If you have been a fan of Burgh Brides for any length of time, you have probably realized that our love for Owl Premier & Bridal runs deep. With this Pittsburgh wedding dress preservation specialist, we have run several giveaways, answered your most frequently asked questions about wedding gown preservation, and our editor even shared her own experience with the Owl Premier & Bridal wedding dress cleaning and preservation process. To say that we think Owl is the best Pittsburgh wedding dress cleaner would be an understatement! But we don’t want you to just take our word for it. Who better to convince you of Owl’s superior customer service and commitment to taking the highest care of your precious gown than a recent bride herself. It is our pleasure to introduce you to Paige, a newlywed who tied the knot in 2020. Keep reading to learn how Heather, owner of Owl Premier & Bridal, made sure Paige’s custom Pnina Tornai wedding dress was in pristine condition, both before and after Paige’s big day!
In July 2019, Paige said yes to the dress at the one and only Kleinfeld in New York City. After the COVID-19 pandemic hit many months later, the bride-to-be worked closely with the bridal boutique to ensure her dress would still arrive when scheduled and there would be time left for alterations.
To Paige’s horror, her wedding dress arrived wrinkled and unwearable just days before the wedding.
This is where Paige’s world and that of Owl Premier & Bridal collide, thanks to some recommendations by friends and Paige’s own online research. Heather and Paige met just six days before the wedding. SIX!
We fully steamed and hand-manipulated the dress while steaming it so that it would lay correctly for the upcoming wedding. It took two of us and almost two hours to complete this work. We packaged the dress so it could be transported easily without wrinkling. The entire bodice was stuffed and layered with acid-free tissue to protect it and help it keep its beautiful shape.
– Heather, owner, Owl Premier & Bridal
Like true fairy godmothers, Heather and her team were able to step in and save Paige’s wedding day. The bride was able to walk down the aisle confidently and without stress over her dress’s appearance.
Not only did COVID alter Paige’s wedding dress experience, it also forced her to change her celebration’s plans altogether. What was once an Omni William Penn Hotel ballroom wedding was now a tented soiree in her parents’ backyard. The outdoor location resulted in an extremely dirty dress, while overexcited guests led to red wine stains and even a broken strap. Owl Premier & Bridal was once again tasked with bringing Paige’s wedding dress back to life again, albeit in a different way.
As are a member of America’s Best Cleaners and the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists, Heather consulted with two other bridal gown cleaning experts on her cleaning plan for Paige’s dress before execution. Several stains, including pink lipstick, red wine, grass, and hemline soil, meant particular care had to be taken. With several layers of tulle, Paige’s dress was also very voluminous and heavy, weighing 20 – 30 pounds. The dress’s entire bodice and straps were encrusted with Swarovski crystals, which required special attention when being cleaned.
Due to the many layers, long train, and delicate details, this was an extremely challenging but fun dress to clean. We had special hoists to help us elevate the gown so we could steam and work on it stress-free.
– Heather
To finish off this unique job, there was one thing left to do: find the perfect preservation box. This was not an ordinary dress, so an ordinary preservation box just wouldn’t do.
We had to custom create our own acid-free box large enough to preserve and protect the gown. My seamstress also designed and sewed a muslin bag with a silk rope to further protect the preservation box, which protected the dress. We used almost an entire ream of acid-free tissue within the preservation.
– Heather
From pre to post wedding, Heather helped get Paige’s dress in pristine condition and keep it looking just as beautiful so that it could be enjoyed by generations to come.
While your wedding may only last one day, the memories of it can be cherished forever in the form of photographs, saved mementos, and yes, even your preserved wedding dress. These precious, tangible memories should be trusted to only the highest, most qualified and respected professionals such as Owl Premier & Bridal. To learn how you can save $25 off your wedding dress preservation package, visit them in our Burgh Brides Vendor Guide.
A HUGE thanks to Owl Premier & Bridal and Paige for teaming up with Burgh Brides to bring you this post. While we were compensated for our work, all writing, thoughts, opinions, recommendations, and love for the brand are our own. You can read our full sponsored content disclosure policy here.
