Written by Andrea. Published on May 28th 2009.
A complete guide to buying your wedding dress. From what to expect from your bridal store experience to what fabric to choose this guide should help you in your search. It's a vast area with lots of things to take into consideration so hopefully there will be something below to help you find your dream dress. Best of luck!
This has been by far my most favourite part of wedding planning and being a curvier girl I never thought I'd ever say that. Just thinking about being among the beautiful dresses in the gorgeous stores makes me sigh wistfully and start daydreaming about satin, tulle, organza overlays, corset styles, slinky fitted silk masterpieces sigh. It all makes me wish I hadn't already ordered mine.
Ok first things first...
If like me you have a definite idea in your mind of what you what before you even set your pretty little foot inside a bridal store - my best advice would be to broaden that idea greatly! Try a little bit of everything as you will soon be able to whittle this down to what suits your shape and what doesn't. Try the big princess style dress as you never know how you will feel about it until you are prancing around in it in front of a mirror. With an hourglass shape I steered clear of anything too figure hugging or silky but when I eventually tried on a Caroline Castigliano it looked fabulous and I was almost converted!
So yes try everything as typically bridalwear is so flattering and you can get away with styles you wouldn't normally with regular high street clothes. So don't be narrow minded when the shop assistant pulls out a diamond encrusted multi layered organza over satin dress that was completely not what you had in mind - give it a go you might love it!
This is possibly the most important aspect of your dress as it's the sillouette that makes your shape during your special day. The detailing is also important but for bright light photographs etc its really the sillouette of your dress that will stand out the most. There are the typical shapes that suit the typical shape but again unless you try them on you might never know that a fishtail type dress flatters your every curve so give it a try.
This shape is very popular as it's probably the most flattering. It gently flares from the shoulders down, skimming the widest part your hips so whether you are tall, short, curvy or straight up and down it's bound to make you look fabulous.
An empire line has a high waistline and starts under the bust. The skirt is normally slim over the hips and is great for girls with a smaller bust as this area is accentuated by the high under bust waistline and not so full skirt.
I think this style is perfect for girls with plenty of womanly curves as it comes in neatly at the waist and then skims dramatically over the hips. It has vertical panels that aim to follow your curves without clutching to them. Flattering like the A line but with a fuller skirt for more of a dramatic look.
These are the princess style dresses for a fairytale look. They can be corset style where the waist is accentuated before the cascade of masses of fabric drop over the hips to give a fuller skirt. This style can sometimes drown a petite girl so I'd say maybe better suited to taller woman. However with a pair of high heels anything is possible. This style can give curves to an athletic frame or accentuate the hourglass figure. I'd say avoid this is you are small busted as it will draw attention to this area. Also the fuller skirt of this style might add more curves to areas of the hips that simply don't need enhancing making this area appear larger.
This is a sleek modern style that will cling to every contour of the body so would require body confidence. Good for taller brides or petite brides. To be avoided by fuller figured ladies with generous hips as this area will be highlighted.
Also figure hugging although not as much as the column style or bias cut. This style will nip in at the waist skim over the hips and nip in again at the knees before flaring out to the ground in a fishtail or mermaid shape. This creates a very womanly sexy shape and to be fully appreciated would require a curvaceous figure.
Cut on the diagonal this is a figure hugging style similar to the column one described above. Again would be perfect on the right shape of woman and to be avoided if you have larger hips and bum as these will only be accentuated.
Gone are the days of the strict white wedding gown and with designers like Ian Stuart creating gowns in metallic silver, antique pinks and champagnes it's no wonder we are finding it more and more difficult to make a decision!
I think to pull off a stark white wedding gown you must have a certain type of complexion and therefore most of us go for something a little less harsh. For those who think white is white HA! try going wedding dress shopping and asking for something in white. You have stark white, off white, bright white, silk diamond or natural white, buttercream whites and don't get me started on Ivory! Finding the perfect colour is almost as hard as finding the gown itself. Here is a rough idea of colours and shades to suit everyone but again as I always say you never really know until you try them on and lets be honest do we really need another excuse to try on these gorgeous gowns?
