Skip to content

Top Navigation

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • FOOD
  • HOLIDAYS
  • ENTERTAINING
  • HOME
  • GARDENING
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING
  • WEDDINGS
  • SHOP
  • DIY
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS
  • LIFE
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Pin FB

Explore Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Tips on Organizing Your Home

      Tips on Organizing Your Home

      From the kitchen and bathroom to the bedroom and laundry room, here are 40 ways to simplify, streamline, and banish clutter throughout the house. Read More
    • These Are the Paint Colors You'll See Everywhere in 2022

      These Are the Paint Colors You'll See Everywhere in 2022

      Upgrade your spaces with new—and old—classics. Read More
    • 39 Make-Ahead Holiday Dishes That Are Perfect for Festive Family Gatherings

      39 Make-Ahead Holiday Dishes That Are Perfect for Festive Family Gatherings

      These classic recipes will help you get a head start on the festivities. Read More
  • FOOD

    FOOD

    See All FOOD
    • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Cooking How-Tos
    • Baking
    • Menu Planning
    • Food News & Trends
    • Wine
    • Mastering the Holiday Meal
    • What's for Dinner
    • All Recipes
  • HOLIDAYS

    HOLIDAYS

    See All HOLIDAYS
    All of Our Best Valentine's Day Crafts to Make from the Heart

    All of Our Best Valentine's Day Crafts to Make from the Heart

    Express your love with handmade Valentine's crafts like paper cards, gift ideas, and decorations.
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patricks Day
    • Passover
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
    • Father's Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • New Year's Eve
  • ENTERTAINING

    ENTERTAINING

    See All ENTERTAINING
    Will We Entertain Differently in 2022? These Are the New Trends Hostesses Should Bookmark

    Will We Entertain Differently in 2022? These Are the New Trends Hostesses Should Bookmark

    Secure your role as the host with the absolute most.
    • Seasonal Entertaining & Decorating
    • Baby Shower Ideas
    • Dinner Party Ideas
    • You're Invited
  • HOME

    HOME

    See All HOME
    How to Hang and Arrange Pictures

    How to Hang and Arrange Pictures

    Amp up your home décor with perfectly placed frames.
    • Home Design & Decor
    • Paint Colors & Palettes
    • DIY Home Projects
    • The Well-Kept Home
  • GARDENING

    GARDENING

    See All GARDENING
    Six Houseplant Mistakes to Avoid This Winter

    Six Houseplant Mistakes to Avoid This Winter

    Don't let your varieties fall victim to the perils of poor cold-weather maintenance.
    • Container Gardening
    • Flower Gardens
    • Houseplants
    • Landscaping
    • Vegetable Gardens
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    How to Deep Clean Your Oven with Baking Soda

    How to Deep Clean Your Oven with Baking Soda

    Our easy tips will make this cleaning task a lot less daunting.
    • Cleaning
    • Storage & Organization
    • Laundry & Linens
  • WEDDINGS

    WEDDINGS

    See All WEDDINGS
    Your Ultimate Wedding-Planning Timeline

    Your Ultimate Wedding-Planning Timeline

    Ready, set, go! Our no-nonsense guide will help you learn how to plan your wedding like a pro.
    • Real Weddings
    • Wedding Party
    • Wedding Planning & Advice
    • Wedding Ceremony & Reception
    • Wedding Jewelry
    • Dresses & Style
    • Wedding Beauty & Wellness
    • Wedding Registry
    • Wedding Showers & Parties
    • Love & Marriage
    • Wedding Travel
  • SHOP
  • DIY

    DIY

    See All DIY
    How to Knit: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide

    How to Knit: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide

    Learn how to knit your own mittens, hats, scarves, and more. We'll take you through the step-by-step instructions and teach you how to cast on, knit, purl, and cast off.
    • Dyeing
    • Holiday Crafts
    • Kids' Crafts
    • Knitting
    • Paper Crafts
    • Sewing
    • Rescue & Revamp
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    Your Complete Guide to Restoring Moisture Back Into Your Skin

