How Do You Ship a Wedding Dress?

how do you ship a wedding dress

How do you ship a wedding dress? If you’ve planned your perfect destination wedding, there’s no doubt you’ll want your dress to be perfect as well. Shipping your gown doesn’t have to be a hassle, and really, it all boils down to care and common sense.

Some dress shops can pack the dress for you, and if that’s the case, by all means, let them! They’ll know how best how to fold and package the gown for the journey. But take care to do the actual shipping yourself. For one thing, it will likely be cheaper, but what’s more, you can make sure it’s done properly: sent to the right venue, with your chosen shipping company, on time.

But how do you ship a wedding dress yourself, from start to finish? If the task of packaging the dress does fall on your shoulders, make sure you use a high-quality, waterproof garment bag, and choose your box carefully – it should be just the right size so your dress is neither cramped, nor has too much room to shift about. If there is extra space, use wadded paper or packing peanuts to fill in the gaps. Make sure the box is sturdy as well. Some boxes boast a 200-lbs-per-square-inch burst strength, and for such precious cargo, it’s worth it.

It also helps to label the box with clear lettering that says “wedding gown.” If the shippers know what they are handling, they are more likely to treat the package with the care it deserves. It’s a good idea, as well, to put another label inside with contact information, for both yourself and whoever is going to be picking it up at its destination. It’s best to choose a specific, trustworthy person to be in charge of collecting your dress, rather than leaving it to the staff at the venue or hotel.

Make sure that the package is fully insured, has tracking, and requires a signature upon delivery. This creates accountability throughout its entire journey. Sending it high priority also ensures the best service, not to mention there is far less opportunity for it to be crushed and hidden beneath a pile of other boxes.

Don’t just send it via any shipping company, though. Do your research and talk to the venue staff. If the venue has a preferred shipper, there is likely a good reason for this, so trust them! Double check when the shipping company delivers to your destination. This may not be an issue, but for remote islands, there could be a shipment service only every other day, or in some cases, even less frequently.

So, how do you ship a wedding dress? Just like any other high-value item going through the post, you need a little extra care, forethought, and some good planning. By following your best judgement and choosing the right services and packaging, your dress will get to your destination in perfect condition.