Wedding Gown Preservation Archives - Treasured Garment Restoration

January 18, 2021 In Associations & Awards, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Gown Preservation, Wedding Trends, Weddings

Treasured Garment Restoration Awarded WeddingWire Couples’ Choice 2021

Treasured Garment Restoration by St Croix Cleaners is honored to be one of the top vendors in Minneapolis on WeddingWire.

Minneapolis, January 18, 2021
Treasured Garment Restoration was announced as a winner of the 2021 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards®,
an accolade representing the top wedding professionals across the board in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism reviewed by couples on WeddingWire.

In 2020, the rise and spread of COVID-19 unfortunately impacted the wedding industry and the hundreds of thousands of small businesses who bring weddings to life every day. However, wedding vendors worldwide continued to guide their couples through wedding planning and the challenges of the global pandemic. In celebration of local wedding vendors nationwide and overseas, the 2021 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® recognizes the wedding professionals who excelled in supporting to-be-weds despite unprecedented challenges resulting from COVID-19.

To determine these distinguished wedding professionals, WeddingWire analyzed reviews across more than 20 service categories—from venues and caterers to florists and photographers—to find the most- and highest-rated vendors of the year. The winners exhibit superior professionalism, responsiveness, service and quality when interacting with the millions of couples who turn to WeddingWire to help with their wedding planning process each month.

Wedding professionals who win WeddingWire Couple’s Choice Awards® are members of WeddingPro, the leading B2B wedding brand. As the largest marketplace and community for wedding professionals, WeddingPro connects businesses with more than 13 million unique monthly visitors who are planning weddings on WeddingWire and The Knot, as well as with hundreds of thousands of pros in the industry. Through its online marketplaces, educational programs and community-building events, WeddingPro is dedicated to helping wedding professionals build relationships with couples and pros that grow their businesses.

CONTACT US TODAY BY EMAIL OR CALL 651-351-3951
We can’t wait to talk with you about the ways we can make your big day that much more special!

# # #

About Treasured Garment Restoration

Treasured Garment Restoration was created in 2008 as a specialty division of St Croix Cleaners. We specialize in Cleaning, Restoring, Preserving & Wedding Gown Alterations. We thrive on exceeding customer’s expectations of the toughest clothing restoration challenges. We are passionate about the care we give to you and your garments! Visit Treasured Garment Restoration online at Facebook.com/TreasuredGarmentRestoration.

About WeddingWire

WeddingWire is a trusted online marketplace, connecting couples with local wedding professionals and a suite of comprehensive tools that make wedding planning easier. Operating within a $250 billion global industry, WeddingWire helps millions of couples every month find the right team of wedding professionals to personalize and pull off their special day. Couples around the world can read millions of vendor reviews and search, compare and book from a directory of hundreds of thousands of vendors local to them. Visit WeddingWire online at WeddingWire.com and follow on social media: Facebook.com/WeddingWire and @WeddingWire on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.

November 23, 2020 In Featured, General, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Gown Preservation, Weddings

TREASURED GARMENT RESTORATION INDUCTED INTO THE KNOT HALL OF FAME

9th Annual Hall of Fame Awards Honor the Top Wedding Vendors Across America

Treasured Garment Restoration is pleased to announce that we have been inducted into The Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame from The Knot, a leading wedding planning and registry brand and app. Exceptional wedding professionals who have earned four or more of The Knot Best of Weddings awards are inducted into the prestigious The Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame.

Despite COVID-19 interrupting many 2020 weddings and social events, wedding professionals around the nation continued to support to-be-weds throughout their wedding planning journeys. From adjusting future schedules to make way for postponed weddings, to helping couples host socially distanced weddings following state and local guidelines and restrictions with an increased focus on health and safety, wedding pros—and the industry as a whole—rallied together in 2020, ultimately helping couples continue to celebrate life and love. The Knot 2021 Best of Weddings recognition honors the vendors who went above and beyond to help to-be-weds navigate the global pandemic.