    Your Complete Guide to Restoring Moisture Back Into Your Skin

    Take a multi-pronged approach if you're experiencing excess dryness.
    • Beauty
    • Health & Wellness
    • Live Well
  • LIFE

    LIFE

    See All LIFE
    • Family
    • Pets
    • Travel
    • Net Worth
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG
  • About Us

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. marthastewart.com
  2. Weddings
  3. Wedding Beauty & Wellness
  4. Fast Fixes for 7 Wedding-Day Wardrobe Malfunctions
Martha Stewart Weddings

Fast Fixes for 7 Wedding-Day Wardrobe Malfunctions

Skip gallery slides
Pin
liz-jeff-wedding-gettingready-219-s112303-1115.jpg
Credit: Emily Steffen

These common fashion emergencies will be no problem thanks to some expert-approved tips.

Start Slideshow

1 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
liz-jeff-wedding-gettingready-219-s112303-1115.jpg
Credit: Emily Steffen
Avoid Other Mishaps

When your wedding finally arrives, you're on the ultimate cloud nine. Unfortunately, nothing can bring you crashing down to earth faster than a wardrobe malfunction that threatens to mar the vision you've come so close to executing. Think: a broken bustle, stubborn zipper, stains, tears, and everything in between. Freaking out? Don't—not just yet. There is likely a way out of every little wedding dress-related disaster you encounter on the big day—plus some handy tools you can pack ahead to prepare for the worst. Here, wedding planners and stylists describe some of the most common fashion emergencies they've seen, and how to handle them if they come up on your big day. 

1 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

A Broken Bustle

3-bride-dress-stairs-1015.jpg
Credit: Joseph Katz
Wedding Dress Alteration Tips

Your bustle has an important job—holding up all that tulle, organza, or whichever fabulous fabric captured your heart is no easy feat! "Bustles typically break toward the end of the night after a lot of dancing and partying," says Kelli Corn, founder of Kelli Corn Weddings and Events in Bluffton, South Carolina. When searching for your dream dress, consider the fact that ribbons hold up better than buttons, says Corn. Jacqueline Weppner, owner of the bridal-styling company Merci New York, advises brides to ask their seamstresses to reinforce the bustle beforehand with monofilament. This will help give it the strength to hold up against snags and kicked-up heels.

If your bustle does break during your wedding, large safety pins or a sewing kit (all hail needle and thread!) can save the day. "At the end of the night, it doesn't have to be pinned perfectly," says Corn. "The point is to pull the layers up so you're not running the risk of tearing the dress."

2 of 8

3 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

A Stuck Zipper

molly-patrick-wedding-embroidery-3062-s111760-0115.jpg
Credit: Nancy Ray Photography

Or worse, one that decides your wedding day is the perfect time to bow out. If your zipper is in the stuck phase, first check to make sure you're not accidentally dragging any fabric in it. If you are, slowly ease the fabric free with your fingertips. After that, take a clear wax stick like Zipper-Ease (or even a white crayon), and wax the zipper to help ease it up or down, says Amy Mancuso, owner of Amy Mancuso Events in Phoenix, Arizona. If your zipper is plain broken, that's where needle and thread come in handy. "Sometimes I've had to sew a bride into her dress," says Mancuso. That needle and thread can also help in a pinch if you've got any torn seams that need fixing.

3 of 8

Advertisement

4 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

A Stained Dress

sara-matt-wedding-appliques-1421-s111990-0715.jpg
Credit: Alixann Loosle Photography

Whether it's a dribble of foundation or a smudge of lipstick, even the teeniest of stains are unwelcome. We suggest investing in the Madame Paulette Personal Stain Remover Kit, which comes with three targeted solvents to treat various stains and a distilled-water rinse and absorbent cloth. "A Tide to Go Pen or Shout Wipe can work if the stain is smaller," adds Corn. If a splash of red wine has made its way to your dress, Corn suggests this brilliant hack: "Pouring white wine on top of a small red wine stain can help pull it out." If you're nervous about risking that DIY method, consider turning to chalk. "There are so many different shades of white, so you have to be careful because you could just draw more attention to it," says Mancuso. But if you have just a small stain and a stick of chalk in the right shade, you're golden.

