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Has anyone had to travel with your wedding dress?
I'm planning on taking my dress in a garmet bag as my carry-on. I plan to call the airline ahead of time and make sure it's ok. Is there anything else I should do? Any advice on what to say or what to ask? Will the dress be ok in the overhead compartment (if they won't hang it up). Has anyone had to do this? Are most airlines understanding and helpful?
I had to fly with my dress from Philadelphia to Grand Cayman (which included a layover) and US Air did not let me hang my dress. I had called in advance and they said it would just depend on how full the plane was that day, so I wasn't too surprised when it wasn't allowed. But everyone on the plane around me was very understanding. They let me lay my dress flat across their carry-on bags in the overhead compartment. The dress was fine, it just required some steaming once we arrived on the island! I'd say plan on steaming once you arrive to ease some of the stress of trying to keep it unwrinkled on your trip down!
It depends on the flight and the airline, and often you won't know until you get to your flight. I think the best thing you can do is carry it on. I think we've all heard the horror stories about checking the dress... but you're not planning on doing that :)
I bought a small handheld steamer for when we get to the wedding location. My seamstress said that no matter what she did, I'm going to need a steam when we get there!
Small handheld steamer! Great idea! Looks like I need to make a trip to Target. :)
definitely bring it on board with you; yikes you don't want to be like that bride who got her gown stolen from her luggage when it was checked in
my FI is flying in from England, his dad will be bringing their morning suits on board with them; whew, thank goodness
I know this is not topic related but I am glad I read it. I have been dreading taking my dress to the cleaners for a quick steam before next week but then thinking oh lord what if something goes wrong. Note to self, Target for the 5th time this week, hand held steamer, check! Thanks ladies!
I have to fly across the country with mine with 2 layovers. It'll be a carry on all the way!
I traveled with Delta (well, American Airlines since they merged) and I called and they said the only way they could guarantee it is to put it in a carry on luggage bag, because the size of the dress wouldnt have fit their regulations. Maybe they'd be understanding, but I had to fly out of NYC, and I think they'd be a little more strict with their regulations than a small airport. So I crammed my dress in its garment bag into a wheeled carry on bag... Miraculously, it came out of the bag unscathed and didn't even need to be steamed!! If you're going to steam it anyway though, you might as well do this. Plus the luggage bag will offer slightly more protection compared to a garment bag. Good luck!
I have looked into this too and also heard that putting it in a wheeled carry-on is the way to go. One thing to know beforehand just to make sure you aren't surprised - if your flight is on a regional jet (the smaller planes with only 3 seats across) you can't take even those on board. They check it for you from the jet-bridge and you get it back on the jet-bridge when you get there. It's a totally different process from standard checking and I think much safer, but you will have to let it out of your sight. Usually the website can tell you what kind of plane your flight is on.
I'm traveling to Jamaica in Sept with a Maggie Sottero Ireland dress.... Chiffon is involved. dun-dun-duuuuuun! :) Have no ieda how to care for it or travel with it!! Any ideas on how hard it is to get Chiffon pressed or steamed (if thats even what you do)? Was wondering if I just carefully fold it and place it in a carry on if it will be impossible to get pressed out.
Any advice??
I left my dress in my garment bag and carried it on like that. I was able to hang it in the closet on the first flight, then had to put it in the overhead on the second. Luckily, there was another girl with a massive dress bag and we laid ours out together & used the entire bin. No one minded at all :)
We used a steamer on it when we got there & it was perfectly fine! Also, hang it in the shower area and close the door when you shower - a lot of the wrinkles will fall out from the heat and steam. good luck!
I hand carried mine to Florida. I was one of the first to board so I laid it in the overhead bin (no closet) and not a single person even attempted to put their bag in that bin! Although I would have put the dress on top of course had they needed the space.
When I arrived I let the hotel take it to get it steamed for $25. Best money I ever spent and I didn't have to deal with it :)
Good Luck!
I have to take mine from Chile to California, ohh this makes me so nervous 
I am nervous about this too. I have to go from houston to costa rica and then a five hour drive on rough roads in a 4x4 to the coast! Ugh good time. Praying praying praying.
I flew from California to NY for my wedding. I was able to board early and placed it in an overhead. The flight attendants closed the bin and told people it could not be used. My dress was not poufy or big so it was not hard to travel with. We flew Jet Blue and they were very nice about it.
I literally crammed my wedding dress and it's garment back into my carry on suitcase. Seriously. Luckily the material of my dress doesn't wrinkle easily. I just didn't want to lug a dress around.
I'll be pulling a "quiche" on two planes to Jamaica... counting on the resort to steam the ever wrinkly yet always stunning organza... overhead bin, here we come!
I heard of the wedding dress boxes. They sell them more in canada. But it good when taking dresses in airplanes they fit in the overhead compartment.
I look for the websites again. And let you know.
FYI all, I'm flying NWA and I asked a flight attendant last time I travelled. She told me that for NWA at least, they do their best to accommodate brides. If the plane has a big closet, they'll let you hang it tehre. Otherwise they will let you use an overhead bin. She told me to def. carry it on.
Here are a few
http://www.emptybox.co.uk/products_travel.asp
http://www.thefavourstore.com/c-17-wedding-dress-travel-storage-keepsake-boxes.aspx
http://www.brideandbeautiful.co.uk/acatalog/Box_Clever.html
hope this helps
Im flying from Atlanta to South Africa on Delta.. Before I read all of these posts I just assumed that I could hang it up in one of those little closets at the front of the plane, but now im so nervous that I wont be able to! Usually flights to South Africa in December are PACKED!! Im already so stressed about this because I know I wont be able to have a whole overhead compartment to myself!