In its fifteenth annual year, The Knot continues its long-standing tradition of supporting local wedding vendors with The Knot Best of Weddings 2021, an annual by-couples, for-couples guide to the top wedding professionals across the country. To determine the winners, The Knot analyzed its millions of user reviews across various vendor categories—including venues, musicians, florists, photographers, caterers and more—to find the highest rated vendors of the year. These winners represent the best of the best wedding professionals that engaged couples should consider booking for their own unique weddings.

This year, The Knot Best of Weddings winners represent the top five percent of local wedding vendors listed on The Knot. There were 1,422 new inductees into The Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame for 2021, out of hundreds of thousands of local vendors featured on The Knot.

The Knot has inspired 25 million couples (and counting!) to plan a wedding that’s uniquely theirs. With a rich history of providing high-quality content and inspiration, The Knot makes it easy for couples to connect with and book just the right wedding professionals to create their perfect wedding day. On The Knot Marketplace, couples can connect with any of the hundreds of thousands of local wedding professionals across the country. The Knot Best of Weddings gives couples the confidence to find and book the best local vendors to bring their wedding visions to life. In combination with years of trusted content, The Knot’s innovative technology simplifies wedding planning, inspiring couples to plan a wedding unique to their love story and personalities.

Wedding professionals who win The Knot Best of Weddings are members of WeddingPro, the leading B2B wedding brand. As the largest marketplace and community for wedding professionals, WeddingPro connects businesses with more than 13 million unique monthly visitors who are planning weddings on The Knot and WeddingWire, as well as with hundreds of thousands of pros in the industry. Through its online marketplaces, educational programs and community-building events, WeddingPro is dedicated to helping wedding professionals build relationships with couples and pros that grow their businesses.

For more information about The Knot Best of Weddings and this year’s winners, please visit https://www.theknot.com/vendors/best-of-weddings.

# # #

About Treasured Garment Restoration

About The Knot

The Knot is one of the nation’s leading multiplatform wedding resources offering a seamless, all-in-one planning experience—from finding inspiration and local vendors to creating and managing all guest experiences, wedding registries and more. The trusted brand reaches a majority of engaged couples in the US through the #1 iOS and Android mobile app The Knot Wedding Planner, the #1 wedding planning website TheKnot.com, The Knot national and local wedding magazines, and The Knot book series. Since its inception, The Knot has inspired approximately 25 million couples to plan a wedding that’s uniquely them. Visit The Knot online at Facebook.com/TheKnot and @TheKnot on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.

December 16, 2019 In Featured, General, Vintage, Wedding Gown Preservation, Weddings

TGR Original: Rachel’s One of a Kind Wedding

Rachel had a vintage wedding veil she wanted to incorporate into her wedding day, but it was yellow and over 100 years old. While Rachel planned her fun, unique wedding she trusted her vintage veil to the Certified Wedding Gown Specialists at Treasured Garment Restoration. Read more about Rachel’s wedding journey below!

When was your wedding and where did it take place?
We got married September 1, 2019 at the Science Museum of Minnesota in St Paul. It was a Pokémon-themed wedding!

How did you decide to get your dress made and by whom?
I hate waste, so the idea of a traditional wedding dress that costs thousands of dollars to be worn once, then put in a box, never to see the light of day again is abhorrent to me. Instead, my partner and I decided to get “gijinka” cosplay outfits made of our favorite Pokémon. That way, we can wear our suit & dress to nerd conventions for many years to come. I approached Snow Cosplays specifically because I’ve admired her work at CONvergence. Both the seamstress and her wife are plus-size cosplayers, and Jessica frequently turns various intellectual properties into dresses: BriChibi Cosplay has been seen in Wonder Woman, Mario, and Buzz Lightyear ballgowns; to name a few. So, when I decided turn a Pokémon into a plus-sized wedding gown, she was the obvious choice. (My partner’s suit was made by KMK Designs.)

What is your absolute favorite memory from your wedding day?
Most of my good memories are from the party. We designed a badge game, like how you have to earn gym badges in a main series Pokémon game, for people to go around and enjoy the whole party. If you earned eight badges, then you could request a kiss or something else from us (instead of clinking glasses). Everyone got really into it, and we ran out of several of the badges. I’m also very proud of how the centerpieces looked. We spent a lot of time on those.

