You’ve found the dress and matching type of veil, but now that it’s out of the dress shop and in your possession, how do you get it along with you to your destination wedding? Don’t freak out. I’m here to help.
This is a question I see asked all the time in the Las Vegas Weddings & Elopements Facebook Group.
Thankfully the solutions are tried and true. You might be wanting a non-traditional elopement or micro wedding, but there is some good that can come of following the pack.
Flying with a Wedding Dress
Get a Ticket
Send your dress first class! Buy it its own seat on the plane… in coach. Haha
Make sure to connect with your airline and make sure it’s allowed. You can most likely sit side-by-side with your dress the entire flight.
Extra “Hell Yeah” Bonus: Your dress might be allowed its own carry on since it’s got a ticket! Wahooo, more bags!
Hanging Garment Bag Closet
You’ll hear from some people that using a garment bag can secure you a spot in the “secret” space in the cabin reserved for items such as wedding dress bags. This is true on some planes, and I’ve seen this work out before, but it’s not a guarantee.
If you want to try it, just place your dress in a hanging garment bag and board the plane with it in hand. You could ask at the gate prior to boarding if you can get some assistance with stowing your hanging wedding dress garment bag once aboard, but it’s not always necessary to speak up that early.
Many times attentive flight attendants will see you stepping aboard with the garment bag and offer to hang it in a closet for you. Some airlines are more generous than others about opening up this space. Oftentimes they’ll hold it for first class travelers or customers with items that can’t go in the overhead such as wheelchairs, walkers, bicycles, and surfboards, brah. Still other times this space might not even exist in your plane’s configuration.
If you try this technique, make sure your wedding dress garment bag is an allowed carry on, or that you’re counting it as your personal item. Individual bag limits still apply.
Overhead Bin
Once again a first class ticket comes in handy as it’s rare to not have overheard storage space for everyone traveling first class.
If your budget-minded butt is stuck in the main cabin, having an early boarding group can be helpful when it comes to stowing your wedding dress in an overhead bin – be it in a carry-on suitcase or the cardboard box it came in. But don’t fret too much because, as you’ll see when it comes time for unpacking, it doesn’t matter so much how you get the dress there, as how you treat it once it’s unpacked.
Whatever space is available to you is likely enough as long as you can stuff it in there. As long as all the other passengers are playing by the rules you should be fine. It goes without saying that individual bag limits still apply.
Vacuum Pack Bag
If you’re a heavy packer (raise your hand, you know who you are) and need to maximize the space in all of your luggage, you’ll probably want to vacuum pack your wedding dress. This method gets a strong endorsement from travel experts.
“People we shuttle come with wedding dresses in vacuum pack bags. A smart idea, not only because they save space when packing, but it’s also easier as they park their car, go through security, and make their way through the terminal,” says Melanie Burns of EZ Air Park in Minneapolis.
Look for the jumbo bags in either standalone packages or combo sets.
Ship Your Wedding Dress
Shipping a wedding dress through the United States Postal Service or a commercial shipping company (FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc.) is a pretty safe alternative to traveling with your wedding dress. Some people might be afraid to put such an important item in the mail, but damage and loss are rare.
I use the Ground Advantage service, an upgraded version of the classic First Class service. My packages are delivered in 2-5 business days and tracking is included in the price. My favorite feature is the Package Pickup and Pickup On Demand scheduler. There’s no charge for having your regular postal carrier pick up your package with your normal mail delivery. I don’t even have to leave the house to put things in the mail!
The commercial carriers also do an excellent job of shipping wedding dresses for travel. Next day services are abundant and reliable if you’re in a pinch, but you’d be wise to ship it so that it arrives a week ahead of you, to allow for unlikely delays.
If you’re going to do this, it’s best to ship it to someone you’re tight with on the other end. Most venues, coordinators and hotels don’t want to be responsible for wedding gowns, so you may have a hard time finding someone to ship it to. That is of course unless you have a bestie or some fam at your destination.
Most wedding gowns will fit in an 18”x16”x9” or 30”x20”x8” box. Don’t use a box that exposes the contents. Don’t use a department store wedding storage box. They’re too flimsy. A sturdy double-walled brown cardboard box should do the trick.
To figure out the size of the box you need, gently fold your dress and measure its length, width, and depth as it’s folded. You don’t need to leave extra space in the box as that only gives it more room to move about during its journey. Wrap it in a plastic garment bag and box it up. More tips can be found here.
Wedding Dress Shipping in Disguise
Shhhhhh 🤫
Ok, here’s an idea I wouldn’t offer to my Cactus Collective Weddings audience, but I know my Electric Sugar Elopements couples are a little more daring.
Have you heard of Ship Sticks? They handle golf club shipping as an alternative to golfers checking their clubs with them on the airplane. Golfers are protective of their clubs.
You’re protective of your dress. Why can’t this work?
They promise to ship clubs to the golf course you’ll be visiting on your buddies trip, or, and get this, YOUR HOTEL! What’s to stop a bride from scheduling a shipment with her wedding dress packed inside the golf club travel case, rather than actual golf clubs?
Shhhhhh. You didn’t hear this idea here. Got it? Check the terms and conditions and maybe throw in a few wedges and a putter just to be safe.
Reviving Your Wedding Dress Upon Arrival
To revive your wedding dress after its long trip in a box, garment bag or vacuum pack bag you’ll need to steam it. Steaming it removes the wrinkles. It’s like a liquid IV for your dress.
You can go the do-it-yourself route if you have a travel steamer. A steamer smooths without scorching, making it the best tool for delicate fabrics which are often a major component of wedding dresses. Don’t skimp on a cheap one, you’ll just get frustrated at how long it takes, and the amount of effort you have to put in. The best ones have a short heat up time and a long continuous flow of steam. A favorite of many traveling couples is the turbo line of handheld steamers from ConAir.
But if we’re being logical about this, chances are if you vacuum packed your dress to save space in your luggage, you’ve left behind the steamer, because it too was taking up extra space.
If this is true you’ll need to send it out to the pros. In Las Vegas one of the highest rated companies is Creative Bridal Wear. They can pick up your items on the day you request and return them same-day by 5 pm. They’ve been in business since 2010. Hiring them to steam your dress will cost between $105 and $165 approximately. The prices include pick up and delivery. And yes, they do suits and tuxedos as well so that the two of you will look your very best on one of the best days of your lives.
Make Your Wedding Unforgettable
You’ll never forget what you wore during your destination wedding and I know you want to look your best in your bad ass wedding photos. I hope these tips for traveling with your wedding dress have helped make your all-inclusive wedding vision a reality. For more ways my Electric Sugar Elopements team and I can help make your wedding dreams come true, fill out our inquiry form.
