A Wedding Dress Cleaning and Preservation Service is unlike any regular dry cleaning job. It’s a delicate craft, a meticulous, multi-step process that demands specialized knowledge and skill. This service is best handled by seasoned professionals who understand the nuances of fine fabrics, embellishments, and construction methods specific to bridalwear.
That said, this level of care comes with its own set of costs. Prices can fluctuate based on the materials, condition, and the level of care required for your dress. So for brides planning their wedding budgets or revisiting their dress for an anniversary or vow renewal, it’s important to understand what goes into it.
In this post, we cover the typical price ranges for wedding dress cleaning and preservation, and explain what you actually pay for and the inclusions of these costs.
Basic Cleaning and Preservation Kit – $150 to $250
This is the entry-level option and a popular choice for brides who want simple preservation without spending a lot of money. It’s especially appealing for those who plan to store their dress as a keepsake but aren’t necessarily thinking about passing it down or showcasing it for generations.
What You Get:
- A prepaid shipping box or bag: They send you a shipping kit so you can safely pack up your dress at home.
- Basic dress cleaning: Light cleaning to remove surface dirt or minor stains.
- Standard wedding dress preservation box: Acid-free materials help slow down yellowing and fabric aging.
- Return shipping of your preserved dress.
Why It’s Priced This Way:
These kits are mass-produced, which helps keep costs down. They’re built for convenience and affordability, not customization. Most companies in this range use streamlined processes, so your dress might be processed with many others at once.
What You Should Know:
- Limited stain treatment: If your dress has red wine, makeup, or grass stains, this tier might not cut it.
- No accessory cleaning: Veils, shoes, or garters typically aren’t included.
- Lower insurance coverage: If your dress is lost or damaged, you might only get a small payout.
Standard Cleaning and Preservation Package – $250 to $400
This package is the most common choice for brides who want quality care without going overboard on cost. It strikes a balance between professional-level cleaning, proper preservation methods, and an accessible price point. While it’s not the most luxurious option available, it still includes the essential steps needed to keep your dress in beautiful condition for the long haul.
What You Get:
- Full bridal dry cleaning service: Your dress is carefully cleaned using a method that matches the fabric (usually wet cleaning or non-toxic solvent).
- Stain removal: They target common stains like wine, water, dirt, sweat, and deodorant.
- Steam or press: Your dress is smoothed out before boxing, so it looks as flawless as it did on your big day.
- Sealed acid-free wedding dress preservation box: This includes proper folding and bust support.
- Optional add-ons: Some services let you include one or two small items like your veil or cotton garter.
- Moderate insurance: Typical price range is $1,000–$2,000 of coverage.
Why It’s Priced This Way:
The $250 to $400 price range reflects the combination of labor, materials, and expertise required to preserve a wedding dress properly. Unlike standard dry cleaning, this process isn’t automated or rushed. Every dress is treated individually, which means trained professionals inspect it for stains, fabric type, and damage before tailoring the cleaning method to the specific needs of the dress.
What You Should Know:
- It’s a good idea to inspect the dress before it’s sealed (some companies allow this).
- If your dress has lace, beading, or layered textiles, this is the minimum level of care it needs.
- Companies may charge a small fee for extra items like bridesmaid dresses or shoes.
Pro Tip: This package is ideal for most brides, especially if your dress has a few visible stains or delicate fabrics you want handled with care.
Premium Cleaning and Preservation Service – $400 to $750
Premium cleaning and preservation service is typically for high-end dresses made with luxury fabrics like silk, layered tulle, or intricate lace, often hand-embellished with beads, sequins, or embroidery. This tier includes all the bells and whistles, including advanced cleaning, deluxe packaging, and often high-end customer service.
What You Get:
- Expert cleaning for complex fabrics: Whether it’s silk, lace, or tulle, the dress is cleaned using the safest, most appropriate method. They often test the fabric first to avoid damage.
- Advanced stain removal: Think red wine spills, oil-based makeup, or long-term discoloration from moisture or water damage.
- Custom textile treatments: Includes specialized solvents, handwork, and spot testing to preserve fragile materials.
- Museum-grade preservation box: Acid-free, pH-balanced, with layers of cotton tissue, bust form support, and often a viewing window.
- Full accessory preservation: Add in your veil, garter, sash, or shoes at no extra charge.
- High-value insurance: Some companies offer up to $10,000 in coverage.
- One-on-one customer support: You often receive updates via email, phone, or even a customer portal.
- Optional in-person inspection before the dress is boxed.
Why It’s Priced This Way:
The $400 to $750 price range reflects the advanced level of care and customization required for high-end dresses. Additionally, preservation at this level usually involves multiple steps, including repairs, detailed inspections, and archival-quality packaging. The box alone—often acid-free and UV-resistant—can cost significantly more than a standard container.
Designer Dress or Custom Work – $750 to $1,000+
For high-end dresses—think Vera Wang, Galia Lahav, or Berta—or fully customized pieces, preservation becomes more than just maintenance. These dresses are works of art. They often feature couture-level detailing, layered construction, imported fabrics, and design elements that simply can’t be handled by standard preservation methods.
What You Get:
- Hands-on cleaning and preservation by true textile specialists.
- Lab-style fabric testing for colorfastness and durability.
- Full disassembly and reassembly of the dress if needed (yes, that happens!).
- Red wine, water, and protein-based stain removal with enzymes or organic solvents.
- Custom archival box (sometimes custom-sized for large trains or heavy embellishment).
- Detailed condition reports and before-and-after documentation.
- Face-to-face consultations or full virtual walkthroughs.
- Heirloom-quality storage and bride-focused customer service.
Why It’s Priced This Way:
The $750 to $1,000+ range reflects the precision, expertise, and time required to clean and preserve a dress at this level. Designer and custom dresses aren’t just more expensive—they’re more fragile, more detailed, and often made with materials that are rare or imported. Cleaning and preserving them safely means using specialized tools, fabric-specific treatments, and sometimes consulting directly with the designer’s guidelines.
What You Should Know:
- These services are almost always fully customized. Expect to discuss your needs over the phone or via email, not just a checkout page.
- Often includes wedding preservation for accessories: Think custom shoes, veil, and even textile swatches from the dressmaker.
- You may need to book early: Some luxury providers have long wait times.
From Budget-friendly to Couture Care — Clean’n’Press Does It All — Schedule Your Wedding Dress Cleaning and Preservation Service Today!
At Clean’n’Press, we understand trusting someone with your wedding dress is a big deal—and we don’t take that responsibility lightly. With over 30 years in the garment care industry, our clients continue to attest to the exceptional quality of our work, especially when it comes to
wedding dress cleaning and preservation. We carefully clean and preserve each dress using high-quality, archival storage boxes designed to protect the fabric from yellowing, dust, and damage.
Schedule your Wedding Dress Cleaning and Preservation Service today with Clean’n’Press—where quality, care, and trust always come first!
Reach out to us and our team will respond by the end of the next business day:
📧 Email Address: contactus@cleannpress.com
📍 Headquarters: (651) 240-3318