Wedding Gowns – What to Wear!

Wedding gowns as you would imagine come in all shapes and sizes. They can be as individual as your personality. Your dress can be flamboyant or reserved, modern or traditional, it can be whatever you want it to be!

With the popularity of the internet your wedding gown can be chosen online and adjusted to fit by email or telephone so you never have to leave the comfort of your living room!

If you are unsure what wedding gown will suit then trying them on is the ideal way to see particularly for color. Some people like the idea of white however it can be a very draining color so try before you buy is probably best.

There are some styles that suit some shapes better then others, for example a sheath style can make a shorter frame appear even shorter where a dropped waist can lengthen the torso and make you appear taller. An aline shape is flattering to most shapes and a slim fit style can be gorgeous on a more willowy figure.

If you are thinking about having it custom made, there are a few things you should consider. Spend some time looking through bridal magazines and focus on styles that you like. One advantage to having your wedding gown made is that you can design a dress that fits your personality, figure type, and taste. You can choose neckline, sleeve, skirt, and embellishments that will comprise the dress of your dreams. Also, if you have special fitting challenges, they can all be dealt with before your dress is made rather than after construction. Alterations are often quite intensive and costly when you are dealing with a dress that has lace and beading.

Many little girls dream of what their wedding gown will look like and have a fixed idea before they even get near the day but sometimes a little compromise may have to be made.

9 Wedding Gown Shopping Tips

Little girls start designing and dreaming about their wedding gown even before they can fully comprehend what a wedding is. Things like couture, budgets, bodices, necklines, sleeves, accessories and veils don’t figure in the picture. What does matter is that the little girl looks like Cinderella in her white gown and glass slippers. Well, little girls grow up to be young brides – the dream remains the same. Here are 9 tips to keep in mind when shopping for your wedding dress to ensure that your dream does come true!

1. Decide on a budget for your wedding dress at the onset. Wedding gowns can cost anything from a couple hundred dollars to thousands of dollars depending on your choice of designer. Also, allow for the cost of accessories like shoes, a veil, lingerie, jewelry and flowers.

2. When going shopping have a list of things ready – the dress code at your ceremony site (many places of worship frown upon bare shoulders or exposed knees), your current measurements and any accessories or add-ons that you may already have and want to use (like shoes or your mom’s veil).

3. Go shopping on a weekday. It might require you to take some time off from work but it will be worth your while. Weekends are when most people go shopping and the salespeople are extra busy. Weekdays are slow which means you’ll get more attention and help.

4. Look for your wedding dress without any preset notions. Some brides eliminate gowns even without trying them on simply because they think its not their ‘type’. Try on different styles, shapes and sizes so you know what works best for you.

5. Always take along a good friend who can be objective even when she sees you dressed as a bride. Your mother may want to come along but is unlikely to be able to see anything clearly through the tears. Ask your sister or best friend along to get a frank and honest opinion.

6. If you plan to wear your mother’s gown on your special day try it on for size ASAP. It may require alterations or some fixing up. If the gown has not been preserved too well don’t lose heart. Find a good seamstress who can perhaps salvage part of the gown like the bodice or train or even just a pearl encrusted cuff and create a new gown for you with it.

7. Always insist on at least two to three fittings for your gown. The last fitting should be a week before the wedding. Most brides loose weight during their engagement period and if that’s the case or vice versa then your gown will need to be altered.

8. Buy lingerie in skin color tones and NOT white! Always wear skin tones under your white wedding gown so that the lingerie does not show through.

9. Trust your instincts. Is this the gown you always dreamed of? Or is your mother insisting it is the one ‘you’ always dreamed of? If someone needs to convince you that it is a great gown – then it probably isn’t. Buy a bridal gown that you love and that is the stuff of your dreams!