wedding bouquet preservation flower preservation bridal gown preservation
"This is quite possibly the most important,
intricate, and beautiful dress you'll ever wear--this piece of clothing
makes you feel transformed, confident, positively blissful."
With the rice and confetti swept away and the honeymoon pictures already returned from the photo lab, what's a newlywed bride to do with her wedding gown? Your local dry cleaner can help by cleaning and thus preserving your gown after the Big Day, right? Not exactly. A treasure this special should be handled by experts in dress conservation who will protect it properly so that a bride who wears it in the future (your sister, niece, or daughter) will look as beautiful in it as you did. At The Bridal Conservatory we have created a method of fine apparel preservation that uses techniques developed by museum professionals in the US. We combine this knowledge with years of professional garment-care experience to ensure your wedding gown receives the same detailed attention given to exhibition couture and museum dress collections.
Expert analysis
As preservation specialists, we are trained in the art of textile
conservation. Our work begins with a complete inspection and testing
of your dress, because just as every bride is unique, so is every
dress. We take measurements, analyze fabrics, dyes, and weaves, and
note ornaments and their composition. Our detailed notes determine
which preservation techniques and cleaning methods are the best for
your dress, so that fabrics retain their shape and do not discolor,
and embellishments (beads, sequins, and other trimmings) remain affixed.
Special treatment
This thorough evaluation leads us to design a written treatment plan
specifically for your gown. We understand that during your wedding you
were focused on a variety of important things - not what might have
spilled on your dress. Our sophisticated testing techniques allow us
to identify stains and spills - even those you can't see. Makeup, champagne,
wedding cake, and perspiration all affect fabric differently. We identify
and treat those stains individually before cleaning because if left
untreated, sugar stains (like those caused by champagne) and chloride
salts (perspiration) will oxidize over time and appear as brown spots
months or even years later. This causes irreversible fabric deterioration.
We eliminate these stains without causing harm to any fibers.
Exuberant guests or miserable weather can damage the fine fabrics of your wedding dress. Plan ahead: leave instructions for your gown to be delivered to a reliable cleaning and preservation specialist.
Although dry cleaning is an appropriate method for cleaning most natural fibers, some dyes and finishes can dissolve in standard solvents. Beads and buttons made of certain plastics can discolor in the same solutions. Care labels are often misleading or erroneous. Aqueous, or water-based, solutions can cause some dress fabrics or linings to shrink. Sequins that have a gelatin base will dissolve when immersed in water. Our in-depth and extensive test allow us to design a plan specifically to accommodate the needs of each fragile garment we care for - we use only the cleaning treatment that is best for your gown. Because we carefully identify the composition of all materials before treatment, we eliminate the risk of damage during the cleaning process.
The right support
After cleaning and preservation, the most important step for your gown is packing it properly so you can store it for months, years, or decades. We fold your dress and fit it with a bodice mold that protects against bending and deformation. Then it is packed together with garment preservatives and an internal environment monitor in a clear, chemically stable polymer bag that resists water, dust, mildew, insects, and changes in relative humidity; flushing it with a special gas to eliminate oxidation and the presence of any moisture. Finally, the sealed package is placed inside an archival box to protect your gown from excessive light and accidental punctures to the polymer. Because our packaging material is of the highest grade, they are the safest and best storage containers to keep your gown in pristine condition.
At The Bridal Conservatory we understand and appreciate the relationship
you have with your wedding dress. Our highly respected preservation
techniques ensure that your gown will always remain the dress of your
dreams.