This is the whitest of whites, the brightest and crispest of white shades and should really be worn by brides with a darker complexion.
This is a shade off stark white and can work with your skin tone if stark white washes you out. If you find stark white drains you of colour an off white might be perfect. Darker skins and medium yellow toned skin should work well with diamond whites.
Creamy colours work well with medium pink toned skin so Ivory or buttercream colours will suit this complexion.
Some ivories are yellow based and therefore would suit fairer skin along with warmer natural colours like the creamy ivories. There are many shades of Ivory and I believe there is a shade out there for everyone.
These colours are becoming more and more popular as the traditional virginal white dress is being overlooked as fashion changes and brides are being more daring with their choices. There are many gorgeous scarlett red gowns out there together with princess pinks and metallic silvers so be daring and give them a go even if it's just for fun.
So... for fair skinned brides steer clear of stark whites and go for something a little creamier like a yellow based ivory or a buttermilk cream. Medium yellow toned skin go for a diamond white to bring out your natural colours. Medium with pink tones would look gorgeous is creamy ivory, champagne or a buttery cream.
If you have dark skin then the world is your oyster, go mad! You can pretty much choose any colour of white you want. Darker yellowy olive skins however would do well to avoid anything with too much yellow but other than that we are all jealous and would love your skin (well I would).
A thing to consider when looking at dress fabrics is the time of year or place you are getting hitched. A heavy satin dress with loads of detailing, underskirts and hoops is going to be very heavy to lugg around in 30 degree heat for your beach themed Cyrpitic summer wedding. Similarly a sheer silk fitted slinky number won't do anything to keep your warm while getting photographs in November in the snow outside your Scottish castle. This being said there are numerous ways around this with shrugs and undergarments for the winter or lighter taffeta fabrics that give the same luxurious look but at half the weight of some materials. Each fabric creates a different look so picking the look for a theme for example a lace overlay can work really well with a vintage theme. The texture of each fabric will work differently with light, some absorbing it some reflecting it creating a shiny surface with others being matte. Some material will cling while others are crisp and will hang away from the body. So once you've found the shape and colour you then need to find the fabric you want your gown in.
This is one of the heaviest and most luxurious natural fabrics. Creates a formal look with a smooth finish. Can be glossy or matte depending on the amount of silk or rayon used and finished colour. Can be embellished or used on its own to create a timely classic look.
This can be a light overlay used to skim over a satin dress to give it a floaty feel. This adds a softer line to the firmness of the satin.
Again used as an overlay to another fabric underneath. This is a woven mesh material which can be a base for a lace train to be added. Also used for the bridal veil.
Can be used all over to create a stunning vintage feel gown or in smaller quantities to give a delicate finish to another fabric.
This crisp silk fabric can have a sheen or dull finish. Can be used to create full skirts and structured gowns. It is lighter then satin but still achieves the dramatic end result.
Organza is a sheer material which can be used to create a dramatic sheer finish. It is very light and crisp and often used as the base fabric for embellished fabrics.
The neckline of your dress is also very important and depending on your shape can help elongate a short body, balance out wide shoulders or accentuate a long graceful neck. A neckline can also make a statement with an off the shoulder or low cut showing flirtyness or a scalloped or high collar neckline being a modern sophisticated choice.
Most commonly found on strapless dresses but can be found on short sleeved dresses also. So named because of the heart shape created as it cuts over the chest area, this can be accentuated or subtle but either way is a good style for big busted brides as it helps give support and control the area. A pretty neckline that adds a softness to a strapless dress.
When I was looking I found the majority of dresses were strapless and therefore much more choice in this style. Works best on brides with well toned arms as this cuts across the body and draws attention to this area. Larger busted ladies might think twice about this style as it might not give enough control, although corset style strapless are a godsend when it comes to this. Not only will a corset style give you a gorgeous silhouette it also gives great support.
This can be as high and sophisticated or as low and revealing as you dare. A simple elegant neckline which suits all shapes.
