Wedding dresses are a big investment for most brides. Wedding attire can be at a higher risk of damage or loss, because it is often expensive and made from delicate material. If you are worried about your wedding dress, you may want to consider wedding insurance to put your mind at rest.
Protecting and Storing a Wedding Gown
Wedding insurance is a savvy investment for any bride who values her gown , however she should also take as much care of her dress as possible. Here are a few other things you can do to protect your wedding dress from loss or damage:
Storage: Before the wedding, store your wedding dress out of direct sunlight in a protective bag specially designed for bridal gowns and usually provided by your bridal shop. This will protect your dress against accidental damage from pets, smokers, body oils, etc. Never store your bridal gown in a plastic bag that will trap humidity and moisture, causing mold and mildew. Be sure to use the hanger that is given to you by the bridal shop and only hang from the protective straps sewn inside to avoid stretching the shoulders. This is especially important if the wedding date is more than a year away.
Secure your wedding dress: keep your wedding dress in a secure place. The dress should be locked away and hidden from view wherever possible, especially if you live in a home with roommates. If there is no place to keep your dress safe, try asking the bridal shop if they will store it for you until the wedding.
Handling your dress: avoid handling your dress as much as possible before the big day. Whilst you’ll need to have fitting sessions, you should not handle the dress any more than necessary. Over-handling could damage the material with fingerprints and it could increase the risk of damage or loss. if you need to handle the dress, consider using white gloves to keep it free from the oils and perspiration from your hands. if the dress does become dirty, don’t trust the cleaning to just any cleaner. Secure the services of a professional wedding gown cleaner such as The Wedding Gown Preservation Company who has 100 years of experience cleaning the delicate fabrics and embellishments that are typically used for this precious garment. Be sure to get the gown cleaned as soon as possible after the wedding to avoid any permanent staining.
Wedding insurance can protect your wedding gown from loss, as long as the loss happens when in your care or the care of a close relative. A claim for loss or theft from a vehicle may only be valid if the dress is kept in a locked boot, or hidden from view. If you do not take precautions to protect your dress in the first place, your claim for loss or theft of wedding attire may not be valid.
About the Author:
John Lewis Insurance is a trading name of John Lewis plc. and is an appointed representative of AXA Insurance UK plc which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. John Lewis Insurance offers a range of insurance services selected by the John Lewis Partnership. These include car, home, pet, life, travel, wedding and event insurance products.
