PHOTOS COURTESY LAUREN RACHELLE PHOTOGRAPHY

Preserving a wedding gown saves more than the material; it stores the memories made along with it. COVID-19 brides have had to put those moments on pause, but their dresses are ready for the big reveal. In the meantime, they are stuck on how to store them. 

It’s tempting to try the dress on to remember the wedding flutters, but the owner of Blanc de Blanc Bridal, Angelea Kuruc, suggests touching the dress as little as possible.

“From the oil on your hands, or if you have any makeup on them too — typically that aids to yellowing,” Kuruc says. 

Wearing white, cotton gloves when touching the dress is best, but Kuruc says washing your hands is just as effective. 

Common bridal gown fabrics, such as tulle and chiffon, not only look delicate, but are made that way. The loose construction of the fabric makes for a weak, easily snaggable garment. Kuruc points to silk tulle as the most susceptible to degradation, as silk also has low resistance to light. 

“Keep them in the breathable garment bag… in the closet, in a dark place that’s cool,” she advises. 

Attics, basements and garages are typically not good places to store a gown, especially during the summer months. The most ideal spots to store a wedding dress are under a bed or the back of a closet — really anywhere with no exposure to light, moisture and heat. 

“The fabric could possibly turn a color, damage the lace or pick up smells,” she says if placed in risky environments. 

Gowns are also prone to stretching and wrinkling, depending on their storage method. Dresses are unlikely to wrinkle when hanging in a closet, but they could stretch depending on the fabric. Kuruc advises using the hanger straps inside the dress to avoid this. 

“Most dresses, from my experience, don’t stretch from just hanging there,” she says. 

For more sensitive fabrics, laying it flat prohibits stretching, however, it can create wrinkles. Layer acid-free tissue paper or unbleached muslin between each fold of the dress to reduce the look of a crumpled gown. But be careful where you put it. “It might be easier for a household pet, or something, to get to it,” Kuruc warns of storing it on the ground. 

Given the fragile nature of wedding gowns, Kuruc decided to store her clients’ dresses at the boutique.

And for those brides who had an intimate wedding but have rescheduled their elaborate reception for after the threat of the pandemic passes, Kurac has some encouraging words. “Not many brides get a chance to wear their dress twice. That can be a positive spin on having to split up your wedding because of COVID.”