Why did you decide to get your antique veil restored?
My veil was my great-great-grandmother’s and it survived the Holocaust. In an era of US politics where antisemitism is at a peak, it’s so important to me to display pride and take joy in my heritage. When my great-aunt told me she had this veil, there was no question of whether or not I’d wear it. Of course I was going to wear it. I didn’t intend to get the veil “restored,” per se, as Aunt Ruthie was very insistent that I shouldn’t do anything to it – I just wanted it clean, since it had a few stains on it. But I guess a cleaning isn’t that simple for a 100+ year-old heirloom! The veil underwent a beautiful vintage restoration.

Why did you bring your wedding veil to Treasured Garment Restoration?

I use St. Croix Cleaners’ delivery service for dry cleaning for my dry-cleaning, and I’d seen ads for TGR in my inbox and on their website. Since you’ve taken such good care of my modern clothes, I figured you’d do just as nicely with my heirloom.

Treasured Garment Restoration is a nationally recognized member of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists. This means we clean each bridal gown and garment individually with care. Learn more about wedding gown cleaning and preservation options at TreasuredGarmentRestoration.com.

Photography Credit : Luke Nygaard, Nygaard Photography

February 6, 2019 In Vintage, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Gown Preservation

TGR Original: 1800’s Wedding Dress Heirloom

Family heirlooms hold a special piece of history that gets passed down from generation to generation. The Payseur family made it a point to preserve their piece of history that’s over 120 years old: a great grandmother’s wedding gown from 1895.

Alice E. Prevo married Harry D. Irwin in Indiana on June 5, 1895. Prevo’s father, Samuel, owned a men’s haberdashery called The Model Store which eventually expanded into the family department store: Prevo and Sons. The store eventually closed in 1992. You could say style was always in the family.

The dress was ordered from New York City, but that’s the only information the Payseur family knows about the dress’s background. It was stored in the original tissue and box it was shipped in and has remained in a closet for many years.

“When my husbands’ Aunt moved, she asked everyone in the family who would like it [the wedding dress] and we were the lucky recipients,” Payseur said.

This fabulous dress is made of silk with silk bows and some lace on the front. Although the fabric is very delicate, it was fully intact and therefore able to withstand very careful and meticulous hand cleaning and pressing. The preservation process had to be handled very gently, but we wanted to give new life to the dress.

The dress has leg of mutton sleeves (because that’s what they resemble when worn), a high neckline and bows, very common with the 1890’s women’s Victorian dress style. The fact that the dress is a two-piece is also common for the times. We set up the dress on a mannequin and stuffed the shoulders to show what it would’ve looked like when it was worn.

Prevo’s great-great granddaughter will now have multiple generations of wedding dresses: her own dress from 2011, her mom’s dress, her grandmother’s dress, her great-grandmother’s dress and now her great-great grandmother’s gown. Talk about family heirlooms!

“Thank you to all your staff for preserving this piece of family history for us,” Payseur added.

If you have any questions about wedding gowns, specialty or vintage items to be cleaned or preserved, please visit Treasured Garment Restoration.

October 12, 2018 In Cleaning, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Gown Preservation, Weddings

TGR Original: Devan’s Wedding Gown Preservation Journey

Red wine stains and dirty bar floors couldn’t keep this bride’s dress down. Bride Devan and her new husband Sam had their special day this past summer in Iowa, that included a memorable wedding dress cleaning immediately after. As you’ll see in this Q&A with Devan and her dress, a mother’s wedding contribution cannot be understated. Enjoy the journey Devan’s gown took from the dance floor to wedding dress cleaning and preservation.

When was your wedding and where did it take place?

Our wedding was on July 6, 2018, in Des Moines, Iowa. The ceremony and reception both took place outside at Salisbury House and Gardens.

When did you know that your wedding dress was “the one?”

My wedding dress is a fit-and-flare with a lot of tulle on the bottom. I always knew I wanted a fitted bridal gown. I tried on lots of different styles, but I came back to one of the first dresses I tried on.

