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Wedding Gown Cleaning, Preservation, and Destination Wedding Packing

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To safeguard your wedding memories and the dress of your dreams, have Glyndon Lord Baltimore Cleaners experts in dress conservation clean and preserve it properly. As members of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists, our team is trained to use the safest, most effective museum-quality methods developed for wedding gown cleaning, restoration, and preservation. Our award-winning service has been endorsed by the Association of Bridal Consultants and by Green Bride Guide. You can trust our Certified Wedding Gown Specialists to give your gown the individual care and attention it deserves.

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Beaded gown

Expert analysis

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As preservation specialists, we are trained in the art of textile conservation. Our work begins with a complete inspection and testing of your gown because just as every bride is unique, so is every gown. We analyze fabrics, dyes and weaves, and note embellishments and their composition. Our detailed notes determine which preservation technique and cleaning method is best for your dress so that the embellishments remain affixed and the dress retains its shape and color.

Wedding photo bride & groom at festive reception

Special treatment by pre-spotting stains

This thorough analysis and evaluation lead us to design a treatment plan written specifically for your gown. Our testing techniques allow us to identify stains and spills – even those you can’t see. Make-up, champagne, wedding cake, and perspiration all affect fabric differently. We identify and treat stains individually before cleaning because if left untreated, sugar stains (caused by champagne) and chloride salts (perspiration) will oxidize over time and appear as brown spots months or even years later. This causes irreversible fabric deterioration. We can eliminate these stains without causing harm to any fibers.

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Photo Credit: @michaelaclarkstudios

Cleaning Methods Available

We will choose the most effective method of cleaning your gown based on our expert analysis. Cleaning options include the following:

Hydrocarbon – Glyndon Lord Baltimore Cleaners offers the hydrocarbon cleaning method as a natural option for dry cleaning your gown. Hydrocarbon fluid is an environmentally friendly solvent that removes embedded stains and gently treats fabrics such as silk, rayon, or acetate.

Wet-cleaning – Wet cleaning is simply cleaning with water combined with special additives and detergents. It is best for sugar spills, most food stains, and dirty hems. Wet cleaning removes fabric sizing. Removing sizing helps protect your gown because sizing is enticing to mice and insects.

Our Certified Wedding Gown Specialists™ hand clean and treat every gown with an anti-sugar process to remove latent stains.

Monogrammed muslin garment bag

Wedding Gown Preservation

Glyndon Lord Baltimore Cleaners preservation process involves expert packaging to avoid damage caused by extended creasing, vermin, environmental pollutants, ultraviolet rays, and acid-degradation using the finest archival conservators’ materials available. The materials we use to preserve your wedding gown are the same as those used by museum conservators who have tested the materials and believe they can extend the lifetime of textiles by 200 years or more. Our premium boxes and archival, acid-free tissue are lignin-free and have a neutral pH that prevents fabric deterioration.

For an added touch of elegance, we monogram your initials and wedding date to the exterior muslin cover as a complimentary part of your wedding gown preservation service. Choose from 3 monogram styles and 3 color selections.

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Zero Carbon

Ensure the beauty of your special gown and safeguard our planet’s future. Glyndon Lord Baltimore Cleaners offsets all carbon dioxide emissions that result from the process of cleaning and preserving your wedding gown (from the bride’s trip to and from our store or our drivers picking-up and delivering to you, to the cleaning procedures, to the preservation packaging manufacture) with our donation to Carbonfund.org, the leading nonprofit carbon offset and climate solutions organization. Our donations support worldwide reforestation projects that reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Destination Weddings

Whether you are headed halfway around the world or to a nearby location, you want your gown to look fresh and unwrinkled for the ceremony. Our specialty packing service takes the stress out of getting ready for your big day. Our Certified Wedding Gown Specialists will professionally prepare and pack your gown for travel.

Quick Tip: If you do get married on the beach (lucky you!), let your gown dry completely before you pack to go home.

Check out our featured blog post: “How to Fly With Your Wedding Dress“

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Wish Upon a Wedding

As part of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists, Glyndon Lord Baltimore Cleaners is proud to provide gown care and preservations for Wish Upon A Wedding. Based in Columbus, OH, Wish Upon A Wedding grants wishes for weddings and vow renewals to couples across the country who are facing illness or life-altering circumstances. For more information or for couples seeking help, visit WishUponAWedding.org.

Wedding gown suspended artfully from a tree

Storing your Gown

Once your gown is returned to you, place it in a climate-controlled area. Do not store your dress in the attic or basement where temperatures and humidity levels fluctuate dramatically. Fluctuating temperatures increase the deterioration rate of textiles. We understand how special your wedding gown is to you. Our highly respected preservation techniques ensure that your wedding gown will always remain the dress of your dreams.

