FAQ

Wedding gown preservation is a specialized process that includes expert cleaning, detailed inspection, and long-term storage using museum-quality materials. At Missouri Gown Preservation, we use polypropylene boxes, acid-free archival tissue, and two layers of muslin wraps to keep your gown safe from yellowing, moisture, and protect it from bugs, dust, or damage over time.

Preservation protects your gown from stains, oxidation, fabric breakdown, permanent creases, and environmental damage. Whether you want to pass it down, repurpose it, or simply treasure it, proper preservation keeps your dress beautiful for decades.

The sooner, the better. We recommend preserving your gown within the first few months after your wedding to prevent stains from setting and fabric from breaking down. Invisible stains—like sweat, perfume, oils, sugar, or champagne—can surface over time and cause yellowing if left untreated. That said, now is better than never! We regularly work with gowns that are 5, 10, or even 30 years old. Whether your wedding was last month or decades ago, we’ll treat your dress with the care it deserves and help restore it before preservation.

It is never too late! We regularly preserve gowns that are 10, 20, or even 50 years old. The sooner you start, the better, but we specialize in restoration and know how to handle vintage pieces with care.

Yes. We have helped many brides preserve their gowns long after the big day. Our cleaning and prep process is designed to revive gowns even if they have been hanging in a closet or packed away for years.

We do not seal your gown in cardboard and plastic or ship it off to a warehouse. Your dress stays local, is cleaned with expert bridalwear methods, and preserved using materials trusted by museums. This is hands-on, personalized care and everything the best wedding gown preservation should be.

Yes, we can. While wedding gowns are our most common preservation request, we’re honored to help protect any meaningful garment you'd like to preserve for the long term. We’ve preserved christening gowns, First Communion dresses, quinceañera gowns, prom dresses, military uniforms, and even getting-ready robes or special family pieces. If it holds sentimental value, we’ll help you protect it with the same expert care and museum-quality materials we use for wedding gowns. Not sure if your item is a good fit for preservation? Reach out and we’ll be happy to talk it through.

Absolutely! Whether your dress was altered here, elsewhere, or not at all, you’re more than welcome to bring it to us for preservation. We’re here to care for your gown, no strings attached.

It all begins with a consultation. You can book an appointment online or contact us directly to schedule your in-studio evaluation. During your consultation, we’ll inspect your gown together, discuss any concerns like stains or delicate fabrics, and walk you through the preservation process step by step. You’ll also have the chance to customize your monogram, choose keepsakes to include, and ask any questions before we get started. From there, we take care of everything from expert cleaning to final preservation and scheduling pickup.

Our process is fully hands-on and entirely local. From start to finish, your gown stays in trusted, experienced hands. It begins with your in-studio preservation consultation, where we inspect your gown together, identify any stains or delicate areas, and discuss what add-on's you’d like to include such as accessories and custom monogramming. Your gown is then hand-delivered to our fourth-generation dry cleaning partner, who brings decades of wedding dress expertise to every material, stain treatment, and cleaning method. Once your gown is refreshed, we document its condition again and begin the preservation process. We use museum-quality materials to protect your gown: acid-free archival tissue, a breathable muslin wrap, and a polypropylene preservation box designed for heirloom storage. Keepsakes like your veil, garter, invitation suite, or accessories can be preserved alongside your dress for an additional fee. At pickup, we’ll walk you through long-term care and storage tips so your gown stays just as beautiful for years to come.

We’ve seen firsthand what happens when gowns are preserved using outdated methods. Before starting Missouri Gown Preservation, Hailey spent years unboxing dresses that had been sealed in cardboard kits for 30 years. Too often, those gowns were yellowed, covered in mystery stains, or had discolored sequins—even if they had never been opened. Cardboard begins to re-acidify within 5 years, and the plastic “viewing windows” used in many kits can oxidize, causing the fabric and embellishments to yellow. These preservation methods were the best option available at the time, but archivists suggest they were only intended to last about five years, a detail that was rarely shared with brides. We believe preservation should be built to last. That’s why we use museum-quality materials: no cardboard, no adhesives, and no sealed environments that trap moisture. Our method is designed to protect your gown for generations, not just a few years.

If your dress was sealed in a cardboard preservation box, you’re not alone, and we can help. Cardboard starts to re-acidify after 5 years, and the plastic windows used in many of these boxes begin to oxidize and yellow the gown in that same timeframe. Most brides are never told that these boxes are meant to be replaced every 5 years to maintain gown quality. If you're looking for peace of mind and a method that truly stands the test of time, we’re happy to re-preserve your gown using our archival-quality materials.