What is your absolute favorite memory from your wedding day?

My favorite memory from our wedding day was seeing my friends and family all in one place at the same time. It was such an awesome experience. I felt so loved and could not believe all of those people came to see us! I also loved getting ready in the morning with my mom, mother-in-law, and bridesmaids. It was a super relaxing morning and I loved getting pampered!

Why did you decide to get your wedding dress cleaned?

My mom took my wedding dress to the cleaner without me knowing. I’m super glad she did. We went to a bar after the wedding and my dress got super dirty on the bottom, so it needed a wedding gown preservation! I had also spilled red wine all down the front of the wedding dress, so it needed to be cleaned!

Why did you bring your wedding dress to Treasured Garment Restoration?

I am not sure why my mom chose Treasured Garment Restoration for the wedding dress cleaning. I am sure it was a close location to her house!

Treasured Garment Restoration is a nationally recognized member of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists. This means we clean each wedding dress individually, with anti-sugar stain treatment, MuseumCare™ Preservation process to guarantee the wedding dress will not yellow over the course of a lifetime. This is the best way to ensure your wedding dress is protected for generations to come. Learn more about wedding dress cleaning and preservation at www.TreasuredGarmentRestoration.com.

July 10, 2017 In Wedding Dresses, Wedding Gown Preservation, Weddings

Wedding Traditions Around the World

Whether or not you’re into the traditions of weddings, they exist in every country and culture you can think of. Here in the United States we have tossing the bouquet and not seeing the bride before the wedding, but what do a few other countries do to celebrate a day of love and fun?

China

In China, the date is not so easily set. Most couples will consult a fortune teller to find a date for their wedding using their birthdays and traditional Chinese lucky numbers. On the morning of the wedding, the groom and groomsmen would make their way to the bride’s home where he and his friends would have to negotiate and haggle with the bridesmaids to enter the house. This usually included using his wits and money to bribe himself in. Once the offer was good enough the groom would join the bride’s parents for tea as a parting ritual. Weddings in China are a way for a family to show their wealth, therefore meals are typically 10-12 courses with very expensive meal options. Along with expensive food, the bride and groom would change from traditional Chinese wedding garb to a western style dress, and depending on the family’s wealth they may have several wardrobe changes after that.

Scotland

Weddings in Scotland are rich, colorful, and involve a lot more than just wearing a kilt. Unlike our US bachelor parties, the groomsmen will capture the groom, cover him in feathers, soot, and flour then parades him through the village as they yell and make a scene. This ritual is not as commonly practiced anymore but is still seen in a few rural areas of Scotland. For the bride’s apparel, they wear a traditional white dress but keep a sixpence hidden in their shoe and a sprig of white heather in their bouquets to bring good luck to their marriage. The groom traditionally pays for the wedding dress as the bride buys the “wedding sark” or shirt worn by the groom. Before the ceremony it is tradition to do the wedding walk, this is where the groom accompanies the maid of honor with the bride and best man following. After the ceremony, the newlyweds leave as a couple and the best man and maid of honor leave together. For the wedding walk to yield good luck they must cross water twice. At the reception, the traditional grand march is often the first dance to take place. It begins with the couple marching to bagpipes followed by the bridal party, parents, and lastly the guests! Finally, the guests accompany the bride and groom to their house, a piece of cake is broken over the bride’s head, and the groom carries her over the threshold to protect her from bad spirits. The minister then blesses the house, and the newlyweds, after this the ceremony is finished.

Egypt

Egyptian weddings have taken a lot of cues from Western traditions, but still, have some very interesting activities. The night before the wedding the bride and all her friends and family will get together for a Henna party. Henna is believed to be good luck, and in ancient times it was customary to dip your whole hands and feet in henna, now that is outdated and most time an artist is hired to work on the women. In most weddings, there is a colorful procession to take the bride to the groom’s house. Beautifully decorated cars take both families to the venue accompanied by a noisy parade. The marriage is typically performed by a Maazon, and once the marriage certificate is signed the bride and groom will put their hands together and press their thumbs against one another’s to be covered with a white handkerchief and bound. A reading from the Quran is read and the marriage is confirmed. The handkerchief is then removed by the Maazon or a single man to be blessed for his own wedding. Legally the couple is married but can not stay together until after the reception. Unlike the US, Egyptian receptions can happen the next day, next week, or even a year after the ceremony has taken place! Most Egyptian receptions start around 10 pm and go on till the next morning. At the end of the night, the couple retires to their bridal suite while the guests throw wheat into the air, which is a sign of fertility!

