Weddings aren’t your average party and can easily carry a hefty price tag once everything is said and done. In fact, in 2022 the average wedding cost was just shy of $30,000. Of that 30k, 10% is typically what the bride will spend on the dress she’s dreamed about since she was small. While a dress of that cost is nothing to sneeze at, this typically white one-time-wear leaves no room for wrinkles, stains, and snags without them being front and center. Mistakes happen, so we’ve curated some tips to keep your wedding dress as pristine as the moment it arrived. 

Air It Out, Baby! 

The last thing you want to see looking back on your wedding photos is a crease in your dress. Unless you’ve kept your gown on a bust outside of a bag, you’ll want to air it out to let any wrinkles fall out. Once you arrive at the location you plan on getting ready, find an area where the dress is not at risk of being disturbed and hang it up. 

DO NOT PUT IT ON

As tempting as it is to put your dress on first, it’s best to make it the last thing you do when getting ready. Not only will those potential wrinkles have time to fall, your dress will be spared of any makeup fallout and hair product from getting ready. 

OK NOW PUT IT ON BUT–

Unless the style of the dress prohibits, step into the dress when putting it on. This keeps it out of contact with your newly finessed hair and makeup. Request assistance from a bridesmaid when putting on shoes to avoid creating wrinkles when bending down. 

Side Tip – The purpose of a bridesmaid is to assist the bride–so don’t be afraid to ask for a helping hand!

Things To Keep Handy 

Spray bottle filled with water 

If you’re moving in your dress there’s a chance wrinkles will develop as the day progresses. To combat these eyesores, keep a small spray bottle with water on hand. If you notice a small wrinkle, simply spray a light amount onto it. Just a heads up, this trick won’t work on larger wrinkles. 

White Chalk 

You can be the most careful of people and still end up with a dreaded stain. If you find yourself with an oil-based-stain, gently rub a small amount of white chalk over the stain and wait about 15 minutes. After that time is up, brush off the chalk and continue going about what’s supposed to be one of the best days of your life. 

911 Emergency Wedding Day Kit

Whether you buy one pre-made or create your own, an emergency kit will be an essential to keeping disaster at bay. From a needle and thread for tears to super glue to reattach crystals, your emergency kit will mask any dress mishap. 

Side Tip – Tide Stain Remover Sticks can be a lifesaver, but make sure it’s safe on the material(s) of your dress! 

Creating your own kit? Don’t forget these essentials!

Accidents Happen  

Don’t Rub It Out 

The chalk trick just didn’t cut it, so what now? Most people’s first instinct when realizing they have a stain is to rub and scrub the life out of it. Save yourself the agony; rubbing a stain in will only allow the stain to penetrate further into the material, thus making it that much more difficult to remove following the reception. If you’re set on covering up the stain, try camouflaging it with embellishments such as flowers or crystals. An alternative to that would just be owning the fact your dress is stained–it’s not the end of the world. 

Prevention is Paramount

Dragging Around Your Surroundings

Regardless of the location of your ceremony and reception, if you’re wearing a floor-length wedding gown it’s of the utmost importance to protect the hem of your dress. Purchasing and applying a stain protector to the hem of the dress will protect the fabric from becoming dirty throughout the day, but be careful! Ironically, if you apply too much of the product to your gown it may leave a stain. If your dress is being altered, I recommend asking your seamstress to apply the protectant. Bustling is also a great way to keep the hem of your dress clean–especially if you’re prone to tripping!

Here are some other preventative measures you can take in keeping your dress clean.

Mess-Free Wedding Menu

If you’re a chronic slob while eating or simply want a mess-free meal, work with your catering company to create a menu that will melt in your mouth instead of being a mess on your dress. Whether you’re holding a simple cocktail reception or are planning a 3 course plated meal, Tasty Table Catering has all the recipes to create a stunning menu that will be memorable for all the right reasons. Give us a call at (610) 251-0265 or email us at [email protected] with your wedding date, guest count, location, and any ideas you may have. We will happily get back to you by the next business day.

Haven’t committed to a wedding caterer yet? Check out some of our social event offerings here!