If you are anything like I was, when it came
to picking out my wedding dress, it was one of the most exciting times
of all. To find THE DRESS made just for you can be stressful, but can be
fun to do too. Grab your maid/matron of honour and just take a few afternoons
to window shop first. If you are lucky, it will jump out at you, but for
most of us it's trial and error. Try on as many as you can. They are all so
beautiful. I tried on many and it was soon narrowed down to 2. Two different
sides of my personality and 2 different dresses to choose from. Whether
you are looking for simple or elaborate, it is best to try on many samples
first.
There are many different styles to choose from with different materials and from the very plain to the very elaborately pearled. |
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Dresses are priced from the low $500. to the over elaborate priced of the stars' dresses. The designer gowns that I have seen run anywhere from $1000. and up. One major thing to think aobut is the time of season for your wedding. You dont want to be wearing a heavy satin gown in the heat of the summer. | |
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| I had always wanted to make my dress but finding all the appliques and pearls and trim was not readily available at the time, at least I didn't know where to get it all in order to make it. There are many places to find the appliques now. I did find it all later as you can see by the one dress I made for my friend's daughter. This was a thrill for me to do. She came to me with a picture from a bride's magazine and asked me if I could make it. I started the dress approximately 4 months before the wedding and spent hours hand stitching all the detail on it. There was 144 little ovals leaves each with 7 hand stitched pearls on the skirt part. The bottom of the skirt had 15 yards of appliqued trim that had to be handstitched as well. This one I made for this girl was priced at $2000. That included her veil and her cape. |
Keep in mind that if you have a full skirt dress, you will need a crinoline. Speaking from experience, if it's at all possible, either make one yourself or have an aunt or someone do it. You will save considerable money and get the fullness that you need.
I found when I was looking for mine, many were not full enough and I didn't want to wear the hoop kind as they are very hard to sit in.
Be very selective when buying shoes for this day. Remember you will be in them at least 12 hrs, so make sure they are comfortable. 1" heels are much more comfortable and easier on the back and legs. The satin shoes can later be redyed for evening wear so you can get your money's worth. One girl I saw wore running shoes. Just keep in mind---COMFORT!!!
Now we can't forget the men in the wedding party as you will want to coordinate with them for the colors and type of tuxedos they will wear. One site I found was at Bud Gowan. They have a wonderful selection of tuxedos and everything for the men in your party. |
