So you're finally going to be a bridesmaid but the wedding happens to be in another city that you need to fly to. You start to panic. You worry about how to pack your bridesmaid dress , how you might be the only bridesmaid with a bridesmaid dress looking wrinkled or with a visible crease, or worry about the airline sending your luggage to another city with your bridesmaid dress in it.
Traveling with a bridesmaid dress is not going to be a problem at all and here are a few tips that will help ensure that your bridesmaid dress makes it to the wedding looking elegant and new.
Ask the Bridal Shop About the Dress Material
The bridal shop would normally be able to give you suggestions on how to take the bridesmaid dress on your flight, and even how to get rid of wrinkles. Ask them for some suggestions. You may need to take with you a fabric steamer, wrinkle reducer spray or a flat iron; depending on the kind of fabric used on the dress and the bridal shop's recommendations.
Call the Airline
Different airlines have different policies on what you can or cannot take on the plane with you. While most airlines do allow you carry a dress in a garment bag, it would be best to call the airline and inquire about their policies on carrying on. In most cases, the flight attendant would take your bridesmaid dress and hang it in one of their closets or lay it flat in an unoccupied overhead bin.
One of a bride's wedding nightmares is to learn that her bridesmaid's dress got misplaced by the airline, so it is always best to carry it with you on the plane. You cannot afford to let it out of your sight.
Proper Packing
While some people swear that rolling a bridesmaid dress can minimize creases or wrinkles, I found that the best way would be to put it in a garment bag with a plastic bag over it. You can also use a cheap plastic garment bag and if you really want to save, you can use a garbage bag with a hole poked through the bottom with a hanger. The bag would then hang to cover the dress and you can tie the bottom end and wrap the knot around the hanger neck. As a precaution, only use plastic hangers so you don't cause alarms when passing through X-Rays or metal detectors.
You can also check with the bridal shop if you can have them package it like they do other dresses that they have shipped. They would then put it in a large box that you can carry with you and stow in the overhead bin.
Steaming to Remove Wrinkles
So you made it, you checked your dress and found some wrinkles. What now? A quick fix would be to hang it in your bathroom and run the shower on just hot water for 15 minutes. Doors and windows must be closed and exhaust fan shut off. You can smooth out the wrinkles on the fabric with your hands, then let it hang to dry completely.
Don't use wrinkle spray or water on satin and light colored fabric as this may leave a mark or spot. Sprays work best on cotton and when you do, spray sparingly and lightly. Do this if you have ample time to air dry.
Do not iron a dress unless your bridal shop says its fine to do so, and even then be careful, the heat may cause discoloration of the fabric. You can steam and dry out wrinkles by hanging the dress up, holding a heated iron about 6 inches away then releasing a burst of steam on the area while pulling on the hem to stretch out the wrinkle.
Finally if you have plenty of time and don't mind spending, why not have it shipped to the Bride ahead of time or to someone who can have it pressed and ready by the time you arrive.