With all these difference between countries, a few things stay the same: a couple commits their lives together, everybody has a great time, and some serious dry cleaning is needed after! Let us take care of all your wedding needs no matter what traditions you put your clothes through!

December 19, 2016 In Vintage Restoration, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Gown Preservation

TGR Original: 116 Year Old Heirloom Restored

Customer Heather MacLeod remembers seeing this dress for the first time when she was just a little girl. Pulling it from its box, she was immediately attached to its history and sentimental value to her family. It’s typical for garments over 100 years old to be in less than ideal storage conditions, which can sometimes make cleaning/restoring much more difficult. This heirloom, dating back to 1899 was clearly in more favorable storage conditions making it easier to restore. The before and after pictures speak for themselves:

What is the background story of the woman in the dress? Mary Ella McIntosh grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. On December 27, 1899 at age 27, she married British-born James Paris Scott (age 33). They settled in James’ home in Massachusetts, and later had one child – a daughter, Elaine, born in August 1914.

When was the first time you saw the dress? I remember my grandmother – Mary Ella’s daughter, Elaine – showing me the dress when I was a young child; I was probably about six years old the first time I saw it. After that, she was willing to show it to me any time I asked (at least a few times a year). When she passed away in 1992, the dress was passed to me.

Why did you decide to get your great grandmothers wedding attire cleaned? The dress had been in the attic for many years, and fortunately remained in very good condition. But I realized that a dress that was 116 years old needed proper cleaning and packaging in order to prevent degradation.

Why did you bring your great grandmothers wedding attire to a member of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists? It was important to find someone who could be trusted to clean an antique dress without doing any damage. Treasured Garment Restoration did a fantastic job of cleaning the dress, and packing it appropriately so that it will last for many years to come.

Duane, the former Treasured Garment Specialist who worked on this dress, says “With older dresses that have oxidized so much over time, it’s sometimes a mystery what color the dress truly was, but with this dress we were able to really brighten it up and restore it. [You can see that this dress was constructed using 2 very different fabrics—1) cotton linen, which restored all the way back to its original color, and 2) silk (the trim) which will brighten a bit, but usually will not restore completely back to its original color.) ] Since this dress is over 100 years old we had to be careful to make sure we didn’t distort any of the fibers in the process. We carefully test all fabrics to make sure we’re using the right process with them. This is especially important to ensure the longevity of the dress for years to come.”

It’s truly an honor for our team at Treasured Garment Restoration to restore garments such as this dress.
We find joy in taking items that mean so much to our customers and restoring them to their original beauty. Our goal is to preserve garments so they last for years to come and can be passed down for generations.

If you have a wedding dress or other vintage garment you’d like us to take a look at– contact us!

September 3, 2015 In Wedding Gown Preservation

TGR Original: Kathryn’s Wedding Gown Preservation

Kathryn didn’t want her wedding dress ruined over something as silly as not getting it cleaned and preserved. In hopes of her daughter someday wearing it, she brought it to the experts at Treasured Garment Restoration. Read more about Kathryn’s wedding dress journey below!

When was your wedding and where did it take place?
My wedding took place in Woodstock, IL, the ceremony was at St. Mary’s Church and the Reception was at Bull Valley Country Club on June 20th, 2015

When did you know that your wedding dress was “the one”
I went in knowing exactly what I wanted, something that would be timeless, and still, be popular in 20 years. The main style I wanted was A-line and because I had a religious ceremony it had to have some form of straps. I only had to try on 6 dresses before finding the one, it honestly made me look 6 sizes smaller then I was, it was definitely that timeless look I was going for (plus I knew it would totally make my fiance at the time cry when he saw me! Ha!)

