Need Good Tips on How to Pack a Wedding Gown for Plane Ride.

Hello, I’d call airlines first and ask what requirements they have. Just heard something lately where a bride tried getting in plane with a box & they wouldn’t let her. Better safe than sorry.
Good luck to you!

Updated

Hello, I’d call airlines first and ask what requirements they have. Just heard something lately where a bride tried getting in plane with a box & they wouldn’t let her. Better safe than sorry.
Good luck to you!

It's unclear from your question about your budget or the style of your dress.

If your dress is a complex style or you want to aim for "perfection at any price", then whatever your closest big city is probably has a business that specializes in dealing with formal wear and wedding gowns including transportation/shipping - we certainly have businesses like that here in NYC. They will pack it and ship it and insure it.

If it's just a dress that is special to you because you will wear it on your special day but you would ultimately like to keep things simple, you should watch internet videos on gentle dress rolling, basically letting it be its own fluffy carry-on.

Do not check it. And do not "rely on the kindness of strangers", lol, to let you take up more than your fair share of an overhead compartment...not with the crazy plane fights we see these days!!

If you have a trusted person at the destination who can pick up/take a delivery consider shipping it.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/sandy-malone/5-tips-for-sh...

This is a really good video on how to do it

https://youtu.be/4YiKrO2ORBQ

(safe link)

I'd be wary of suitcase in case luggage goes missing. Cramming into overhead bin sounds nasty, but the video shows you how you can roll it and I am sure if you told passengers it's your wedding gown, people would accommodate you - or telling flight attendants. At least you'd know where it was.

I would look into having it shipped. I had to have a bride's maid dress shipped once (by the store), and it looked great when I took it out of the box.

If you don't have time to have it shipped (which would absolutely be my first choice), definitely pack it as a carry-on. There is no way I would check something that important.

It probably wouldn't be very expensive to have it shipped, and the insurance to cover the dress should be fairly inexpensive.

ETA - I noticed a couple of people mentioned overhead compartments and such. It has been about 10 year since I've flown, but do they still do gate check? I can remember a few times checking something at the gate, and that did not go into an overhead compartment. But I'm still going to vote for shipping the dress ahead of time.

I would get advice, and possibly packing services, from the store where you bought the dress. They know these things! If you didn't get it from a regular store, I'd ask your local tailor or dry cleaner (one who specializes in caring for dresses after the wedding) what the best method is. I would think it might depend on the fabric you chose, whether it has a train or other features that are crushable, and so on. You could also inquire about services available at the destination for freshening up or steaming a dress after unpacking. Hopefully an experience wedding venue would have dealt with this before.

I'd be wary about putting it in your suitcase - you need a back-up plan in case they lose your luggage! If you are going to the destination a number of days in advance, you'll probably be okay as they will have time to find it and get it to you. Taking it on board with you might be safer, but then you;re going to have to cram it into overhead storage or the tiny closets that aren't designed for a long or voluminous dress. You could speak to the airline on that, but it would depend on what you learn from the store first about how to protect it.

I don't know about packing without wrinkles, but no way I would put it in a checked bag. Too much of a risk of lost luggage. I'd want it with me, in my own hands, no matter what.

I say have a garment bag and have it with you. No way am I letting it go. I am guessing on a destination wedding it’s not going to be bulky and ridiculously huge so you should be fine, plus I am sure where you will be staying they have service to at least steam it to refresh it. ( have them do it in your room or go where they do it with your dress). Congrats!!

i can't think of any way to pack something like that and have it stay unwrinkled. i'd certainly consider having it shipped professionally, as that has a far lesser risk of loss or damage than just trying to put in a checked bag on the plane. the overnight bin will certainly wrinkle it.

just plan on taking it a professional cleaner at your destination to have it pressed.

khairete
S.

I'd say keep the dress with you. If space will be a problem I would call the airline ahead of time and see what they say. They may have a special place on the plane for important or too large of things. That way, if you have it with you, you don't have to worry if it will arrive WITH you. Then when you get there see if you can get it all ready--professionally, with you in the same area.

Personally, I don't know if I would trust even a professional to have to SENT there. Too much money invested in those things to risk not being able to wear the gown of your dreams for your wedding because you don't have it with you.

S.

Have you contacted the airline you will be flying to see how they suggest you packing it? This wouldn't be the first time a bride has to pack her dress to get to the wedding.

Contact the store where you purchased your dress and see how they would pack it for the plane trip.

I personally would get the best garment bag and put it in that and talk with the airline about bringing it on-board for the flight.