gown."

Laying Flat

As mentioned previously, the ideal place to store a wedding dress is laying flat, though this can be tricky if you do not have a spare room to store the dress. This is the best way to store a heavily embellished and beaded dress that may be too heavy to hang up. If you have the space, lay your dress on a clean sheet on a guest bed and fold the ends over the dress to keep it covered from dust and light. Brides who live with their fiancé may prefer to keep their dress laying flat in the guest room of a family member or bridesmaid if possible.

How to Store a Wedding Dress After the Wedding

After the wedding festivities come to a close, you'll want to properly store your dress so that it remains intact for future generations. First and foremost, you'll want to get the dress cleaned as soon as possible to prevent any stains from setting in. Then, you can begin the process of storing your wedding dress.

Wedding Gown Box

One of the most common ways wedding dresses are stored after the wedding is in a box, typically either plastic or cardboard and likely wrapped in a sealed bag. Lorenson Conant warns to not store the dress in a plastic box that may emit fumes and to instead select a specially treated plastic box. Similarly, a cardboard box used for bridal gown storage should be acid-free to avoid damage to the dress. You can DIY these storage options at home or go to a professional who will provide the bridal dress box for you.

"There is an advantage to folding a gown into a box rather than hanging it in a bag because a box protects against sharp objects or even spills that can penetrate a bag and damage your gown," Lorenson Conant shares. "Although gowns may be folded for storage, the folds should be buffered with tissue paper to prevent hard creases."

Once the dress is packed away in a box, you'll want to keep it in a temperature-controlled space. "We recommend cleaning and preservation by our company and then storing the dress box under the bed or in the back of the walk-in closet," Schwegmann advises. "Bedrooms tend to be air-conditioned in most homes nowadays, and these areas are low traffic and out of sunlight."

Garment Bag

Again, a garment bag is another storage option for your dress post-wedding. The same criteria applies as before the wedding, and you'll want to opt for a non-plastic garment bag that has plenty of space to comfortably fit the gown. Tuck the garment bag away in a bedroom closet for the safest storage spot.