The dress of your dreams got you through the best day of your life. It deserves to be taken care of so it lasts for a long time to come.
Many brides know that they should get their wedding dress dry cleaned and preserved after the wedding, but how do you choose the right person to do it? After all the work you put into saying yes to the dress, you want to make sure that the people who care for it are trustworthy.
At Kean’s, we’ve dry cleaned thousands of wedding dresses for brides in Baton Rouge and beyond. Whether you choose us or someone else, this handy guide will help you be confident that your wedding dress is in the best hands.
Do you specialize in dry cleaning wedding dresses?
Just because a Dry Cleaner CAN do a wedding dress doesn’t mean they should. There’s a big difference in the care and attention to detail required when cleaning these delicate dresses when compared to everyday items like suits.
Dry Cleaning companies that specialize in wedding dresses understand the unique nature of these projects. They retain talent who is experienced and familiar with many different types of wedding dresses. If your dress needs special attention, such as navigating a problem area or particular material, our experts have the knowledge to make sure your wedding dress is taken care of the best way.
Do you do Wedding Dress Dry Cleaning on-site or outsource?
The answers to this question may shock you.
While Kean’s does all of these projects ourselves, it’s sadly not uncommon for companies to outsource wedding dress dry cleaning. That means that the people you trusted with your dream dress are not the ones actually cleaning it. Instead, they’re boxing it up and shipping it off to someone else to deal with, and the process is completely out of their hands.
Make sure that you get a clear answer on exactly WHO is working on your dress, and WHERE this work is being done. It’s important that you remain aware of how your dress will be handled. You chose a local company for a reason—make sure your wedding dress is being cared for locally!
How do you protect delicate features like lace and beads?
Torn lace, broken threads, and missing beads are your worst nightmare. These delicate areas aren’t easy fixes, and if your wedding dress dry cleaner doesn’t handle them accordingly, your dress could come back to you in worse condition than before.
Ensure that your chosen dry cleaner has a thorough inspection process before any work begins.
At Kean’s, we’ve implemented a photo inspection, where we carefully document any fragile areas and plan out our approach. Whether the lace and bead sections need to be carefully hand washed or covered and protected, our delicate approach ensures that they look as good as new.
We also take the time to repair any damage that may have occurred during wear, tightening the stitching on any beads to ensure that they will last for years to come. A wedding dress can be passed down for generations if treated with the proper care and attention. Don’t let inexperienced wedding dress cleaning reduce the quality or longevity of what could be a treasured family item for years to come.
If the dry cleaner you’re interviewing doesn’t have an established method to care for these areas, it’s a clear warning sign. Don’t be afraid to question if you are not given clear answers on how the dry cleaner business you’re speaking to plans to handle any delicate or problem areas on your wedding dress.
How should I store my wedding dress after dry cleaning?
Find out how your dry cleaner plans to return your dress to you.
Will it be back on a hanger?
In a bag?
In a box?
After years of experience working with dresses, our preferred approach is to return the cleaned wedding dress in a preservation box. These heirloom boxes allow the dress to stay clean and beautiful for decades to come, fighting off aging.
Regardless of whether your dry cleaner provides a box like this or not, their instructions on post-cleaning care will key you in to their overall knowledge of wedding dress cleaning and care. Make sure the company you’re talking to sound like true experts before trusting them with your treasured garment!
How do you determine the cost of wedding dress dry cleaning?
So you’ve selected your dry cleaner, trusted them with your dress, the work is done, you go to pick it up, and—SURPRISE!—the bill is significantly higher than you thought.
When finding the best local dry cleaner for your wedding dress, pricing transparency is key. There is no need for sudden add-ons and additions. An honest company will offer a consultation and work with you to understand pricing up front, with no surprises at the end.
But note—cheaper isn’t always better. You spent thousands on the perfect dress, don’t cut corners and spring for the lowest bidder when it comes to wedding dress dry cleaning and care.
Choosing the Right Care for your Wedding Dress
As you begin the search for a wedding dress dry cleaner you trust, remember that the right care is crucial to maintaining its beauty and longevity. From ensuring delicate features like lace and beads are carefully handled, to understanding the specifics of the cleaning process and storage recommendations, every detail counts. Feel empowered to ask the necessary questions when finding a dry cleaner you trust—you aren’t being a nuisance, and they should be happy to answer!
At Kean’s Fine Dry Cleaning, we pride ourselves on our expert wedding dress care and transparent practices. We are your local and experienced choice to help preserve your wedding gown. If you have any questions about wedding dress cleaning, or need advice on preserving your dress, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Even if you don’t choose us as your dry cleaners, we’re here to help any way we can to make sure your wedding dress gets the best possible care.