4 of 8

5 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

A Dry Cleaning Disaster

federica-tommaso-wedding-dress-040-s112330-1015.jpg
Credit: Catherine Mead
How to Travel With Your Dress

Wedding planners often double as superheroes, as evidenced by the time Corn saved a bride from a huge fashion catastrophe. The bride sent her dress to get pressed the day before the wedding, but didn't check it until before dawn on her wedding day during a fit of excitement-induced insomnia. Her dress originally had a train with buttons all down the back so the fabric would gather into billowing poufs, but the dry cleaners pressed the poufs out. The result was deep pleats that had the bride calling Corn in a panic at 5:30 a.m.! Corn had a dressmaker pop all the buttons off, a dry cleaner re-pressed it, then the dressmaker re-made the back of the dress. "The bride started crying when she saw it because she was so thrilled," says Corn. The takeaway: It's a simple move, but always check your dress after any last-minute alterations or dry cleaning!

5 of 8

6 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Slippery Shoes

amy-garrison-wedding-shoes-00101-6134266-0816.jpg
Credit: Amelia Johnson Photography

Brand-new shoes are a joy—and a hazard. Prevent slips by gently abrading the bottoms with 50-grit sandpaper, focusing on the front two inches. And keep those new kicks from blistering your feet: Apply a few dabs of waxy Solemates Blister Blocker. "The nongreasy formula won't stain," says Weppner. If fabric shoes get scuffed, cover the marks with white chalk. For leather, owner of Cacky's Bride + Aid, Cacky Rivers, swears by a dab of correction fluid for white, or permanent marker for black.

6 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Unsightly Smudges

mkelly-jeff-wedding-palm-springs-bride-and-bridesmaids-wedding-dress-kj0217-s112234.jpg
Credit: Katie Stoops Photography

White marks from deodorant/antiperspirant aren't visible on most wedding gowns, of course, but they can mar your bridesmaids' dresses or groom's rehearsal-dinner look. Lift them away with a clean pair of nylons or Braza Wipe Out sponges.

7 of 8

8 of 8

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Damaged Hem

mckenzie-brandon-wedding-gettingready-53-s112364-1115.jpg
Credit: Heather Payne Photography

The bottom of your dress can take a beating. Brush dirt away with a clean, white terry-cloth towel. For more stubborn soil (as long as the fabric is dry), try sweeping briskly toward the edge with a clean makeup wedge. If a hem has fallen, use a thin snip of double-sided fabric tape to secure it in place.

8 of 8

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    `
    Martha Stewart Weddings
    View All
    • Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Shared a Sweet Kiss at His Polo Match
    • Is it OK for a Bridesmaid to RSVP No to a Destination Bachelorette Party Invitation?
    • A Modern, Black-and-White-Themed Ranch Wedding in California's Wine Country
    • Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker Got Married Again—Here's a Recap of Their Italian Wedding Weekend
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 8
    2 of 8 A Broken Bustle
    3 of 8 A Stuck Zipper
    4 of 8 A Stained Dress
    5 of 8 A Dry Cleaning Disaster
    6 of 8 Slippery Shoes
    7 of 8 Unsightly Smudges
    8 of 8 Damaged Hem

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    Martha Stewart

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Customer Service
    • Media Kit
    • Martha's Blog
    • Advertise
    • Content Licensing
    • FAQ
    • Corporate
    • International
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithMartha Stewart is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright Martha Stewart. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.marthastewart.com

    Sign in

    View image

    Fast Fixes for 7 Wedding-Day Wardrobe Malfunctions
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.