Storing Your Wedding Dress on a Hanger Versus Storing It in a Box

When you're having your wedding dress cleaned in preparation for long-term storage, wedding dress preservation companies often give you the choice to either have your wedding dress cleaned and preserved in a box or hung on a hanger. Some companies recommend one style over the other, but it's ultimately a personal decision that you should only make once you've grasped the pros and cons of both. Here are some of the differences between the two methods.

Air circulation

The box method, of course, encloses the dress within the walls of the box. It may be a cardboard box, more breathable than a plastic one, but it's still not as breathable as hanging your dress in a closet. This can be especially important if your dress is made of a natural material and needs a lot of air circulation.

Wearability

Although it's possible to take your dress out of the box and try it on (or wear it to a rededication ceremony on your anniversary), some companies will only guarantee the dress's condition if you don't remove it from the box. Voiding an expensive warranty may or may not be a good enough reason to avoid ever holding and wearing your wedding dress again (maybe you weren't planning to anyway), but, if you do want to take the dress out at some point, it may be best to go with the hanging option.

Stretching

Depending on how heavy the dress is, what it's made of, and how long it hangs in the same position, leaving it on a hanger could potentially cause it to stretch or sag slightly in various ways so it won't fit quite so perfectly around the shoulders. If you're planning to leave it hanging for a long time and don't want the shoulders to stretch out, you may wish to consider the box option.

Wrinkling

Putting your dress into a box may encourage slight wrinkling. Of course, the dress's folds will be well-padded with tissue to avoid creases, but if you take the dress out of the box and then put it back, it could be difficult to get these pads just right again. Plus, there's simply not enough room in a box to sufficiently stretch out a full, stiff skirt.

These differences show how both the box and the hanging option for wedding dress storage come with their own pros and cons. When preparing your special dress for long-term storage, you'll need to make an enlightened choice so you won't end up regretting it later.

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