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This Wedding Dress Guide gives you 5 points to consider when planning to buy a dress for your special occassion.
  How Do I Decide on a Wedding Dress?
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No doubt many brides-to-be feel that the choice of her wedding gown is one of the most important aspects of the whole wedding. It gives her a chance to express her own individuality. She is the star of the day, the focal point.
Sometimes the theme of the wedding dress helps set the tone of the whole ceremony and reception theme, so consider what your vision of these involves also. A romantic, flowing, fairytale gown may not best suit a modernistic style or registry office ceremony, and vice versa.
Think about what will make you feel extra special on this important day... what will work the magic for you? What will flatter your body shape and minimize any problem areas? What will make your groom gasp (and maybe shed a tear or two) in adoration and delight as you walk down the aisle or frolic across the wedding meadow?
Do you want to wear white or a colour? Do you want a long veil, short veil or no veil?
Do you wish to honour a family member, such as a mother, grandmother or sister, by wearing their wedding dress, or converting it into something especially for you?
What constraints might your ceremony put on your choice? Do you want to compromise with your gown... or change your ceremony to suit? For instance, if you are saying your vows while free falling from a plane, or galloping in on horseback, or snorkelling underwater, your attire may need to be different than if you are just sedately walking up a church aisle.
The internet provides an ideal medium to thoroughly explore what kind of wedding dresses are available... so go hunting! |
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What About Bridesmaids Dresses? |
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Your bridesmaids dresses should compliment or provide contrast, but not overshadow, your wedding gown.
Bridesmaids dresses are often in whatever colour the general colour scheme of the ceremony and reception is planned to be... eg their dresses, the flowers, decorations, tablecloths or whatever, may all be pink... or blue... or whatever is chosen. Or they may be a colour which will go beautifully with another chosen colour to create a specially blended theme. This also goes for flower girls etc.
It is a good idea to consider your bridesmaids ideas, body types and ages in your choice of dresses, but ultimately it must be your decision.
Often bridesmaids pay for their own dresses. In this circumstance it is an idea to consider dresses which they may be able to use again at other formal occassions... something simple and elegant maybe, rather than all frilly and lacy, especially if they are older women. If you think it might cause hardship to your bridesmaids to have to pay for their dresses, consider hiring them or paying for them yourself. |
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Where Can I Buy A Wedding Dress? |
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As there are a large number of bridal shops, looking online is probably one of the fastest and easiest ways to narrow down which boutiques you should visit in your search for the perfect wedding dress. A lot of the finest bridal boutiques have websites and you will be able to get a good idea of what they have available and if they might be the right place for you.
Bridal Boutiques vary in range and price. Most carry both bulk manufactured gowns, as well as one of a kind exclusive designer masterpieces. Wedding gowns are usually a fairly expensive purchase... but this can vary between a couple of hundred dollars and several thousand dollars, or more!
Most boutiques offer good fitting and alteration services, which can be useful, especially if pre-wedding jitters or lots of rushing around (or a concentrated effort!) cause significant weight loss.
You will find an extensive range of gowns to choose from... simple to exotic; short skirts to long with huge sweeping trains; rich satins, silks, laces, chiffons and brocades.
Bridal boutiques also usually have a range of bridesmaids dresses, mother of the bride outfits and other wedding attire. |
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What If I Can't Find The Perfect Wedding Dress? |
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The answer here may be to have a gown designed and made for you. This can sometimes be a fairly expensive option (but not necessarily), but after all, you only get married once (hopefully), so your dress should fulfill your wedding fantasies.
Some bridal boutiques have their own seamstresses who can help you with this, or there are many talented dressmakers who work from home or small shops. Once again, the internet can be a valuable tool in finding the ideal person. Also, check newspapers and noticeboards.
Maybe you even have a friendly neighbour, or doting aunt (or uncle!) who has skills in this area, and would be willing to create your dream dress as a labour of love!
It is probably advisable to at least have some idea of what your ideal gown might look like, so that the dressmaker knows how to proceed. Make sure you have close, ongoing input and approve the designs and actual creation every step of the way, or you may not end up with what you wanted at all, but rather what the dressmaker thought you wanted! |
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What If I Just Can't Afford A Wedding Dress? Or Can't Justify The Expense? |
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Sometimes wedding expenses can just get out of hand, and for brides-to-be who don't have large amounts of money at their disposal for the wedding, the cost of a wedding gown can sometimes seem impractical- especially as it's a dress which is only worn once.
Don't give up on your dream yet!
Scout the internet for possibilities.
Check newspapers, and noticeboards for secondhand wedding dresses being sold off after use (or if the wedding is called off!) at a much reduced price. They are usually in almost new condition.
Bridal hire shops often sell off surplus gowns at reasonable prices. Most of these are still in excellent condition.
Salvation Army shops, and other charity shops, often have "pre loved" wedding gowns at comparatively cheap prices, which they are donated by brides after their weddings. Some even have specialist and evening wear stores. Remember, by buying your wedding dress from one of these places you're not only finding a cheaper gown, but helping the charity help others with your purchase money.
Hiring a wedding dress is another good solution if you don't want the expense of buying a gown that you will wear only once. Of course, you won't have the dress as a memoire of the occasion, which some brides treasure, but if that doesn't worry you then this might be an ideal option for you. The range may not be as extensive, but it shouldn't be too hard to find something to suit, even if you have to look around a bit.
Once again, check out bridal hire websites on the internet, to find suitable ones to visit.
You can usually also hire bridesmaids dresses etc, and even formal wear for the male members of the wedding party. Hire shops often have good deals for bulk hires, especially if the arrangements are made well in advance of the event. |
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