The Quest for the Perfect Wedding Dress
Your first appointment with the dress consultant should be scheduled for at least an hour. This will give you and the consultant plenty of time to talk about what designs you are interested, the theme of your wedding, and what styles best suit you. If you are having a dress made for you this will give the consultant a few moments to draw some sketches for you.
Discuss what kind of fabric you want and any embellishments. Decide whether you want a long or short veil or even a headpiece or crown. There are many dress styles to choose from such as strapless, full, or fitted. Talk with your consultant about what style fits your body type the best.
When you go to your first dress fitting it is likely the consultant will have several samples for you to try on. Since most dress samples come in a one size fits all pattern, try to have some imagination. Your consultant should be able to do a fitting. If he/she cannot fit you make sure that you bring a seamstress with you. When you find the dress of your dreams you will know it.
Most bridal shops will allow the bride to bring a couple of people with her to the fitting. Most women bring their mothers or a few friends. Bring someone that you trust and who also values your opinion. Bring someone that will tell you the truth about how you look in your dress. Also, bring your shoes if you have already picked them out.
Certain dresses look better on different body types and sizes. For example, for someone that has a full figure or square shape, an imperial or A-line dress will help de-emphasize the waist line, and will create a smooth line from the stomach to the hips. A smaller figure will look best in a strapless or fitted dress style. Although strapless dresses offer more freedom of movement, if you have large or heavy arms you should cover them with a shawl or sleeves.
It is best to shop for your wedding dress 8-10 months in advance since most wedding dresses need to be ordered by size. Usually you will have to pay 50-80% of the cost up front. After the dress arrives get 2-3 fittings to make sure that it is absolutely the right fit for your body. Most brides are now asking the fitter to come to the wedding to assist them in dressing and any last minute fittings.
Most bridal shops and commercial bridal chains will offer you all the extras like jewelry, shoes, and gloves. Speak to your consultant about what the best styles are for you concerning jewelry and gloves; they should match the style of your dress and wedding. Choose shoes that are comfortable, after all you will be wearing them all day. Any discomfort you have with your shoes or dress is likely to show on your face, which is not good because weddings are like a day long photo shoot.
White is the color of weddings but it didn’t always used to be. Brides used to wear their best dress to get married. In 1840 Queen Victoria changed this when she wore yards of white lace to marry Prince Albert. Since then weddings have been traditionally white.
