How to Manage Dress Spills

By Roman Bienkiewicz, Banquet Manager, The Manor

The unthinkable has happened – no, your groom didn’t get cold feet. But you think this is almost as bad. You – or a now mortified guest – has spilled something on your wedding dress. The first rule of spills: Don’t panic. Making a scene won’t help. But there are a few simple steps that can. First of all, realize that you probably won’t get the stain out during the reception, but you can treat it so that it won’t set permanently. Chalk is great for covering stains on a wedding dress. For example, the bride traditionally takes photos outside, and sometimes nature leaves its mark on her dress. That’s the kind of fabric blemish simple white chalk can fix. Make sure you or one of your bride’s maids has some ready just in case. Red wine, lipstick and ink can also end up on a wedding dress. Here’s how to deal with each:

Red Wine: The chances of a red wine stain happening are quite high, so remember these basic steps. Dab the stain with a clean cloth. Club soda (or water in a pinch) can be poured generously on the stain. Dab again, but don’t rub vigorously.

Lipstick: Kissing is common at weddings. And some mothers-in-law wear more lipstick than others. If for some reason you get lipstick on your dress, ask the maitre d’ or your bridal assistant to get some baking soda from the kitchen. Apply it generously to cover the stain. It will mask the stain until your dry cleaner can carefully get it out.

Ink Stain: Though less likely than the lipstick or red wine stains, ink stains are possible nonetheless. Good news – the solution should be readily available in the bathroom! Hairspray does the trick. First test the hairspray on a nondescript part of your dress to make sure it doesn’t stain (some hairsprays don’t work well with certain fabrics). Then put a clean cloth behind the fabric where the stain is and spray the ink stain carefully. Wait a few minutes then dab gently with a damp cloth.

Thanks!

Roman