Detroit Area Wedding Guide
The Wedding Dress
Overview of The Wedding Dress
Indeed, the wedding dress is probably the most difficult item about a wedding on which to write. There are as many wedding dresses as there are personalities, body shapes, budgets and wedding themes. The wedding dress is most likely the "most thought about" and the "most stressed about" facet of the wedding whether the wedding is informal or formal, large or small, civil or church ceremony or even elopement.
Before we move on, though, let's start by saying that there is no real etiquette on the dress. Of course, it is true that white was always the expected color of the wedding dress but there is nothing to suggest that white must be chosen. For many reasons, women are choosing dresses that are not white. For example:
women being married in the evening are choosing evening gown style dresses in black,
mature women are not interested in looking like Cinderella wearing the fairy tale queen-like dress,
women are choosing an off white color as it is not so stark looking,
women are choosing colors that better suit their skin tones and body shapes,
couples are choosing theme weddings, which may not be suited to the bride wearing the traditional white wedding dress.
the bride may choose a vintage gown that was handed down from one of her female relatives.
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Factors which Influence the Choice of Wedding Gown
Budget - This is probably the single most important factor when choosing a wedding dress. Because gowns can be purchased for as little as one hundred dollars and as high as hundreds of thousands of dollars, the first place to browse are shops that offer dresses in your specific price range. Do not even waste your time in boutiques that are so exorbitantly priced that all you do is depress yourself because you cannot have that particular dress.
Further, if you find that the dress you want is more than you anticipated but still within reasonable reach, then discuss with your groom whether money can be moved from another area of the wedding to cover the added cost of the gown. If you find that something else is not so important, then use the money for areas that are more important to you.
Body Shape, Weight, and Skin Tones - Many dresses may be eliminated immediately because the bride usually has an idea of what style typically suits her body. Color imaging is important as well. Different people tend toward different colors and when choosing the color of the wedding gown, if not white, may choose a color that betters suits their tones.
Woman's Age - Younger women tend toward elaborate fairy tale type dresses while more mature women and women who have been married before may opt for something less plain but still elegant.
Time of the Year - The season of the year will help in determining the style of the wedding gown. If being married in a cooler temperature, the bride may opt for a dress with sleeves while those brides being married in the summer may choose strapless or spaghetti strap type dresses. Also, for weddings that take place in the snow, faux fur may be added to the dress or the ensemble. The length of the train and the material of the dress may also depend on the time of the year in which the wedding takes place.
Woman's Preference - This is a key ingredient in choosing a wedding gown. It is really important to take stock of what you prefer to wear on a daily basis. If you do not like high necklines, do not choose one for your gown. If you like round open neck cuts, then look for a gown that appeals to you. Some women look better with an empire waist style dress while others prefer the waist around the waist area of their bodies. The important point here is to buy what is comfortable, a style to which you are accustomed and not something that looks good in a magazine or on the mannequin and is not really your tastes.
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When Choosing a Gown,
DO NOT choose something that you know is not your style. For example, if you are amply busted and not comfortable showing off your bust, do not buy a wedding gown that is low cut. You will feel self-conscious all day causing you misery.
DO NOT buy what the sales clerk tells you to buy. Shop with someone else so that you have an honest opinion of the dress.
DO NOT choose out of your age bracket.
DO NOT spend the whole wedding budget on the dress.
DO NOT scrimp on the proper undergarments for the dress. It is better to buy the lingerie that suits the dress than "making do" with what you have. The dress will be expensive enough and you want it to look beautiful on your body so invest in properly fitted undergarments.
Time Schedule for the Gown:
When to Order - Start looking and asking questions early. Some designer gowns will require twelve to eighteen months for ordering. If the gown is being hand-made, ask the seamstress how long she needs to complete your gown reasonably without rushing. Likewise if purchasing a gown from a catalog, find out what is the last day on which you can place your order, then choose a date much sooner than that so you will not be disappointed.
Even if you are choosing an "off the rack" gown, remember that alterations will be required and the completion date will depend on whether the boutique must send the gown out or whether they do in-house alterations.
Fittings - Depending on how the gown is being made, there may be as many as three fittings but in some instances, only two. For the final fitting, be sure to take the shoes that you have chosen to wear on your wedding day as well as the undergarments. Everything should be as it would be on the wedding day so that any minor alterations can be made accordingly.
A special note about the shoes. It is imperative that your gown be fitted with the exact shoes that you will be wearing. Changing shoes will cause the hemline to be too long or too short and you want to make sure the gown flows properly.
When to Pick up Dress - Picking up the dress will depend on the boutique. Most discount type stores will want you to take the dress with you as soon as possible. Other wedding dress boutiques will allow picking it up one or two days before the wedding after you have your final fitting.
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