It’s thrilling to hit the road for a destination wedding. But boarding the flight to say “I do” can be a bit stressful, considering you have to carry your wedding-day attire. Transporting it leaves it open to damage that you wouldn’t have to worry about if you got married in your hometown. So, take good care of your dress or suit while you fly to ensure you experience every positive that comes with getting married miles away from where you live. Here are our 10 best tips for doing so.

1. Call the Airline First

Every airline will have a different policy for transporting fragile wardrobe items. Call ahead to figure out where they’ll store your wedding clothes, whether it’s in an overhead bin or under the plane. Even if you don’t get a confirmation of where your outfit will go, you’ll have a better idea of how the process will work, which can calm your nerves at the very least. 

2. Consider a First-Class Ticket

For one thing, it’s your wedding — you should treat yourself to a fancy flight on your way to forever. Flying in first class serves a practical purpose, too. The earlier you board, the more access you’ll have to the overhead bin space, where you’ll store your outfit. Plus, some planes have small storage closets. If you board first, you might find some room in there to hang your wedding dress for the journey. 

3. Or, Buy a Seat for the Clothes

To play it even safer, you might want to buy three tickets to your destination wedding — one for you, one for your spouse and one for the wedding finery. It’s certainly a way to ensure the clothes complete the journey and stay in great shape throughout. Plus, your outfits will get a dedicated carry-on bag, which means you can bring even more essentials on board with you when it’s time to go. 

4. Pack It Properly

Men’s wedding wear will be easy to pop into a garment bag or even into a carry-on equipped with a built-in suit protector. Wedding dresses can be more complicated to pack, though. The right garment bag for the dress will contain it all in the zipped portion — nothing should drag on the floor. Once you have a bag big enough, put the dress on the built-in hanger and fold its left and right sides toward the center so they fit. Then, roll up the train, if there is one, so it also fits into the bag. 

5. Arrive Earlier Than Usual at the Airport

A poofy dress probably won’t fit in your carry-on, nor will it slide through the TSA scanner at the airport. So, the attendants will have to manually search the dress before they allow it on board. Such a process can take longer than the normal slide-and-scan, so give yourself plenty of time to do it, find your gate and fly away.

6. Never Check Your Clothes

The above tips all apply to the process of carrying your wedding clothes on board, and for a good reason. You should never put your gown or tux into the hold. Someone could steal the clothes from your luggage, or your bag could get lost or damaged along the way. If you keep your clothes with you, though, you know they’re safe and with you as you trek to your wedding destination. 

7. On a Crowded Flight, Stow It Last 

Perhaps you find yourself on a to-the-brim flight on your way to your wedding. As people pile their carry-ons into the overhead bin, be patient. You’ll want to wait until everyone has placed their items to put your gown or tux into containers. That way, you can lay your clothes on top of the suitcases. Otherwise, people might put their luggage on top of your garment bags, which could squish or damage your wardrobe. 

8. Choose the Right Bag If You Want to Pack It

You might feel safer carrying on a dress or suit if it’s in an actual piece of luggage. Just make sure you choose one with protective features to preserve your attire. For one thing, a hard-shell case will stop others from stacking their items on top of your bag. Most of these suitcases repel water, too, protecting wedding wear from damage. And, make sure you fold your clothes as neatly as possible so they require minimal rejuvenation when you land. 

9. De-Wrinkle Your Clothes

Even if you carefully travel with your wedding wear, it will probably pick up a few wrinkles on the way. Once you land, you can diffuse these lines in the good, old-fashioned way. Place your outfit on a hanger, put it in the bathroom, close the door and turn the shower on at a piping hot temperature. The steam it produces will naturally release wrinkles — no irons or dry cleaners required. 

10. Don’t Neglect the Journey Home

You probably won’t buy your wedding dress or suit a seat to itself on the way home. But you should still do your best to preserve your outfit after you’ve said, “I do.” Whether you want to sell your gown, return your suit or save either as a memory, it will have to be in its best shape to do so. So, carefully re-pack and transport your wardrobe on the way back as well. 

With that, you should be ready to fly to your destination with your dream wedding-day wardrobe. So, book the ticket(s) and board the flight — it’s time to get married in style.