Like the scooped style above this can be as low or high as you want and tends to suit all shapes. The diagonal V draws the eyes downwards towards a small waist. It can make a smaller bust appear larger or conceal a larger chest bringing it more in proportion therefore perfect for all shapes.
This is an elegant and slightly sexy style that draws attention to the elegant neck line and nape. Can work with or without sleeves.
This is where the two straps join at the back of the neck. This style tends to draw attention to the brides neck and shoulders therefore not suited to top heavy broad shouldered ladies.
This can mean spaghetti straps, (thin) or thicker straps but either way a simple sophisticated look. To be avoided if you don't want to show off your arms and shoulders.
What can you expect from your bridal store experience?
Now I'd love to say that every wedding gown shopping experience I had was fabulous however sadly this was not the case. To me it almost seemed like some bridal stores hired the most unfriendly sales assistants who either hated weddings, hated brides to be or just hated life in general. All I can say is try not to be put off if you are unlucky enough to come across one of these creatures. I had a horrible experience in a bridal boutique where the woman seemed utterly bored with whatever I had to say and having had some wonderful sales assistants elsewhere I tidied up my belongings and swiftly left the store telling them how poor I thought their service was. At the end of the day it's a big purchase and sales assistants should know that every bride has an idea of what they want and won't just settle for anything. However in saying that I did meet some lovely sales advisors who were attentive, helpful and mostly it was a really enjoyable experience.
So what should you expect. Well at first you want to be welcomed into the store with them explaining how your time will be spent there. They tell you about what kinds of dresses they have and ask what you have in mind if anything. If it's your first time you should expect to try on various different styles to see what suits and what doesn't, which colours suit and which don't and also to see how comfortable you feel in them. The more you do this the more you will narrow it down to a particular style, line, colour and general idea. Either you have fallen in love with fishtail or feel like a princess in a full skirt with lots of razzle dazzle on the bodice. Your first couple of trips should be to get an idea of what you are looking for and what to then look for in other places/online/magazines etc. Unless of course you are one of those really lucky decisive people who put a dress on fall in love and it's happily ever after. I wasn't one of those people but I sure did enjoy trying on all the wrong ones too.
Ask lots of questions. For example do they do the alterations in store, how much does this cost, what are the order times like, when will your dress be in store for fittings, how long does the fitting process take and most importantly do they give any discounts ;) Some people find this really embarrassing and I tend to as well but at such a big expense and bridal store mark ups its well worth asking and I ended up getting 20% off mine as I asked when the next discount day was and waited until then. I had been to see my dress and my lovely dress advisor in store so many times that it was a running joke that we were becoming close friends so I felt Ok about asking if they had any discounts coming and lukily she let me in on the secret so it pays to be patient. I did have one store badgering me to buy a dress I had tried on and liked with the sales assistant bullying me by saying there was a 10% sale on that day but it was today or never. I hadn't seen or heard anything mentioned before I went into the store and I got the feeling she was making it up just to push the sale but in the end I wasn't going to be rushed by some sales woman trying to make her commission for the month. So be strong and make sure you are 100% sure before handing over anything. Another piece of advice in this current climate is to use credit cards. Normally I'm not a big fan of them but for such a big purchase it's always good to have some kind of backup should anything go wrong and at least with a credit card you have some protection.
Most importantly enjoy the shopping experience, I loved trying on dresses and am even a little jealous as I write this that I will never get to experience it again whereas all you lovely readers are just embarking on the magical world of bridal boutiques. May you enjoy the smell of the new sample duchess satin gown as it's brought out from its carrier, feel the smooth silky fabric brush over your skin as you try it on for the first time, embrace that first moment when the sales assistant pulls you into that gorgeous lined and boned corset back and you embark from the changing room hearing audible gasps from your bridemaid/mum/best friend as they see you for the first time in the exquisite gown. Twirl around feeling the bountiful layers of luxurious finely woven fabric gather around your feet as you pretend to walk down the aisle towards your intended. Sigh. No I'm not jealous, I'm happy for you, honest.
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