26 Nov Wedding Dress Travel Tips
The safest way to travel with a wedding dress is in a long garment bag that stays with you the whole way. If you’re flying, carry it on and never check it. If you’re driving, lay it flat across the back seat, not in the trunk. When you arrive, hang it up right away so gravity can ease out the light wrinkles. Here’s how to handle each step.
Start with the right garment bag
Use a breathable bag long enough for your gown and train. A 72-inch bag fits most dresses. If your gown has a long train or a full ball-gown skirt, look for an extra-long or wide bridal bag. Avoid plastic dry-cleaner bags, which trap moisture.
How to pack a wedding dress in a garment bag
- Hang the bag up high, on a door or a tall hook, so the dress can hang straight while you work.
- Slide the hanger through the top of the bag and let the bodice settle in.
- Fold the left and right sides of the skirt in toward the center.
- Gently roll the train up from the bottom until all the fabric is inside the bag.
- Zip slowly, with one hand inside guarding the fabric so nothing catches in the zipper.
Tucking a little acid-free tissue into the folds helps a delicate fabric hold its shape.
Flying with your wedding dress
Keep your dress with you on the plane. A lost suitcase is an inconvenience; a lost wedding dress is not something you want to worry about the week of your wedding.
- Call your airline before you fly. Carry-on rules vary by airline and aircraft, so ask how they handle a garment bag.
- Board early if you can. That gives you the best chance at overhead space.
- Ask about the closet. Some flights have a coat closet, and the crew may be able to hang your bag there. If not, lay it flat on top of the bags in the overhead bin.
Driving with your wedding dress
Lay the garment bag flat across the back seat or hang it from the hook above a rear door. Keep it out of the trunk, where heat builds up fast, and away from anyone eating or drinking in the car. Leave it in the car for as short a time as possible.
When you arrive
Unpack the dress first, before anything else. Hang it somewhere tall enough that the skirt doesn’t touch the floor. Light creases often relax on their own within a day, especially in a humid destination.
If wrinkles stay, ask whether your fabric can take steam before anyone touches it with a steamer. Some fabrics handle it well and others don’t. Your Bridal Stylist can tell you when you pick up your gown, and most hotels can recommend a local professional who presses formalwear.
Planning a destination or beach wedding?
Choose your dress with the trip in mind. A lighter fabric such as chiffon or soft tulle packs more easily and is more comfortable in the heat. A shorter train is easier on sand and grass. Our guide to wedding dress fabrics explains how each one wears.
Rebecca Ingram, Hazel
Don’t forget the extras
Pack these in your carry-on so they arrive with you:
- Your veil or headpiece. Pack a long veil rolled, not folded. (Here’s more on choosing and wearing your veil.)
- Shoes, jewelry and the undergarments you’ll wear with your gown.
- A small kit: stain-remover pen, safety pins, fashion tape and a lint roller.
Getting it home after the wedding
Bring the garment bag back with you, and give the dress to a trusted friend or family member if you’re heading straight off on a honeymoon. Once you’re home, our team can help with wedding dress preservation so it’s protected for years.
Find the Dress That Makes the Trip
Still looking for the dress that’s making the trip? Our Bridal Stylists will pull travel-friendly gowns for you to compare in one of our 18 private bridal suites.
Choose the visit that fits you:
- Walk in anytime we’re open. No appointment needed.
- Book a personal appointment, Tuesday through Friday, for a reserved time with your Bridal Stylist.
- Reserve the Say Yes Experience, a private Sunday booking of the entire store for you and your guests.
Want to look before you come in? Browse our wedding dresses in Raleigh to see the designers we carry.