For More Local Wedding Info, Visit the MD 411 Wedding Website

Wedding Gown FAQs

Glyndon Lord Baltimore Cleaners Wedding Gown Cleaning + Preservation FAQ’s

How long does it take to clean and preserve my wedding gown?

The length of time depends upon your wedding gown. Some wedding gowns can be cleaned very quickly, and others require more time and attention. We ask for 10 to 12 weeks, but we can discuss options if your wedding gown is needed sooner.

What exactly is gown preservation?

Preserving your gown ensures that the fabric of your gown will not discolor or deteriorate because it is in a stable and protective environment. We use specialized techniques and materials to package and protect your gown from yellowing and permanent creasing. The acid-free, lignin-free wedding chests and tissue that are used in the preservation process are guaranteed to protect your gown for many years. Fabric can have a shelf life of 200 years if stored properly.

How soon after the wedding should I have my gown cleaned?

As soon as possible. Many stains, such as sugar stains from spilled champagne, won’t be visible to the naked eye until weeks after the wedding, but the longer a stain penetrates through the fabric of your gown, the more challenging it is to remove.

How should you store your cleaned and preserved wedding gown?

Avoid extremes of heat and humidity such as attics which are too hot and basements which are too damp. Keep your gown in a climate-controlled environment and avoid placing objects on top of the box. Under a bed or in the closet are good examples of where you may store your preserved gown.

Can you clean and preserve my wedding gown if it is more than twenty years old?

In most instances, yes. We have the expertise to care for your vintage garments if the fabric still retains its integrity and hasn’t dry-rotted.

Should the preservation box have an airtight seal?

No. Textile specialists and conservationists do not recommend sealing garments in airtight environments. The wedding chests we use have a fitted lid that can be removed to view your gown. Our preservation wedding chests also have a zippered, muslin cover as an extra layer of protection from dirt and dust.

Why should I preserve my wedding gown?

Even if you’re not sure if you will ever wear your wedding gown again, preservation can be a great idea for many reasons. Brides today are repurposing their gowns as christening gowns, ring bearer pillows, cocktail gowns, handbags, and drag brunch outfits (one of our brides did this just so she would have the chance to wear her gown again!). At some point, a family member may want to wear your gown as-is, or have it customized while keeping the sentimental connection to you. Some people choose to have their wedding gown preserved for the practical purpose of easier storage. Whatever you decide to do, know that by preserving your wedding gown, you are protecting the fabric’s integrity for decades.

Why should I have Glyndon Lord Baltimore Cleaners preserve my gown vs. sending it to a mail-order preservation company?

This answer is easy! Your gown is being cared for as the unique and special item it is by trained professionals. It does not leave our facility from the moment you drop it off until it is returned to you. There is no risk of your gown being lost in the mail or mishandled. We take the time to thoroughly assess your gown to address stains and missing embellishments, and we will contact you about any repairs that need to be made. We also love to have our brides, and anyone they would like to join them, meet with us to see the gown between cleaning and preservation. Our personalized attention to detail can’t be duplicated. And if you ever move, as members of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists, we have an international guarantee from our partners in over 500 cities that they will inspect and press your gown at no cost and with the same level of care.

Why do you recommend bust pads be removed from a wedding gown before preserving?

Most bust pads are foam rubber inside a fabric sandwich. As they age, the rubber breaks down, gets hard, and eventually turns into little "pebbles" and "sand." Worse yet, as the rubber breaks down, it emits fumes that yellow the gown.

What is the cost to clean and preserve my wedding gown?

Wedding gown cleaning starts at $355. Cleaning + preservation starts at $475. Various factors play into the cleaning cost including fabric, age of the gown, and gown embellishments. We will provide a final cost after a thorough inspection of the gown.

Can my veil be preserved in the box with my wedding gown?

In most instances, yes! If we don’t have a large enough preservation box for both your veil and your wedding gown, we will preserve your veil in a separate box.

How do I get my gown to you?

There are several options. If you live within our service area, we provide free pick-up and delivery of your wedding gown. We also have two store locations where your gown can be dropped off – 4828 Butler Road, Glyndon, MD 21071, and 11223 York Road, Cockeysville, MD 21030.

Do I need to complete any paperwork?

Yes! There is an intake form that allows you to provide specific details about your gown. If you are having your gown preserved, we also have a monogram form for you to complete. Your initials and wedding date will be monogrammed on the muslin box cover that protect your cherished keepsake.

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