getting your wedding dress home

[soontobebride]

Hi

Just a thought, how did everyone get their wedding dress home after they had worn it. I live in the UK so luggage is obviously an issue. Did you just put it into one of your suitcases, or get it shipped home. My only concern is if you get it shipped home I will be taxed on it, even though I have paid for it!!! Will the airline allow us to take an extra piece of luggage on board....do they charge extra?............

What did you do? Advice please.

Thanks.

 

[DisBride2007]

I got mine back the same way I got it to Florida... in a box, crammed into the overhead compartment. How are you transporting your dress there? You may be able to pay an extra fee to your airline to carry an extra piece of luggage. Do you have a family member who would be able to take it and return it to you back home? Also, if you want to get your gown preserved with a place like Carolyn Allen's, they will pick up from your hotel and mail it to you as part of the preservation fee.

 

[JonetteA]

We shipped my dress there and then had someone carry it home. I also had to retake some pictures last oct and did not ship, but carried it on the plane. The flight attendants were more than willing to help me find a place to put and hang it. As for mailing it back with customs...I am not sure. Why not ask your local postage place. You can also ask Fantasia Sam how she handled hers. There are a bunch of wonderful UK brides that will be more than willing to help.

 

[Raspberry Bubbles]

Subscribing - I'd like to know about this too. Who is the most considerate to fly with? We were hoping to fly with Virgin.

 

[orangetiggs]

Most airlines will say it has to be part of your luggage allowance, i know that is the case for Virgin atlantic. Hvaing worked for them and I have also booked with them. I am hoping to squeeze it into a bag that is cabin size to take it onbaord and then bring it home the same way.

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Ok so UK bride here who went through this.

Going out I took my dress as my hand luggage in a suit carrier but I also had my handbag - but this was before the new restrictions - for those that don't know; for any flights out of the UK you are only allowed one piece of hand luggage including a personal item!!

If I were doing it again I would still cram my dress into a suit carrier and make sure that my hubby had one bag for hand luggage that my handbag could fit into - then once through security I'd take my handbag out as the one bag rule is only for getting through security.

I really did squish and squash my dress although the Virgin crew did hang it up for me during the flight and then I squished it again until the hotel - then I had Carolyn Allen steam it and it looked great.

Coming home - I squished it again in one of those pack-a-mate bags that you just roll with the item in to squish out the air then packed it in my suitcase.

Hope that helps.

 

[Raspberry Bubbles]

So we only have to squish them to get them through security, and then the airline may hang it up for us? My dress is huge, and I'm worried about packing it small

 

[Raspberry Bubbles]

...another thing - are suit carriers allowed as hand luggage? I would have thought that they are way too big, but I have no idea since I haven't flown for years.

 

[orangetiggs]

Virign now will not hang it up, you might get a nice crew that will but it has to be the size on their website for all hand luggage.

I'm going to take a case to the shop and they are going to pack it for me that way I know thay I havent broken a bone in the corset or somehting like that

 

[Raspberry Bubbles]

Ahh - that is such a good idea to have them pack it for you. So you're stowing yours below deck? Or are you getting yours to fit the hand luggage size?

 

[orangetiggs]

my aim is hand luggage, as much as I love virgin and fly with them everywhere its my wedding dress and I'm not letting that out of my site! There is a website that does a bok that is specifically for wedding dresses and its hand luggage size that I might invest in

 

[Raspberry Bubbles]

That sounds great - will you let me know if you find out who that is? I'd definately like one!

 

[orangetiggs]

http://www.emptybox.co.uk/products_travel.asp

they are nicely decorated as well so a bit more special

 

[Raspberry Bubbles]

Thanks! I have emailed Virgin to get confirmation of their hand luggage specifications for my file Those boxes are super cute!

 

[Summer-Caitlin]

Just a word of warning to UK Brides. Not ALL airlines allow you to take your dress as hand luggage, even if it conforms to hand luggage guidelines. I for one am not allowed to take my dress as hand luggae and therefore have to pack it in my suitcase. I am still very annoyed about this as I paid alot of money for this dress and of course I still worry that the case may temporarily go missing or worse, get lost completely. I have therefore taken out wedding insurance, just in case. I have bought a hard case and I am going to space bag it as it is so big, it really does take up my whole suitcase
I am flying with MyTravel and I was told upon booking that I would be able to take my dress as a carry on, however due to security issues they are no longer allowing this and my wedding dress does have to be put in the hold.
So please, future brides, double check with your airline first, but you must also be prepared for possible changes nearer your date.

 

[Raspberry Bubbles]

Thanks for that Summer - I'm hoping to fly with Virgin and they just emailed me to say that they would allow them so long as they conform to measurements. I'm going to keep checking now though, after you said this!

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Oh gosh Summer that's a shame - I had no idea that some airlines won't allow it. It is a worry I'm sure, I was wondering would Wedding Insurance or Travel Insurance cover the dress to give you peace of mind on it going in the hold?

I never asked Virgin beforehand because I really didn't even think about it - it was my hand baggage and as long as it fulfilled the allowed contents and size and weight restrictions I assumed that was all that was needed.

The suit carrier that I had was a garment bag - it was actually a men's suit garment bag that Paul had got when he bought one of his suits from Marks and Spencer LOL so it wasn't what I would class a full-on suit carrier and even though my dress was very big, heavy and "full" I was actually surprised at how much air and weight and size for that matter I could squish it down to.

"squish" is deffo my favourite word today LOL