Wedding Dress Cleaning & Preservation

“The most reputable wedding dress specialist in the D.C. area.” – Washingtonian Magazine

Your wedding is one of the most important occasions in your life. Why not preserve your gown for generations to come?

Parkway Custom Drycleaning is the one of North America’s foremost experts on wedding dress cleaning, preservation, and restoration. We have been gently hand-cleaning and air-drying gowns since 1926. Our dedication to excellence and experience serving many of the nations’ leading bridal gown boutiques and department stores has prepared us to care for many types of styles and designs – from vintage to ultra-contemporary.

Dry Cleaning Wedding Dresses

Parkway uses a very gentle odorless organic solution that is especially effective on beads, sequins, lace, trims and vintage fabric.

The processes we have developed have been employed here for decades, and the combined wedding dress cleaning experience of our spotting and finishing staff is now approaching 50 years. Even gowns with unserviceable embellishments and trims have been cleaned and restored very effectively.

All wedding dresses are hand cleaned, air-dried and hand pressed. The veil and headpiece are hand spotted and cleaned as required.

Each wedding dress is inspected several times throughout our process. The condition of the fabric is studied, difficult stains are tested, and nuances like bows, pleating and overlayers are noted and addressed. Each wedding dress is given the unique attention that it so rightly deserves.

Many stains such as hem soil, yellow spillage, “invisible stains”, and general discoloration are often not removable by dry cleaning. For these stains we turn to our wet cleaning department for further stain removal and restoration.

Wet Cleaning Wedding Dresses

Wet cleaning is a water-based restoration method. The wedding dress is bathed by hand with a neutral organic detergent designed specifically for fragile fabrics. The above-mentioned stains usually respond well to wet cleaning by this method. Only a well-trained staff should attempt this method, however, as shrinkage and significant texture changes can result if this method is attempted by an inexperienced organization. Parkway has been wet cleaning wedding dressess for decades, and the results are usually extraordinary! Our most experienced spotter has been with Parkway for over 35 years!

Restoring Second and Third Generation Wedding Dresses

Restoring wedding dresses to their original state is part of the magic we perform. Weakness of fibers due to age, improper storage, staining, perspiration and light exposure are concerns that need to be recognized, and our experienced staff has several techniques to address these areas and bring a wedding dress back to life.

Restyling & Alterations

Whether it is creating a new bustle for you, adding lace, applying new beading and ornamentation, restyling a wedding dress, or performing a minor alteration, our couture-quality seamstresses are some of the most experienced in the greater Washington – Baltimore area. With decades of experience, they will personally tend to all your needs. There may be a basting, a fitting or two, and then a final appointment – we’ll do whatever is required to make you look your best!

Cost of Cleaning & Wedding Dress Preservation

Wedding dress prices are based on many factors, including the fabric, length of the train, and the design. Heavily beaded and ornate gowns are more challenging, and are priced accordingly. Our methods are very different than most cleaners, as we hand clean, pre- and post- spot, and gently hand finish all gowns in order to preserve the color, size, and texture of your investment. Please complete the form below, call or visit us for a price estimate, which can be provided once we know more details about your gown. While we are a bit more expensive than many of the other cleaners, our careful attention to detail has resulted in our “Best of the knot” awards and it is why we have been named Washingtonian magazine’s “Best Area Drycleaner” in reader’s polls.

Wedding Dress Preservation & Boxing

Your wedding dress will be preserved in an archival quality pH-neutral preservation box and surrounded with acid-free tissue and a muslin cover.

The wedding dress preservation box is not permanently sealed as it is recommended that you check your gown periodically and carefully re-fold it so as not to create permanent creases. We suggest that your hands be clean and free of oils when you inspect your wedding dress and we provide inspection gloves that we recommend you wear when when you inspect your bridal gown in the future. We also recommend that you have your box re-tissued with fresh acid free tissue every five years or so, which we can do for you for a nominal fee.

Get A Wedding Dress Quote Today