Get your gown picture perfect for the wedding or pre-wedding shoot

Images: With Jesseca Liu in Bhutan and Rebecca Lim in Chiang Mai.

Bringing over 20 gowns on an overseas shoot assignment is not an easy task.  Not only do you have to pack the gowns properly, the dresses have to be in pristine condition when you return them to the bridal salon - even after lugging them up mountains and over rocky beaches to get that perfect fashion picture.

Here are some tips on how to pack and prepare your wedding dress for your big day or pre-wedding shoot.

PACK IT FLAT

Most bridal salons will pack your wedding dress in a nice plastic cover or fabric box for easy transportation.  If packed right, you wont have to worry much about creases or folds when you take the dresses out.

But if you intend to bring a big and puffy ballgown for an overseas shoot, or you have a few gowns to pack, then its best to vacuum pack your gowns.  You can get large zip lock bags cheap at Daiso: just fold the gowns neatly, slip them into the bags, seal the opening but leave a small gap for the vacuum cleaner.  Seal the bag once most of the air is out and the bag is flattened.  This method allows you to pack even the biggest gown easily.

See also: Enchanting! 8 pretty gowns perfect for a breezy garden wedding 

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PACK IT RIGHT

If you have more than one dress to pack in one bag, and some of them are heavily embellished, be careful how you pack the dresses together. When packing a full-lace gown, or a heavily beaded or sequinned dress, I always turn them inside out before packing.  This is to ensure the delicate lace, or beads, don't get caught and entangled with the other dresses.

STEAM ONLY

As most wedding gowns are made of delicate fabrics, I always steam my gowns after unpacking them. Some hotels don't have steamers available for loan so I bring along a portable hand held steamer that you can get at any electronic home store. Move the steamer slowly and gently over the fabric; never stay in one spot too long as some fabrics are quite fragile and will 'melt' if it's too hot.   

If you don't have a steamer, the other way is to hang your gown in the bathroom the night before your shoot or wedding. Fill the bathtub with steaming hot water and close the door - viola! a steam room for your dress! It takes a bit more time then using a steamer but it's just as effective.

See also: 7 gown fabrics that make your outdoor wedding a breeze

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IRON IT OUT

Some fabrics like thick taffeta or duchess satin require an iron as steaming doesn't get rid of the creases or folds.  But ironing can sometimes leave burn marks or 'shine' marks. 

To avoid this always iron the dress inside out (if possible) and place a towel over the fabric before ironing it. Test iron a small part of the fabric first and if everything is ok, proceed.

See also: 10 Korean wedding photographers for your overseas pre-wedding shoot