OT: UPDATED - Heirloomed wedding dress

This coming May 11th is our 35th wedding anniversary and Dave and I want to have a formal picture taken. Let me qualify that - we want to have our old fashioned picture taken up in the Dells with me being in my wedding dress and Dave wearing whatever costume the photo place will provide. I brought my wedding dress out of the attic tonight. In November of 1975 (1 1/2 years after we were married) I had it heirloomed by Marshall Fields. This is a professional service that is supposed to preserve the dress so it does not get yellow etc. I have never opened the cardboard box that it was returned to me by Fields even though there is supposed to be a plastic window that I can "view" it with. Dave was all for opening it earlier but I said no and started to cry I wanted to wait. Will the dress start to deteriorate fast after it is brought out of the box What my question is - does anyone know what I can expect after 30+ years of being smashed in a box and supposedly heirloomed? Will it be pretty be much like it was on the day I was married? I want to open it so bad because I am just slightly larger (20#) from when I got married and want to try it on so I know if I need it altered if it can. Or maybe our dream is dashed to have this picture taken with it and just need to use the costume the studio provides. They do have a really pretty dress to wear. Chris

Chris,  If memory serves me right from when I worked in a bridal shop some 20 years ago, heirlooming is I believe just like what they call preservation in today's market.  This means that the dress should have been professionally cleaned and then packed in an acid free box with acid free tissue.  I do not think that opening the box will hurt it at all.   But, I would call a bridal store and double check to see what they say.

Wendi, that is a great idea to call a salon first before opening. Chris

I opened mine which was preserved and sealed and the silk veil was in shreds and the pearls and lace on the dress were yellow, dark yellow and the dress was still white. Ick! I had hoped to use the veil for a friend's first communion but obviously that didn't happen. It was about 40 years since I was married.

Connie 

Connie, thanks for the info. I am going to open the plastic bag this evening when I get home from work. I would do it now but I want Dave to experience seeing the dress again with me, not second hand after he up etc. Hopefully, you know what I mean. We are both sentimental people.

Chris

Hey everyone - great responses, thank you for answering. I wanted to share with you all what was said on the main message board because I posted the same thread there after I started this one here. Here is the link http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/a,messageboard/board_ id,4856/cat_id,4456/topic_id,3559909/action,replies/ Chris