Sally's Advice, Wedding Gown Specialists
Caring For Your Wedding Dress
Caution: lipstick, cake and wine may be hazardous for your gown! No matter how careful you are, you are very likely to end up with one of these three stains on your gown. And if it is not something you spill yourself, one of your friends or family may spill it for you. Still another common hazard is grease from a car door. You may never before have worn something with such a full skirt, and it is very easy for you or someone else to forget to check to that every part of your gown is inside the car before the door closes.
If something does stain your gown, take a deep breath and try to remember that everyone around you is NOT looking at the spot. But if you are the kind of bride who just cannot put something like this behind you and enjoy the day, you might want to think ahead about how to prepare for an emergency.
First, is your gown silk or not? Satin is a weave, not a fiber, so satin can be either silk or an artificial fiber. In any case, silk and rayon are water-sensitive so you have to be more careful of what you put on the stain than if your gown is made from something artificial such as polyester.
Second, there are three types of stains: those that are water-soluble (wine, coffee, or blood), those that are not (lipstick or grease), and those that are both (cake frosting contains both sugar and butter).
Someone at the reception can always find water or club soda to dampen a napkin or soft towel that you can use for wine or coffee spills. Just be careful not to rub too hard—especially on silk. But a safe treatment for greasy stains is hard to find in an emergency so you may want to ask someone in the wedding party to carry something for you. For example, Janie sticks are easily found online, safe to use on silk, and very effective for absorbing oil and masking greasy stains. If your gown is an artificial fiber such as polyester, little packets of wipes used for babies or for hands are small enough to carry in a handbag.
If you forget to carry an emergency treatment with you, in a pinch you can always camouflage spots with something white and relatively harmless such as baking soda, cornstarch, or baby powder. However, white-out or white shoe polish is tricky and definitely NOT a good idea for silk.
And while you are thinking about preparing for an emergency, you should know that the most common problem on the wedding day is a broken bustle loop. Remember to pin a few safety pins into the underside of your gown, and have a happy day!
Sally Lorensen Conant
Wedding Gown Specialists
Wedding Gown Specialists
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