How to Transport a Wedding Dress by Plane
Getting Wedding Gowns Safely to a Destination Abroad
Nov 23, 2008
With many couples choosing romantic sun kissed islands like Antigua or Mauritius for their wedding venue, air travel is usually the only method of transport, so how does a bride ensure her wedding dress arrives in one piece?
Choose the Right Wedding Dress
As many overseas weddings are in hot climates, it is firstly important to choose a dress that is light, comfortable and made of a fabric that will not make the wearer perspire.
Fabrics like chiffon and charmeuse drape well and are fairly crease resistant so are popular choices for beach weddings. They are also far easier to pack for air transport, as they do not take up much room.
Checking in a Wedding Dress
The best way to ensure a wedding dress arrives safely is to check it in as hand baggage. Contact the airline and ask to reserve a space in a hanging closet such as the ones in first class cabins or those used by the cabin crew. Alternatively, pack the dress carefully in acid-free tissue paper and place in a small box that will fit into an overhead locker.
Popular wedding destinations like islands in the Caribbean often mean there is competition for hanging space which is why it is important to have a contingency plan for packing a dress into a box or garment bag should there be no hanging space available. The last thing you want is your precious dress to be put into the hold with the risk of it being damaged by baggage handlers at the destination airport.
If travelling with a budget airline to a short haul destination like Cyprus, a popular wedding destination for British couples, there may be no upper class cabins and only limited space in overhead lockers. Checking a wedding dress into the hold runs the risk of the dress being lost or damaged in transit so for complete peace of mind, sending the dress by courier should be considered.
Sending a Wedding Dress by Courier
This method should be used where there is limited space on the aircraft or if the dress is bulky and requires careful handling.
- Pack the dress carefully in layers of acid-free tissue paper, which will not damage or stain the fabric.
- Fold over any train and surround the dress with additional tissue paper before placing in either a zipped garment bag or straight into a special garment box.
- Choose a garment box with a hard exterior to avoid the dress being crushed in transit.
- Send the dress at least a week in advance and ask the hotel to confirm when it has arrived safely.
Crease-Free Wedding Dresses
For a beautiful looking dress on the day consider:
- Choosing a dress made of crease resistant fabric and without lots of layers, which will crease more easily.
- Packing it carefully for transport as above.
- Allow time to steam the dress on arrival. This can be pre-booked with the hotel or a local specialist cleaner beforehand.
- Lightweight dresses can simply be hung in a warm closet for creases to drop out naturally.
No Time for Wedding Planning?
As a last resort, some brides have been known to wear their dress on the plane ensuring it gets to its destination. Whilst it will draw much attention and the dress will probably need cleaning before the wedding day, it is highly likely to result in free champagne purely for entertainment value!
With the right planning brides getting married abroad can have a crease-free wedding dress that arrives safely at its destination.
Related Articles
You may be interested in Informal Short Wedding Dresses, How to Make a Bridal Bouquet and Ideas for Cheap Wedding Table Centerpieces.
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