Planning a wedding involves a long list of decisions, but there is one question that often only comes up once the celebrations are over: what should you do with the wedding dress?
For brides who want to keep their gown rather than sell, donate or repurpose it, cleaning and storage can become the next job on the list.
MyDressbox is one business worth knowing about if you are researching those options. Based in Epping in Melbourne’s north, MyDressbox specialises in wedding gown cleaning, steaming, minor repairs, boxing and storage.
Unlike a traditional cleaner where you may need to arrange a drop-off and collection, MyDressbox operates a mail-in service. Customers receive a Collection Box, pack their gown and send it to the business using the supplied return process.
That makes it potentially relevant not only for brides around Melbourne, but also for people elsewhere in Australia who do not have a specialist bridal cleaner nearby.
Why MyDressbox may be relevant for Melbourne brides
Melbourne has no shortage of wedding businesses. Couples can spend months comparing venues, photographers, florists, celebrants, dress boutiques and other suppliers before the wedding day even arrives.
Wedding dress cleaning is a slightly different decision because it usually happens afterwards, when there is less urgency and often less information available.
MyDressbox focuses specifically on bridal garments rather than positioning itself as a general-purpose laundry or dry cleaner.
The business says its bridal cleaning experience dates back to 2006, when co-founder Jasmin Igglesden began cleaning gowns through her New Zealand bridal boutique, Vanilla Bridal. MyDressbox itself launched as a dedicated wedding gown cleaning service in 2016, with its Australian operation beginning in Melbourne in 2019.
For Omni Melbourne readers, that specialist focus is the main reason the business may be worth researching.
What does MyDressbox do?
MyDressbox offers wedding dress cleaning and storage services built around a mail-in process.
Depending on the gown and selected service, this can include:
- hand cleaning
- gentle steaming
- minor repairs where possible
- acid-free tissue wrapping
- placement in an acid-free wedding dress storage box
- tracked delivery to and from the customer.
The business offers several service levels called Light, Regular, Extra and Grande, designed to accommodate different gown sizes, constructions and cleaning requirements.
Brides with particularly large, heavily embellished or heavily soiled gowns are encouraged to contact MyDressbox before ordering so the team can advise on the appropriate option.
MyDressbox also says it can assist with some other special-occasion garments, including debutante dresses, christening gowns and flower girl dresses when they are being cleaned with a wedding gown.
A mail-in alternative to taking your dress to a cleaner
One of the more distinctive parts of the MyDressbox service is that customers do not need to visit its Epping premises to use it.
After placing an order, the customer receives a Collection Box with instructions and a prepaid return label. The gown is packed and taken to an Australia Post location for delivery to MyDressbox.
Once the dress arrives, MyDressbox says it confirms receipt by email and provides an estimated return timeframe.
The gown is then cleaned, steamed and boxed before being returned to the customer.
For brides living outside Melbourne, or anyone who would prefer not to organise another appointment after the wedding, that process may be particularly convenient.
MyDressbox says it can generally service customers wherever Australia Post delivers.
How MyDressbox cleans wedding gowns
Wedding gowns can involve very different materials and construction methods from ordinary clothing.
Depending on the dress, there may be lace, beading, glitter, multiple skirt layers, delicate trims and areas of staining around the hem or train.
MyDressbox says it uses a gentle, water-based hand-cleaning process rather than harsh industrial solvents or standard commercial dry-cleaning machinery.
After cleaning, gowns are gently steamed and wrapped in acid-free tissue paper before being placed into an acid-free storage box.
The business says its storage boxes are Australian made and use recycled and sustainable materials.
This does not mean every wedding dress will automatically be suitable for the same cleaning process. MyDressbox specifically notes that some silks and silk blends may require assessment and that natural silks are typically not suitable for its standard process.
If you are unsure about the fabric or construction of your dress, confirming suitability with the business before sending it is a sensible step.
What about stains, older dresses and minor damage?
Not every dress is sent for cleaning immediately after the wedding.
Some brides act within days or weeks, while others leave the gown hanging in a wardrobe for months or even years.
According to MyDressbox, its team works with gowns in a wide range of conditions. The business says it has cleaned dresses several years after they were worn and has also handled some much older gowns.
It also deals with common minor post-wedding issues such as loose threads, missing or loose hooks and small fastening problems.
Minor repairs can be completed where possible as part of the service.
For older, heavily stained or unusual dresses, it is worth discussing the gown with MyDressbox directly rather than assuming a particular result can be achieved.
Storage is part of the service
Cleaning the dress is only one part of long-term gown care.
If you plan to keep a wedding dress, you also need to consider how it will be stored afterwards.
MyDressbox returns cleaned gowns wrapped in acid-free tissue and placed inside an acid-free wedding dress storage box.
This gives customers a ready-made storage option once the gown is returned rather than requiring them to separately source suitable packaging.
For brides keeping their dress for sentimental reasons, future use, family history or another purpose, that combination of cleaning and boxing may simplify the process.
What should you check before using MyDressbox?
As with any business handling an expensive or sentimental item, it is worth reading the service details carefully before ordering.
Questions to consider include:
- Is your gown suitable for the cleaning process?
- Which MyDressbox service level fits its size and construction?
- Does it contain natural silk or another material that needs to be checked first?
- Does it have significant staining or damage that should be discussed in advance?
- What is the current turnaround time?
- What happens if you need the gown returned by a particular date?
- What are the current delivery, insurance, refund and service terms?
MyDressbox states that tracked shipping is used and that a signature is generally required for collection and return.
Its website currently also states that gowns are insured for transit up to $2,500 while travelling between the customer and MyDressbox. Because service conditions and insurance arrangements can change, we recommend confirming the current terms directly with MyDressbox before sending a gown.
Turnaround may also vary throughout the year. MyDressbox advises that the process can take up to 12 weeks during some periods, so customers with a deadline should discuss it with the team before ordering.
Why MyDressbox is one business worth researching
Omni Melbourne does not suggest that one provider will automatically be right for every reader.
Wedding gowns vary enormously, as do budgets, fabrics, sentimental value and expectations around cleaning and storage.
What makes MyDressbox relevant to our wedding and Melbourne readers is its narrow specialisation.
Rather than offering bridal cleaning as one service among many unrelated garments, the business is centred on wedding gowns and the practical issues involved in cleaning, steaming, repairing, packing and returning them.
Its Epping location also makes it a Melbourne business, while its mail-in model extends the service well beyond Victoria.
If you have recently married and are now deciding whether to clean and store your dress, mydressbox.com.au is one option worth including in your research.
