Hello! I've had several messages re: dress fabrics. If you have a wedding dress under $1500 it is probably a polyester/ man-made blend of some kind, especially if it is a designer brand. The label may say "acetate" which is also a man-made fabric. The bridal stores and designers such as Maggie Sottero give the fabric textures and blends different names, i.e. orgnanza, georgette, chiffon, satin, tulle, taffeta, "silky-satin" and so on. Polyester is easy to sew, holds form and shape well, and will also retain its colour well. They can also sell these dresses at lower prices to a larger market. Silk dresses tend to be very expensive due to the price of the fabric, but also because it is more difficult to sew. Silk is very slippery and wrinkles/pulls easily. It has to be draped "just so" on a long dress so it does not lose its shape. It's a luxurious material, but it requires a lot more care and attention. Silk is often lined with a man-made fabric to help keep its shape which can result in a hot dress in warm weather. Have a look at the label inside your gown to see what fabric it is. If it is man made it will pop up into its original shape when steamed/pressed even if it's been scrunched inside a suitcase. You can also "spot clean" polyester easily with plain soap and water if you spill wine on it without a problem. Silk or natural fabric is a different story and needs to be handled with great care. Hope this info helps!