This is the last piece of our story with Paige Delbene, a Pittsburgh bride who found Owl Cleaners for her pre and post-wedding needs.
Though we have walked through Paige’s wedding story from New York to Pittsburgh, back to New York, and to her parents’ backyard, we want to leave brides in all forms with some advice, tips, and information that Paige has learned from her own dress experience. Plus, Heather has been an expert for years, and she has seen it all when it comes to wedding dresses.
From Paige:
- Shop for your dress at least a year early. Paige touched on how happy she was that she started her dress shopping practice early and didn’t wait, especially since the pandemic happened not long after she first visited Kleinfeld.
- Schedule an accessories appointment. If you know you want accessories for your big day but you don’t want to purchase everything at once, be sure to schedule a separate appointment to do so. “Don’t wait until the last minute like I did, though it luckily worked out,” recounts Paige.
- Clean and Preserve Early! Paige emphasized the importance of cleaning and preserving your dress early and not waiting, especially if there are hard stains. “The longer you wait, the stains will start to settle in.”
- Try to budget for a preservation as much as possible. Paige budgeted for her dress and saved for years prior, but she didn’t look too much into preservation costs beforehand. Paige suggests reaching out to other brides with similarly-sized gowns and seeing if they have any insight into the price. “It’s all about asking around and networking with other brides, especially in Pittsburgh.”
From Heather:
- Trust is important. A large reason why Paige and Heather worked so well together is that there was a level of trust on both ends that helped the processes go flawlessly. “We had trust!” excitedly recounts Heather.
- Preservation is not a job for just one. Being a professional, Heather knew that for a dress as large and expensive as Paige’s, she would need to consult with others. “My bridal cleaner, who has 30 years of experience cleaning fine gowns, assisted me with Paige’s cleaning plan. As we are a member of America’s Best Cleaners and Wedding Gown Specialist, I consulted with two other bridal cleaning consultants on our cleaning plan for Paige’s dress as well, before execution.”
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Since every dress is different, don’t hesitate to call and ask questions or set up a consultation. “Every dress that we clean and preserve is unique due to the type of fabric, beading, construction, weight, size, depth, length of dress and train, and requires different cleaning processes and finishing techniques. It is always our/my goal to present our absolute best work to every bride.”
- Preservation is forever. No matter the cost of your dress, you shouldn’t skimp on the cost of preservation. Your dress is something you have to treasure forever!
