Alicia’s Wedding Gown Preservation in Orange, CT
Real bride Alicia, who wore Maggie Sottero for her nuptials, came to Sally Conant, Ph.D of Orange Restoration Labs to clean and preserve her gown. Alicia chose to have her ceremony on the same day as her parents and grandparents did, many years before her, making the day that much more special. Sally caringly preserved Alicia’s dress, thus ensuring that this beautiful part of her sacred day will last a lifetime. To read about Alicia’s Connecticut wedding and see more of her breathtaking photos, continue to the full blog post below!
When was your wedding date?
October 9, 2015
What was your wedding location and venue name?
The ceremony took place at St. George Church in Guilford, Connecticut and the reception was held at Eolia Mansion at Harkness State Park in Waterford, Connecticut.
Who is the designer of your gown and where did you purchase it?
My dress was designed by Maggie Sottero and I purchased it at Bridal Trousseau in New Haven, Connecticut.
When did you know that your gown was “the one”?
My gown was the last one I had tried on at my appointment and the consultant purposely saved the best for last. As soon as I saw the delicate lace details on the skirt and the train, I was sold. When the consultant gave us the total cost, my mom pulled out an envelope of money that she had been saving since before I even met my husband! Ironically, the dress cost exactly the amount of money she had saved until that point… it was fate!
What is your absolute favorite memory from your wedding day?
My absolute favorite memory of my wedding day is definitely saying my vows to my husband Rob and hearing him say his vows to me. It was the only part of the ceremony that I got teary-eyed. We didn’t write our own vows or anything, but hearing and saying those traditional vows was a special moment.
Why did you want to get your gown cleaned and preserved?
First, I chose to have my gown cleaned because it was a mess! By the end of the evening my bustle had broken and we had a thunderstorm roll through during the reception. At that point, I wasn’t even thinking of the dress so it got dragged in mud and literally had mud stains a foot up the skirt. I wanted to have the gown preserved because I want to show it to my future daughter and granddaughters.
What made your wedding ceremony feel extra special?One thing that made our wedding feel extra special is that we were married on the same date (October 9) as my parents and my grandparents. October 9, 2015 was my parents’ 33rd wedding anniversary and my Dziadz and Grammy’s 61st wedding anniversary in heaven. All parents’ and grandparents’ wedding photos were prominently featured on the front entrance table and those same photos (along with ours!) are now displayed in our home.
Why did you decide to get your gown cleaned by a member of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists?
I visited several places before choosing where to have my gown cleaned and preserved. I chose a member of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists due to their reputation and the fact that Ms. Conant at Orange Restoration Labs made me feel at ease that my dress was in good hands. I was able to go for a viewing of the dress before it was packed in the preservation box. I was shocked… it looked brand new! Ms. Conant personally hand packed my gown into the preservation box. It took over an hour and she was meticulous to be sure that the best features of the gown could be easily seen through the window in the box.
Photo credit: Be Still Photography
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If you are interested in our services or have any questions, contact us today. We look forward to helping you preserve and restore your wedding dress for years to come.