I think that I'm going to carry a big ol' weekender bag w/ my purse stuffed in, and my garment bag (or maybe combine mine with my fiance's suit?) on the plane, and hope for the best. But a handheld steamer is coming with us too. I haven't purchased it yet, though. Also, I'll probably ask one of my maids to bring it- i'll have my hands full.
I was like JoesWifey and Ms.Sushi and put my dress in a garment bag and rolled it into a carry-on. My dress was taffeta so I wasn't as concerned because I would have to steam it anyway when we got there. I hung the dress in the bathroom while I took a hot shower to do an overall steam and then used a small handheld steamer. If you're concerned about watermarks on more delicate fabrics, ask your hotel to recommend a good professional cleaner.
I bought a plane ticket for mine. It will set right beside me. After hearing all the horror stories, and the risk of running into a crabby flight attendant that wouldn't let me bring it on. I calmed my fears and just did it. Now I can check extra luggage becauase my dress bought a seat!!! It is what I did. My dress is a huge Casablanca ball gown. Good luck.
I just flew with mine on Saturday. I asked if I could board with the families (before the rest of the economy cabin), and the agent said sure. The flight attendant put it in the first class closet for me. Luckily I was seated right next to the closet, but even if I hadn't been it would have been fine. My Mom's having it professionally steamed, though it really emerged from the flight just fine.
BTW, I flew NWA from SFO-DTW. Actually the agents were all very nice and kept congratulating me on my wedding :)
OK, I am starting to hyperventilate just thinking about this traveling-with-the-dress issue. I will obviously carry it on, so here is my question -- For those of you who rolled it up into a carry-on and then had it hung in a closet by a flight attendant or laid it out in an overhead bin, what kind of garment bag did you use? Did you just leave it in the bag that you got from the bridal salon, or did you get a special garment bag for it?
Another concern is that my seamstress is telling me she is going to "stuff" the dress after she steams it and that I should not unstuff it to take it on the plane. She says "Oh, they'll just hang it for you!" like it's no big thing, but clearly she has not googled this issue to death like I have. So I'm guessing I will have to unstuff it before sticking it in a carry-on to get it through security and then onto the plane. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Will it be possible to roll this baby up into a carry-on if it's stuffed, or should I just stuff it and plan to steam if necessary?
FYI, I am traveling from San Francisco (SFO) to Chicago O'Hare on United. The dress is a sheath dress, so not poofy at at all, but it has a long train.
I have considered buying my dress a seat, then called American Airlines which told me it should not be a problem to hang the dress or possibly put it in the overhead compartment, they even said that I could put it in my lap if necessary! Hopefully they were telling me the truth!
Oh I love the dress boxes. I think that is how mine is getting to Costa Rica. Not only does it have to fly there it has to ride in the Jeep for two hours! I will be stressed out before it gets there that is for sure!
Another thought... one which I have researched, my bridal shop has told me that they will ship my dress to a shop where I am getting married and then i can pick it up when I get to my destination. Although, I am prob. going to just bring it on the plane with me... I don't want anything to happen to it.
Oh my... I will be traveling with my dress fron germany to the US before my wedding and I am really nervous about it. I am flying with US Airways and looked up their regulations online and it says you can bring your dress on to the flight in a normal garment bag for suits (as if that's going to fit :( ) I guess I will just try and hope they have some space to hang it...
Yep!
No problem on AA across the country. 3 planes and not a blink. If it's in a big white bag people are usually really nice about finding space.
Great thread!! I'm going to ship my dress down a week ahead, to my wedding coordinator who will take it to be professionally steamed prior to our arrival.
I am quasi freaking out about it. I keep checking the JetBlue site to see if there are seats still available (currently, I can book 7 adult tickets, so I'm ok for now). I hope I can fall upon the mercy of the desk clerk and possibly bring my dress as a giant human sized carryon that can sit in an empty seat. The bridal shop said "Just be super nice and see what they can do."
Anyone have experience with keeping your dress in the hotel room? I'm kind of worried someone might steal it. Although we're in a nice hotel for a couple days before we drive to our destination... And yes, those are my bridal nerves talking. They wanted to say "hey, whats up, WB community?"
I didn't want to risk brining my dress in it's garment bag...so it's going in it's garment bag and then rolled up into a small carry-on. That way I can have it with me at all times. It won't get too wrinkled...if at all, and will be easy enough to press out.
Hi ladies. Try not to stress out too much. I traveled (from England to Maryland) with two wedding dresses (one an embroidered tulle dress with only a slight train, and one a more traditional silk A-line with a little bit of pouf) to our wedding and never had a problem. They were both inside their garment bags from the bridal salon, which I folded/rolled into a normal rolling carryon suitcase. I had planned to take the dresses out of the suitcases once I got on the plane, and hang them in the closet, or sort of lay them on top of the other bags, in the overhead compartment, but I ended up just leaving them in the suitcases, because I was too lazy. :) And the dresses turned out fine-- no problems with wrinkles or anything at all. I just hung them in the hotel room once we arrived, and didn't even have to steam/press them.
Have fun!
Yeah I don't think my dress is going to fit in a 21" suitcase, even rolled up. Therein lies my problem. Maybe folded in thirds, I can get it into an overhead compartment if no one else puts anything in there.
mssushi - What material was your dress?
WDWBride - What material is your dress?
I would probably ship mine to my location rather than travel with it.
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