transporting wedding dress...

[nicsie]

Hello. Just wondering how is everyone going to trasport the wedding dress onto the plane/cruise ship? Any ideas/tips I should know about? Anyone steamed the dress on the cruise/ and how much was it?

 

Thanks

[dcdiva]

Traveling with a wedding gown is now getting more complicated than ever. But for what it's worth, here's my two cents.

 

First, DON'T make any assumptions about how the airline will deal with the dress. I'd suggest you start by checking with the airline to see what restrictions they have regarding carry-ons. Most will allow you to carry the dress on the plane, but it will be counted as your only allowable carry-on. You'll need to check other bags, and the rules and cost for checked bags vary by airline.

 

Ideally, you'll be able to carry on your dress and there will space to store it in the overhead compartments or even in an onboard closet. You may also be allowed to pre-board and stow your dress before other passengers take up all the storage space. But don't count on that.

 

Here's what I did. I found a garment bag that met carry-on standards and packed the dress in it. (Not a plastic dress bag from the bridal shop, but actual luggage). I packed the dress as carefully as I could, using tissue paper to protect the dress and to minimize wrinkling. I carried the bag unfolded onboard in the hopes that I could lay the dress flat in the overhead storage, or hang it somewhere. I smiled and asked as nicely as I could if I could pre-board so I could find overhead space for my dress. Unfortunatley, my particular flight was fully booked, so no luck. As soon as I boarded, I asked the flight crew to help me find space to store it. There was no overhead space by the time I boarded -- it was already jammed with bags and bulky winter coats. But they let me hang it in what I think was a crew closet.

 

The flight crew will try and be helpful, so just ask as nicely as you can and they will usually try to find a way to work it out. But be prepared that you may have to check the dress.

 

Getting it on the ship was no problem. We flew in the night before we sailed, so I was able to re-packed the dress bag from the bridal shop and carried it on board the ship. Even though my cabin wasn't ready yet, they let me in so I could hang my dress up right away.

 

Once I arrived, I knew there wasn't time for the ship to press my dress. But if the wedding isn't until the second or third day of the cruise, the ship will be able to steam it. Since that wasn't an option for me, I brought a small travel steamer. As it turned out, the dress traveled really well, and only needed a touch up with the steamer.

 

My plan was to do anything I could not to check the dress with the airline - especially if there was a plane change. In my case, traveling in winter, on Superbowl weekend when there are bound to be overbooked flights, the lost luggage lottery odds seemed pretty high. So just in case, I packed a "back up dress" in my checked luggage -- a simple white sheath that I could easily steam any wrinkles out of. Thankfully I didn't need it.:)

[BeachBrittani]

If you have any close family members that are driving you could give it to them. We are flying to Miami and my parents are driving, so they are bringing the wedding dress, bridesmaids dresses, etc. I saw this show about a month ago and this woman checked in her wedding dress and the airline company dropped it and ran over it and it was ruined! So I would just be so worried with checking in a wedding dress.

[leahlove]

Hi DC Diva- thanks so much for the great advice on flying with the dress. I'm getting married this Saturday, flying out on Friday to Tampa. I was concerned about your comment with the Bridal Store garment bag. Is that not suitable for the airlines? The Bridal store made it sound as if was for travel when I bought it, but now I"m concerned.

[dcdiva]

The garment bag that the bridal shop provides is probably fine for carrying on your dress. But if for some reason they make you check it, the nylon bag won't protect your dress from the baggage handlers, converyors, etc.

 

I actually purchased a luggage-style garment bag that I carefully stuffed the dress into. I also packed my nylon dress bag. When I got to our pre-cruise hotel, I unpacked the dress, and broke out the steamer to take care of the few large creases in the gown. I then repacked the dress in the nylon bag for boarding the ship. Once we got onboard, the dress hardly needed even a touch up with the steamer.

 

The bag is used looked something like this. It actually folded in three to be carried. But kept it unfolded as much as possible.

 

[Sylvia and Rich]

:D Hi we leave Friday the 20th and all I got from the airlines is :eek:

Oh just stick it in the overhead now that is funny. No we can't hang it or maybe we could. Oh I have to change planes and take a shuttle.

I was so upset It ended up we needed to ship it to the hotel and than all we have to do is carry it on to the ship. The box left today and will beat us to the hotel. I packed it with lots of tissue paper and in the bag and into a big box.

I will post back and let everyone know how it went.

Wish me luck.

Sylvia

I get married in St. Thomas on the beach :D