What is your absolute favorite memory from your wedding day?
Honestly, the fact that all my friends and family from all over the country were in the same place at the same time. You just never think that’s possible till it actually happens, and the fact that I’ve never seen Nick (my husband) so happy in his life, I always knew he’d be the guy I’d marry so it was awesome to finally get it done!

Why did you decide to get your wedding dress cleaned?
I literally love my wedding dress, and I would hate for any hidden stains to ruin it in several years. Plus if I have a daughter I would want her to wear it or use some part of it in her wedding dress. It’s one of the few parts of your wedding you can hold on to for a lifetime, and I wouldn’t want to ruin it just over not cleaning it.

Why did you bring your wedding attire to a member of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists?
It was recommended by my bridal salon in Madison that I need to get it professional cleaned after the wedding, Treasured Garments had the best reviews in the area so I knew it would be in safe hands there. I was definitely not willing to take a chance of my dress getting ruined, and I didn’t see that happening with the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists.

Photography Credit: http://wemakebridescry.com/

January 20, 2015 In Vintage Restoration, Wedding Dress ReDesign, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Gown Preservation, Weddings

TGR Original: Third Generation Dress

Here at Treasured Garment Restoration we’re lucky enough to hear
many great stories behind some of the garments we have coming in.
Recently, we received a third generation dress to redesign and
restore for a Twin Cities Bride.

We had the chance to get the full story from the brides mother (pictured above on the right) who worked with Darcy Zeppernick, our Treasured Garment Restoration Wedding Alteration & Design Certified Wedding Specialist.

“Each generation has modified how the headpiece and veil were worn. In 1962, my mother said she never liked how far forward she wore the headpiece and the line of jewels that dangled on her forehead. In 1987 the veil was completely replaced (it didn’t age well). I had to purchase a hoop slip since it was not saved from ’62. This year (2014), my daughter removed the poof and reversed the direction of the veil so she could wear it backwards. She wore the same hoop slip that I wore in 1987. We both noticed how much larger the hoop must have been in 1962.

What I like is that even though it is a vintage (timeless in my opinion) dress, each bride was able to make it uniquely hers by modifying how the veil was worn. Although my mother’s parents bought the dress for her and they were able to see me wear it, they passed before they could see their great granddaughter wear the dress. I know they would have been very pleased!

We learned from Darcy that people used to dance differently compared to now-a-days. People didn’t use to dance with their hands and arms over their heads like they do today so our daughter had to keep that in mind when she wanted to “raise the roof!”

I have one more daughter that may want to wear the dress so it will be preserved for her and any future generations.”-Jeanne Giles

We love to hear the history of the pieces we’re cleaning. If you have a piece you’ve been meaning to get restored, let us know! We can help make your item look its best and be preserved for years to come.

July 24, 2014 In General, Short and Sweet, Vintage, Wedding Dresses, Wedding Gown Preservation, Weddings

Bridesmaids Dress Themes

If you need help getting started on ideas for your bridesmaids dresses, start here! Bridesmaids are meant to compliment you on your big day. Having a fun theme among the girls can make the wedding day more fun, meaningful and of course, memorable. See if any of these ideas are themes you could use!

1.Different colored dresses in the same style

Having different colored dresses can be a unique way to satisfy all bridesmaids.
If you choose to do this you should pick a palette that makes sense together and compliments the theme of your wedding as well

2. Same colored dresses in different styles

OR you could do the complete opposite and let everyone choose a style that better suites their body, but in a color approved by you.

3. Statement items

Even if you do all decide on different dresses, you can pull all the looks together by having one common statement piece.
This could also serve as your gift to your bridesmaids. whether its a headpiece, necklace or even some kind of fancy footwear.

4. Have a common item among the bridesmaids AND groomsmen

We’ve all seen the wedding party theme where they all have the same sunglasses or socks
Maybe you wont do this idea, but you can find your own way of bringing the entire party together.

5. Have an overall theme, let them choose the dress

For example you could choose the roaring 20’s or maybe another decade.
This way everyone can find a way to represent themselves in a unique yet similar way.