Choosing a Wedding Gown

A wedding dress may as well be the most stressful part of a bride’s planning. The dress has to look just right by accentuating her best features and downplaying the not so good. It will be admired, criticized, and most important of all will be in pictures that will last a lifetime.

To help you choose a wedding gown, here are some basic things that you must consider.

Time is an important aspect of your task. As soon as the wedding date is set, start looking preferably 6 months before the wedding. This is particularly important so that your choice does not feel “rushed” and you can scour as many possibilities as possible. Moreover, if you decide to custom make your dress, you need to allow for delays. Alterations also require time incase the dress does not fit quite right.

The second important aspect is the thought process behind the kind of image you want to portray. Sit down and write down what your personality and taste will allow you to do. Are you conservative�you may not want a dress with a low V showing off half your chest. Make a list of all the styles that will suit and reflect your taste and personality so that you are comfortable in your gown during the wedding. An uncomfortable bride is not a happy bride; the discomfort will show in your pictures.

Your budget is a necessary consideration. Gowns range in price from $25 to over $1 million depending on where you shop. It is important not to get carried away by all the options by making sure that you have handy a budget that you can stick with. Setting a range is the most reasonable thing to do so you can have a certain degree of flexibility.

Color is hardly discussed yet makes up for the overall effect of the gown. Modern gowns range in color from the traditional white to red. Consider a color that flatters your own and build your accessories around it and not the other way round. Call your designer or bridal shop to find out if your choice of style can be made in your color, most shops will be happy to consider your request if it is reasonable and you are willing to pay.

Underwear! This will determine the overall look of your gown. Some bridal shops have advisors who will recommend the kind of underwear that goes with certain styles. When fitting your gown, do so with the underwear you intend to use on that day for a true picture of how the gown will fit with it.

Take a Polaroid camera with you on all shopping trips to have your opinion on how the gown looks. Some shops will not let you take pictures of their gowns and styles, in which case you may ask them if it is ok to destroy the Polaroid before you leave. Most others do not have a problem with that so take advantage of the opportunity to get the most honest opinion-your own.

Once the above considerations have been taken, it is now time to go shopping! Consider all avenues- the internet, magazines, and wedding shows. Bridal shops, departmental stores and even thrift stores are especially good palces to look.

The internet has tons of sites that sell used, new, or custom-made gowns. It is the fastest widest choice there is. Bridal shops are personal and one on one and you see the actual gown that you are interested. If your budget is low, you may consider thrift shops- they are not too bad considering that most brides wear their gowns only once. Magazines will often show styles that you can use to custom make your gown. If you want the exact same gown, they will most probably have information about the designer or shop that carries it.