It was the most important item at your wedding – apart from your partner of course – but now your beautiful bridal gown is unceremoniously shoved under the bed, hidden away in a wardrobe or even the star of the kids’ dress-up box.
That will all change with Cairns Museum offering former brides an opportunity to resurrect their wedding dresses and correctly store them for a prettier posterity.
The workshops are part of the Museum’s current Dressed to Impressfashion exhibition and aim to give participants techniques to store their dress properly – covering packaging basics and how to keep your garment as perfect as the day you floated down the aisle.
The workshops are co-hosted by Sorenson Art Conservation, with support from the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF).
The expert advice will cover the characteristics and environmental sensitivities of different fabrics and features of wedding gowns and veils such as lace, silk, sequins and beads.
It will equip attendees with the knowledge needed to safely store their precious and probably pricey wedding gown including where to order a textile box and packing materials.
Two lucky participants will have their wedding dress professionally packed during the course of the workshop.
Melanie Sorenson, conservator at the Cairns Museum, said wedding dresses were not only a beautiful memory but often an intricate piece of art.
“They are made of exquisite fabrics and embellishments and each part needs special attention to keep the garment pristine. They need to be looked after carefully given they are typically worn once and then packed up.”
“Workshop participants not only get to look and admire their wedding dress again but also appreciate the workmanship and beauty of it and learn how to keep the garment and veil safe and unspoiled.
“Those attending will also be able to order a textile box pack and receive an instruction sheet on DIY packing and storing textiles at home.”
During the course of the workshops, Ms Sorenson said she was hoping to hear some great stories of weddings in the Far North
No cleaning or conservation treatment will be undertaken at the workshop.Attendees are invited to bring one wedding gown and one veil only to the workshop.
Participation costs $40 and there are two sessions: March 28 – 5.30pm to 8.30pm and March 30 – 2pm to 5pm. They will be held at the Cairns Museum.
For more information contact or to book your place visit https://www.trybooking.com/BBQLK.
