How to Store, Preserve, and Reuse Keepsakes From Your Wedding
Your wedding day is the happiest day of your life, and you’ve spent months (or even years) planning every detail of it. We know how important it is to you to make sure that when storing wedding keepsakes, they’re given the best care possible. Storing your wedding dress away in your closet forever isn’t the best solution, and throwing away your bouquet or invitations just doesn’t seem right.
Your wedding dress is the most important part, so it would be foolish not to start there. Before going any further, make sure you check with your bridal shop. Chances are the bridal shop where you bought your dress will know the best way to preserve it. Check in with them first before trying anything else. They’re the ones who know your dress the best.
Tips for preserving your wedding dress and other keepsakes
-
Get your wedding gown professionally cleaned. The first step in preserving your gown is to get it cleaned. Even if you can’t spot stains now, there are likely things that have dried clear but will turn yellow over time. Professional cleaners know the best way to tackle these stains.
-
Never store your wedding gown in plastic. Plastic holds moisture and can cause mold and mildew buildup, which can quickly damage your gown.
-
After your wedding gown is clean and dry, wrap it in acid-free, color-free tissue paper. Place layers of tissue paper between the folds of your gown and stuff the bust, sleeves, or any other areas with tissue paper to maintain its shape.
-
Store your wedding dress in an acid-free airtight container away from weather threats. Too much sun exposure can cause your gown to turn yellow, and a dark place like a basement or attic can cause mold, mildew, and bad odors.
Once you’ve got your wedding dress taken care of, it’s time to move on to the other wedding keepsakes.
DIY tips to reuse and preserve your wedding keepsake items:
-
Show off your bouquet in a shadow box. Use an acid-free shadow box to ensure your flowers are preserved. This is a beautiful way to show off those florals and add a touch of color to your home.
-
Turn your bouquet into a wreath. Dry out your flowers (read a tutorial here) and construct a wreath out of them to be hung in your home. This is a beautiful reminder of your special day.
-
Create Christmas ornaments from your invitations. This is a unique, beautiful way to save your invitations and reuse them for another project. Plus, it’s simple and cheap! Learn how to here.
-
Save your wine bottles from your reception and turn them into DIY projects. You can find plenty of DIY wine bottle projects to match your style and what better bottles to use than the sentimental ones?
If you’ve gotten married recently, you’re likely holding on to a lot of items, whether it’s a closet full of wedding presents that you don’t have room for just yet, or sentimental items that you just can’t find the right place for. If you need some storage to keep these items tucked away safely until you’re ready to use them, we would love to help. Find your nearest Space Shop location here and see how our safe, clean, and climate-controlled storage units are perfect for those wedding items.