Love Your Dress? Don’t Be Risky. Take It to a Gown Care Expert for Cleaning, Altering AND Preserving
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Did you happen to see this article about a dress mix-up a few weeks ago? It was a national news - click here - that grabbed my attention because I know the importance of taking your gown to a pro. As I read the article, I realized that the incident took place right here in Nashville!
The bride took her dress to be preserved and 26 years later, she opened her box and realized she was given the wrong dress! How can you prevent something like this? You have to start by taking your dress to one of Nashville’s best in bridal gown care, who in my opinion is Oakwood Cleaners. And this isn’t just for preserving your gown. They can help you with bridal party measurements, alterations before your wedding, and then cleaning and preserving after your big day.
I spoke with Rhonda to learn how Oakwood keeps your gown safe during alterations, cleaning, and preservation. If you choose not to go with Oakwood, (but why would you) be certain they are just as dedicated to top-notch service as Oakwood.
Before you leave your gown with a dry cleaner:
1) Do your research. Make sure the company is reputable and don’t be afraid to ask questions until you are comfortable they can do what you need and have done so in the past.
Oakwood has been in business for 13 years and is the only cleaner in Nashville certified by the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists. (It’s green and also Nashville’s only certified couture dry cleaner.)
2) Make sure they tell you in advance what work they plan to do.
Oakwood will go over the dress with the bride and let the bride know what to expect. They will point out spots to be cleaned or places that might need repair. The bride then signs a form indicating they have been informed about what’s planned. Bride will keep a copy of what was wrong with the dress so she knows the state of the dress before she left it so she can be sure that nothing was done incorrectly to damage the dress after she left. Later they actually do a sketch and photograph the dress to document its condition.
3) Confirm that they take responsibility for your gown once in their care. Oakwood does.
4) Know how your gown should be preserved. When a gown is preserved, the company should allow the bride to see the gown when she picks it up and provide instructions for handling the gown. Oakwood always opens the box with white gloves when the bride comes to get her preserved dress. The bride is able to see her gown fully, not just through a small clear window. That allows her to see the state of the gown and ensure it is hers! Oakwood then provides instructions for caring for the preservation, such as opening the box once a year to let it breath (apparently dresses like air) and how to open it properly. You will be provided with white gloves in the box to use when you want to look at your dress. This keeps any oils or soil from contaminating your gown.
Really, if you take your gown to a pro like Oakwood, you won’t have to know all of this but if you opt for another cleaner, you need to be smart. Not every cleaner has the education and experience to handle designer attire. Your dress cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. It’s not a sweater or dress pants. So, be sure to take it to the pros and let them care from it from alterations to preservation.
About the Author:
Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide
Hey - I'm Ashley! I started AshleysBrideGuide.com to give Nashville brides, or folks planning a Nashville wedding, a local resource for inspiration and resources. Hope to see you at a bridal show soon! Happy Planning.
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Posted on January 9, 2013 |
Filed under: Alterations + Gown Preservation, Advice & Planning, After Your Wedding