You’re in the right place! We specialize in handling gowns with stains, fragile fabrics, and post-wedding wear and tear. During your consultation, we’ll inspect your gown together and identify any problem areas—whether it's wine spills, dirt along the hem, loose appliqués, or delicate beading. From there, we create a treatment plan tailored to your dress. Our cleaning partner has decades of experience working with high-end bridal gowns and uses fabric-safe solvents and processes to address both visible and invisible stains. If your gown needs minor repairs before preservation, we’ll talk through those options with you during your appointment. No matter what condition your gown is in, we’ll treat it with the highest level of care and attention.

We will inspect your gown and accessories at your gown preservation consultation appointment and recommend if anything needs to be mended before cleaning. As master bridal seamstresses, we handle repairs in-house. We will discuss pricing of repairs prior to cleaning your gown so you can decide what you'd like fixed.

Absolutely. If your dress was professionally cleaned after your wedding, we will inspect it to ensure it is ready for preservation. If needed, we will recommend spot treatments or additional cleaning before boxing.

Yes. We can preserve your veil, shoes, garter, robe, groom's tie, invitation suite, bouquet wrap, and more. Just bring the items to your consultation and we will help you decide what fits, how to properly protect it, and the additional costs associate with preserving each item.

After cleaning and inspection, your gown is carefully preserved using museum-quality materials. It’s gently layered with acid-free, unbuffered archival tissue, wrapped in a breathable muslin liner, placed inside a proprietary polypropylene preservation box, and covered with muslin slip cover. Keepsakes like veils, garters, invitation suites, or accessories are individually prepared and tucked safely alongside your gown. Cotton gloves and care instructions are included so you can handle your gown properly in the future. Finally, your box is covered with a custom muslin slip to protect against light, dust, bugs, and humidity for long-term storage.

Yes, you can! While Missouri Gown Preservation is proudly based in Saint Louis, Missouri, we are part of a network of preservation partners across the U.S. who all use the same museum-quality materials, method, and attention to detail. You can find a partner near you, and we’re happy to connect you with the location closest to you for the most economical and secure shipping options. That said, one of the top reasons brides choose us is because we’re local. Unlike massive operations that process over 80,000 gowns per year, we offer a completely hands-on experience. Your gown won’t be lost in a warehouse or sealed in a box and sent away. From consultation to final pickup, your dress stays in trusted, expert hands with care you can see and a name you know.

Most gowns are ready in 8 to 12 weeks, but we will give you a more specific timeline at your consultation. Shorter timelines are available, just let us know if that is needed!

Yes, and that’s one of the benefits of our unsealed preservation method. You can open the box at any time to view your gown, check on it, or show it to a loved one. However, we recommend not removing, completely unfolding, or wearing the gown once it has been preserved. If you plan to wear your dress again for an anniversary, vow renewal, or another special occasion, we are happy to re-clean and re-preserve it afterward in your original box at a discounted rate.

Yes, but we don’t recommend removing or unfolding your gown unless you plan to wear it. If you’d like to wear your dress again, for a vow renewal, anniversary shoot, or to pass down, we’re happy to help. Just bring the gown and preservation box back to us. We’ll carefully remove it, inspect and re-clean, and re-preserve it afterward at a discounted rate. That way, your dress stays protected through every chapter of its story.

Keep your gown in a cool, dry, and dark environment away from basements, attics, or garages. A closet or guest bedroom is ideal. We will review care instructions with you at your pickup appointment.

Our preservation packages start at $399 and vary based on gown size and the items you choose to add to your box. Every package includes a consultation, expert cleaning, and full preservation with museum-quality materials and methods. We are proud to offer a high-quality alternative to the typical gown preservation kit because your dress deserves the best.

Yes. We offer flexible payment options to make preservation accessible while still using the best materials and methods available. Services must be paid in full by the time of gown pickup.

No, and neither do most big-box preservation services—at least not in the way it sounds. Many “lifetime warranties” are carefully worded to cover only issues that result from their own processes. They often exclude damage from yellowing sequins, oxidation, or stains that were never properly cleaned in the first place. At Missouri Gown Preservation, we believe in honest preservation, not gimmicks or guarantees that sound better than they really are. Instead of offering a vague warranty, we focus on what matters most: doing the job thoroughly and correctly the first time using the highest-quality materials and hands-on methods. Our unsealed method is designed to give you peace of mind and access to your gown. During your pickup appointment, we walk you through how to safely check and fluff your gown over time without disturbing its preserved state. We also encourage you to inspect your gown at the 6-month and 1-year mark. This is when most stain-related issues, if any, are likely to surface. Because we conduct a thorough inspection and expert-level cleaning before preservation, most dresses have no issues at all. But if you do notice something within the first year, please reach out. We are committed to working with you to ensure your gown stays beautifully preserved.

Our service is designed as a full preservation package and we do not offer standalone cleaning. However, in certain cases, such as if a bride is wearing her gown for multiple events, we may be able to accommodate cleaning between wears as part of your preservation plan. Let us know what you need, and we’ll see how we can help.