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Planning a wedding in Europe is a dream for many couples. Charming old-world architecture, breathtaking landscapes, and the romance of a new adventure. But getting your wedding attire safely across borders can feel daunting. The good news? With a little preparation and the right strategy, you can ensure your dress or suit arrives wrinkle-free, intact, and ready for the big day.
Here’s how to pack your wedding attire like a pro for your European destination wedding:
Carry on Luggage, Always
This is absolutely non-negotiable: carry it as hand luggage. Always. Your luggage may get lost or delayed, and you just don’t want to risk that with your wedding or elopement attire!
Bring it in a garment bag and talk to the airline staff. They usually have a separate space where they can store it for you. You can also call ahead to your airline and ask what their advice is for their particular flights.
A high-quality garment bag
If your clothes don’t already come with one, we recommend investing in a durable, breathable garment bag that protects your attire from dust, moisture, and snags. We’d advise looking for one with structured sides or foldable panels to minimize creasing. For long flights, a tri-fold garment bag that fits into the overhead bin is ideal.
Be thoughtful when packing
For dresses: If your dress has layers or delicate fabric, place tissue paper between the folds to prevent wrinkles. Use a padded hanger and fold it carefully into your garment bag. If your dress is very full, consider a specially designed wedding dress travel box (like those approved for cabin sizes).
For suits: Make sure your suit is professionally pressed before you leave. Fold it using a proper method (the “suit jacket inside out” fold works well) or keep it flat in the garment bag.
Unpack & Hang It As Soon As You Arrive
While you might want to keep your outfits hidden from one another, try to unpack them as soon as you arrive and let them hang. If you don’t want each other to see them, keep them in their breathable garment bags. However, for long dresses or skirts, it’s best to let the full length hang if you can.
Be prepared for wrinkles
Even when packing really thoughtfully, you may still get wrinkles. A steamer works best to get those sorted. Check with your hotel or accommodation if they have a steamer available. If not, you can bring a travel one with you, or use the steam in the bathroom from a hot shower. We’ve even found that using a hairdryer can help ease out creases in some fabric really well too – just give yourself plenty of time as this takes longer than steaming.
Pro Tip: When traveling from outside of Europe, a voltage converter may be required. This is because Europe operates on 230V electricity, while the US, for example, runs on 110V power. If you’re bringing a steamer with you, check if you need a converter too.
Other Essentials to pack:
These other items can come in really useful, especially if there’s an unexpected wardrobe malfunction:
- Safety pins & small emergency sewing kit
- Fashion tape
- A lint roller
- A Tide pen
