Whether you’re eloping to a far-flung destination or jetting off for a destination wedding, traveling with your wedding dress can be a daunting task. But fear not! In the Planning Issue, Sally from the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists has got you covered with expert tips and advice on how to transport your precious gown with ease and grace. Don’t forget to bookmark “Travelling With Your Wedding Gown” so that your stunning dress will look its best on your day… 

Images (L-R): Luke Going Photography / Gold and Grit Photography

Whether you are getting married in the next town over or heading off to a destination overseas, traveling safely with your wedding gown takes some planning or it will be so wrinkled it will look like you have been wearing your wedding gown for days!

The easiest way to make sure your wedding gown will be perfect for the ceremony is to look for a cleaner who specializes in caring for wedding gowns. If the cleaner is in the same location as the wedding, many will even deliver your wedding gown to the wedding venue. But there are other options that will also work for you.

Image: Tulieve Photography

Traveling By Car

Most wedding shops stuff your wedding gown with tissue and a form to keep the bodice looking its best before carefully folding the bodice and skirt into a breathable bag. You can lay the bag across the back seat, and if you shake your wedding gown out as soon as you arrive, most of the creases should fall away.

If you use two large sheets (fitted sheets are best) to protect your wedding gown – one to cover the front and the other to protect the back – and pin the sheets together, your wedding gown will be even less likely to crumple. Make sure you hang it nice and high (depending on the length) as soon as you arrive at your destination or receive it from the shop/designer.

Images: Lucy Sheedy

Traveling By Ship

Pretty much the same advice applies to water travel because you can carry your wedding gown on board with you, and if you are getting married at sea or immediately after you leave the ship, most cruise lines offer pressing services. Vet these before you use them & be sure the service has pressed wedding gowns & your specific fabric before.

Traveling By Plane

There was a time when you could carry your wedding gown on board and hang it in a storage cabin.  Today airlines insist you check your wedding gown with your other luggage or stow it in the overhead locker. Of course, you never want to be separated from your wedding gown, but if it’s in a bag, you will have to fold the bag to get it into the overhead, and your wedding gown is very likely to get squashed by other travelers’ bags. Instead, have your wedding gown packed by the shop or by a specialist, or pack it yourself in a small suitcase or box. This will help your gown keep its shape & have fewer wrinkles.

NOTE:  Call the airline and ask about the size of the overhead bin to be absolutely certain you choose a suitcase or box that will fit overhead.

Images: Norman Yap Photography

Packing At Home

With your wedding gown face down, center it over the suitcase or box, and be sure your wedding gown is spread flat so there are no creases or large wrinkles.  Beginning with the side seams, fold the skirt lengthwise over bunched tissue. Use more tissue each time you fold the skirt until the skirt is no wider than the box. Using more tissue, fold the skirt into the box. Then use still more tissue to stuff the bodice and cushion anything else such as bows or sleeves that need protection. If prongs are holding the crystals on your wedding gown in place, be sure to put tissue over the prongs so they do not cause snags. Last, fold the bodice into the box so that the bodice is on top of the skirt and facing up.  Add more tissue if necessary to keep your wedding gown from “dancing” when you shake the box. Save the dancing for your wedding day!

Images (L-R): Glen Nicholls Photography / Kylie Knight

DIY Ways To Remove Wrinkles 

Some wrinkling is inevitable so try hanging your wedding gown on the bathroom door, turning the shower to hot, closing the bathroom door, and letting the shower run until the bathroom is filled with steam. Most of the creases should relax. Or invest in a portable hand steamer you can use whenever you travel and when you are at home, too. If you are traveling outside of Australia, check to see if you will need an adapter so the steamer plug will fit into the local socket. Guard against spotting water-sensitive fabrics such as silk by wrapping the head of the steamer in a small towel or washcloth secured to the steamer with a rubber band.

Still a crease or two? Remember your guests are coming to celebrate your special day with you – not to count wrinkles!

Image: Luke Going Photography

About the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists: Click here to find the Certified Wedding Gown Specialist near you!  Our members, represented in more than 500 cities around the world, offer very special care for wedding gowns, both old and new. Our award-winning gown care includes your personal inspection, a museum-quality container, and a written international guarantee. Restorations return yellowed and stained vintage gowns to their true colour.

Members of the Association honor each other’s guarantees and press the gown at no charge when it is to be worn again. For example, if someone takes a gown to our member in Perth, we will honor that same guarantee. For more tips on caring for your wedding gown visit our website!