WEDDING GOWNS
One of the biggest decisions you will face as the big day approaches is choosing the perfect wedding dress. The process of shopping for a wedding dress can be a fabulous adventure, but it can also be stressful and overwhelming – particularly because a bride-to-be often starts shopping for her gown before many other details are determined. You might have had a clear mental picture of the perfect wedding dress or you may have no idea what you are going to wear. The important thing is to relax, and remember that there are as many different kinds of dresses out there as there are different kinds of brides.
• Don't forget safety pins! In a pinch, extra-big safety pins can fix a bustle that has inadvertently been stepped on and torn. Take a few with you just in case. Submitted by: Bride: Deb F. Scottsdale, AZ.
• You can have a veil made to measure just as you can a dress. You can have the exact length and decoration that you want.
• If your dress is very ornate, don't have a heavily patterned veil. There is such a thing a too much!
• Don't have a veil that cuts across detail at the back of the dress. Let the veil finish below the decoration. Silk tulle is sheer enough to allow decoration to show through.
• Wedding dresses vary dramatically in price. You can expect to spend between $500 - $1,000 on a good quality machine-made wedding dress. If the bride wants something more customized, expect to pay upwards of $2,000. If the dress is a custom creation, tailored specifically to your bride, the costs are perhaps 3 to 4 times as much.
• Keep an open mind. It is easy to fall in love with a certain style you see in a magazine. Yet dresses look much different in real life on real brides. The best advice is to keep an open mind and look at a wide variety of styles.
• Take a few minutes to think about what you really want. It will be helpful when you enter into the maze of wedding dresses that you know which details are essential to you. Do you have to have a full princess-style skirt, or do you really want a dress that covers your arms? How traditional do you want your dress to be? After all, if a simple sheath would work best for you, it’s probably not worth your time to sort through racks of flouncy white gowns.
• Take your veil or headpice with you when you have your hair trial.
• Budget tip: Consider buying an off the rack wedding dress, and then having a seamstress add detailing features.
• Budget tip: If the bride wants something truly extravagant, consider renting the dress as opposed to buying one.
• Brides who are looking for a designer wedding dress in silk or other natural fabric should expect to pay between $2000 and $4000. For this amount of money, the gown should be very well made, and include some hand detailing. You'll go to a bridal salon where they'll measure you, help you pick your wedding dress, and order it directly from the designer in your size. Once it arrives, you'll pay a little extra to have it altered to fit you.
• For brides who have an extravagant budget, expect to pay $6000 and up for a designer wedding dress custom made just for you. A seamstress will work with you to precisely fit and design the gown around your body. Most of the work will be done by hand.
• Gown Styles. Here is some bridal gown words that you will want to know before hitting the bridal stores.
A-line: A fitted bodice that flares out to the hem creating an A shape.
Ballroom: This is the classic Cinderella type gown, full skirt, off-the-shoulder and a natural waistline. This type of gown is great for the full-figured bride.
Basque waist: the waistline begins below the waist, forming a U or V shape: slenderizing: a good choice for brides with wide hips.
Empire: Cropped bodice, high waist, slightly flared skirt: not a good choice for large busted brides, along with clingy fabrics and heavily decorated bodices.
Princess: Slim fitting bodice with emphasis on the waist.
Sheath: No waist: fabric continues down the body from the shoulders to the ankles for a close-fitting look.
• Get it in writing. Make sure all the details of your gown order (and any promises the shop makes about delivery, sizing, etc.) are in writing BEFORE you place your deposit.
• Most bridal gowns have to be special-ordered, and it can take up to six months to order certain dresses. Then you have to leave time for alterations. A word to the wise: start shopping for a gown nine months to a year before your wedding.
• Be Comfortable! On your wedding day, you'll want to look great, but you'll also want to be comfortable. It will be hard to pose for all those pictures, dance, laugh and more if you're tugging your dress up or have boning jutting into your ribs. Make sure you can move, talk, and dance in your dress with ease.
• What type of wedding dress is most appropriate to your day? For example, consider a shorter tea-length or cocktail length dress for a beach wedding. If you like to dance with her hands in the air, or anticipate doing the limbo, perhaps a strapless dress is not the one for you. Look for wedding dresses with removable sleeves or straps to give you the widest range of options.
• Plus size tips: Know your shape. You'll want to find a dress that is best for your figure. An a-line shape is flattering to most curvier figures, as it can skim over hips. Avoid full ballgown skirts as they can add to an overall roundness. A V-neckline on a busty woman can add a beautiful contrasting line.
• Plus size tips: You might start out at one of the larger retail chains, such as David's Bridal. Since they have so many dresses in stock, you will be able to try on many different styles in one stop. This exercise will help you determine which neckline, length and details are right for you. Bring shoes that will be similar in height to what you plan to wear for your wedding day.
• Check with your ceremony site on any dress restrictions. If you are getting married at a church or synagogue be aware of any dress rules they may have. For example: low-cut necklines, sleeveless or backless gowns may be prohibited. You may be able to get around these with a little matching jacket or wrap during the ceremony.
• Looking good all day long: You'll want to carefully consider the fabric for your dress. There is no way to avoid wrinkling a dress once it is put on; however certain fabrics wrinkle more easily. Here are a few ways to protect your dress: Get dressed at the ceremony site, make sure there is an aisle runner if you have a long train and be sure at least one of your bridesmaids knows how to bustle the train – have her do this immediatley after the formal photos. Detachable trains and veils make it easier to travel about and dance at the reception. Don’t worry if your dress is tattered and stained at the reception; with a cleaning and preservation service most stains and problems can be fixed.
• Picking up your dress: It's actually very smart to leave the dress at the bridal shop even if the dress is ready far in advance of the wedding day. The bridal shop should be better equipped to store and keep the dress fresh and pressed.
• Make sure the delivery date of your dress is well in advance of your wedding. Get a copy of the order or receipt with a guarantee of delivery date to keep with your wedding records; and call to confirm delivery. It's your right to know that your gown arrived safely, if not they will have time to correct the problem.
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