The Do’s And Don’ts Of Traveling With Your Wedding Dress
Destination weddings are becoming more and more popular. If you have chosen a venue overseas, or down in Mexico or the caribbean, it is important to think about the logistics of traveling with your wedding dress. It’s an important logistic to think through and it might not be as simple as you think. But don’t stress, we have you covered.
When it comes to destination weddings, or even weddings being held back in your hometown (i.e. any form of travel), there are so many more things that can go wrong. We’ve got the key considerations figured out to try and help you make it as smooth as possible.
Do Not Let It Out Of Your Sight
It would be very tempting to check your wedding dress instead of taking it on as carry-on – especially it is big and bulky – but this could be a huge mistake.
Firstly, think about how you are going to be feeling on that plane ride. Do you think you’ll be relaxed and excited not knowing where your wedding dress is? With the way baggage handlers treat luggage there can be some concerns that come with that (we’ve all had those friends with luggage horror stories). Do you have enough time at your destination before the wedding day to allow for lost luggage to arrive? These are just a few of the questions that could be racing around your brain while you try and relax on a flight.
If you want to keep your nerves at bay, pack the dress into a garment bag and take it as carry-on luggage, so you know where your gown is at all times. With so many things on your mind it’s not a bad idea to set a timer for your land time to be sure to grab your dress. If you’re traveling with others you might have t0 use their carry-on allowance to bring the dress on so it’s an easy thing that could be forgotten.
Wrap it up real good
Most dresses will come in a dress bag from the store. Consider getting a few more clear XL bags and added a few more layers. If for any reason something went wrong, water got in, there was a rip in your suitcase etc, you’d have a bit more protection. Hint: Be sure you get clear bags. If you get search you don’t want your good wrapping job to be ripped open because it looks suspicious.
Bring your bill of sale
Customs can be tricky and it seems the rules changes often. It’s a good idea to bring your bill of sale and your resort info (“Where are you going?” or “Is that your dress?” etc). We can’t see why a wedding dress as a gift would be an issue to be bringing to someone, but like I said, rules changes so it’s best to be prepared when asked.
It also can be helpful if anything were to go wrong to have the exact info on your dress in case a insurance issue arises (Heaven forbid!) or you need a replacement.
Sensible Style
If you know you are going to be traveling to your wedding, a smart bride will pick a style that is beautiful, but sensible and travel-ready. This might not be the type of wedding that will suit a princess style, multi-layered ball gown – it’s not going to look nice if it’s ruined by wrinkles anyway! (Hint: If that’s truly the style of wedding your destination wedding is simply work with your hotel/resort to accommodate a steem when you arrive. But from experience it’s unlikely a ballgown is what you’re going to want out on the beach)
There are far more practical styles of wedding dresses you could consider, such as short wedding dresses. Short/mini, knee-length and tea-length wedding dresses are much more practical to try and fit in a garment bag, and less likely to be wrinkled or completely crushed by the time you get to your destination. Also, full length boho style dresses are a great choice. There are so many beautiful fabrics and style to pick from that are a little more destination wedding friendly.
Check Ahead
Chances are your airline ticket was one of the first things you purchased when planning the wedding, so you know which airline you will be flying with. All airlines have slightly different policies when it comes to carry on baggage, and it is critical for you to check and make sure your dress will meet them.
If for some reason your garment bag or box will be too large, the only option might be to consider upgrading to First Class (not a bad problem to have!). Airlines tend to be more flexible with what First Class passengers carry-on, and flight attendants are generally more courteous and helpful toward them (sad but true).
Before going to that extreme (and extra cost) try out a few smaller suitcases (leave your dress box behind) and make some calls to your airline. It’s your wedding day, they want you to have an extra good experience flying with them and have been known to really help out Brides & Grooms (varies from airline to airline of course).
We hope you found this blog post helpful. Want more planning tips? Check out our series here!
