Whether you've just sold your wedding dress on Still White or having a destination wedding, here is the ultimate guide to shipping your dress safely.
01. Use a sturdy box
Cardboard boxes of various sizes can be purchased from your nearest office supply store or post office for a few dollars. Make sure the box is just big enough to fit the dress but not too small to damage any fine detail or crush it beyond recognition. The box you picked it up from dry cleaner may be far to large to post economically. A typical wedding dress would fit in a 43 x 30 x 14 cm / 18 x 16 x 9 in box. We always measure the dress itself as all dresses come in different sizes and weights.
Parcel fees
Parcels are charged by weight, or cubic weight, whichever is greater. Cubic weight is measured using the size of the box, so even if the dress is light as a feather, it will charged at the weight of a bowling ball if placed in a large box with lots of padding—which is bad news for everyone.
02. Wrap with acid free tissue paper
Lay a sheet of tissue paper down on a table and place the dress on top. White acid-free tissue paper or unbleached muslin are ideal packaging materials. Ordinary tissue paper contains acid which can damage the dress.
03. Fold the dress carefully
Fold the dress carefully, placing tissue paper between each layer. This is especially important if the dress contains embellishments such as jewels. The tissue paper will also help stop the dress catching on any tulle.
04. Place in clear plastic bag
Place the entire folded gown with tissue paper inside a clear plastic bag and fold down the opening. This will help in the unlikely event the box gets wet or rain damaged. Although plastic is not recommended for long-term preservation, it is safe during shipment.
05. Seal with adhesive tape
Use thick adhesive tape to seal the box shut. You may need go over the opening several times. If you have a printed shipping label, tape it to the box, avoiding any seams and cover the whole label with tape. Be sure to remove any existing labels that may be on box - you don't want the dress going to wrong destination!
Finally, mark the box with the words "WEDDING GOWN" so that delivery people know to treat it with respect.
06. Bonus Tips
Thank You Note
We hear some great feedback about sellers who have gone the extra mile and placed a little note in the box. Here's an example:
I hope this dress makes your day as special as mine
Ribbon
For a touch of class, consider tying a white or blue ribbon around the dress. Imaging the buyers delight unwrapping something so beautiful.
Let me know in the comments if you have any special tips for sending a wedding dress in the mail.
By Bruno Szajer
Liz, Crest Hill