A handful of useful packing tips for women who need to transport their ball gowns or wedding dresses from Point A to Point B sans wrinkles.
The first thing to consider, of course, is whether you are buying something that you already know you will be taking on a trip (i.e., your wedding dress) or if you have been invited to an event and are now trolling your existing wardrobe for just the right outfit.Obviously ensembles that are meant to cling to the body (i.e., knits or Spandex) are not only going to pack well because they compress so easily but will show little damage when donned because your own shape is what fills them out.Silks, silk blends, velours, and satins also travel well because they are lightweight and shake out nicely when hung in a closet or a steamy bathroom.In addition, patterns and dark clothing show fewer wrinkles than their pastel counterparts.
Another strategy that works nicely, especially for long skirts or dresses, is to lay the item in question face down on the bed and then lay either your slip or 2-3 lightweight T-shirts along the length of it.When you then fold the skirt or dress into thirds or fourths for packing, that extra layer of items in between helps cushion it.
Hats and veils are best transported in hat boxes which will need to be carried aboard.Dress shoes""especially patent leather""should be put in shoe bags to avoid scratching or, in the absence of shoe bags, tucked into tube socks or buffeted by your lingerie.
If you're dealing with an elaborate wedding dress (or anything else involving yards of taffeta or sporting a long train), you're going to want to put it in a garment bag.The good news with wedding dresses bought from department stores or bridal boutiques is that they'll come with a hanging bag whose dimensions can comfortably accommodate it.If your dress involves a lot of beadwork, it's also recommended that you take the added precaution of first slipping a dry cleaner's plastic bag over the whole thing and then putting it in the garment bag.This will prevent accidental zipper snags.
A dress transported in this way will, of course, have to be carried aboard the plane rather than checked.Since you're going to be carrying it much the same way you would carry an actual person, this pretty much precludes you from carrying anything else except perhaps a purse slug over your shoulder.Once on board, you will be competing with everyone else who feels that his or her garment bag deserves to be hung in the mini closet at the front of the plane.If that space is already packed, your only option is to put it in the overhead rack.This is best done, of course, after your seat companions have already stowed their luggage there since the last thing you want is a bunch of duffle bags, briefcases and roll-ons stacked on top of the dress you're planning to be married in.
If you want to make sure your dress gets special treatment, there are several things you can do.The first is to travel first class as opposed to coach.You not only get to board first but flight attendants do go to a little extra effort to ensure that the higher-paying clientele are kept happy.The second strategy when you check in at your gate is to let them know you have a wedding dress (as if the voluminous garment bag does not already give this away) and either ask if you can be among the pre-boards or if one of the attendants could take it on and hang it up for you.If children are traveling with you, of course, you're already in the pre-board group.The third thing, if you can arrange it, is to take a flight that's not likely to be a full one.While you probably have no way of knowing that, your travel agent or the airline reservations agent could have insights on which days tend to be slower, maximizing your use of the garment closet or an overhead rack to yourself.
Do you absolutely have to fly at all?The advantage that a road trip has over airplanes is that you have the luxury of spreading things out in a trunk, hanging them up on hooks, or laying them on the back seat.
Nor should you forget that most hotels have ironing boards for light touch-ups or contracts with dry cleaning services that can renew a badly wrinkled gown.
Last but not least""and especially if you don't want to schlep a wedding dress cross country on your own""look into the option of simply sending it to your wedding destination via Fed-Ex or other overnight courier.This is actually easier than it sounds and is becoming a popular alternative for brides who are traveling excessive distance to get married.Your dress can either be sent to a friend or relative in the city where the wedding is to take place (with instructions to take it out and immediately hang it up) or sent to the hotel where you will be staying.Again, coordinating this with the hotel management in advance will give you one less thing to worry about and is well worth the expense.Even better, you can arrange to have the whole thing shipped back to you once the wedding is over.
