Choosing Your Wedding Gown
by Holly Lefevre
Most women have had a vision of what their wedding day, and especially their wedding gown would look like since they were very young. However, when it comes time to actually search for that perfect dress, these different ideas and ideals don’t always coexist peacefully with the realities of their wedding. Logistical, budgetary, and aesthetic reasons affect this decision. These circumstances along with the numerous options available in styles, colors, fabrics, and price ranges can make the search for “the dress” a daunting and some times stressful task. Yet, if you approach this task logically and are prepared, this can be a pleasant shopping experience. The questions below will help you do just that:
- What is your dress budget? Don’t forget you will also need to have alterations, purchase proper under garments, a veil and/or headpiece, shoes, jewelry, and possibly a crinoline or slip. With this in mind, what you really need is to establish is a budget for the entire bridal ensemble.
- Do you want a (true) white dress? Is ivory or another color an option? What about an accent color or a touch of color?
- What style of wedding are you planning: Is it formal, semi-formal, or casual? What will the season be? The time of day? Will there be a theme?
- Where are you holding the ceremony/reception (or if you have not secured a location, what type of venue are you looking for)? Will you marry in a church or house of worship? Will the location be outdoors or indoors?
- Are there cultural or religious considerations that need to be taken into account? Many religious settings do not condone some of the sleeker and more revealing styles of gowns that are so popular.
Once you have these basic details in place, you are poised to begin your search, but where does the search for the perfect wedding gown begin? For most brides it begins in the pages of a bridal magazine or on the Internet. There are even entire magazines devoted solely to the search for a bridal gown, complete with price ranges and color options available. Using these sources you will be able to narrow down favorite gown styles and find a local salon that carries the brand and style you are interested in. There are avenues other than bridal salons to explore when shopping for your wedding day attire. The following information highlights some of the more popular options you have when shopping for your wedding dress.
Full Service Bridal Salons:
There are many types of bridal salons, from small stylish boutiques to large high-end salons to national chain salons specializing in moderate prices. For the most part, bridal salons offer personal attention and a full range of services for the bride. Typically they carry a wide selection of gown styles and you will have the opportunity to try on “the gown of your dreams.” If you have some gown styles in mind, bring the pictures from the magazine (try to leave them in the magazines) or Internet printouts when you go to the salon. Another benefit to salon shopping is that they often carry a full line of accessories for the gown as well—one stop shopping. When shopping at a salon, appointments often need to be made in advance. Saturdays and evenings are the busiest times, so if it is possible, make a weekday appointment for even more personal attention. Finally, when you go to the salon, let the sales consultant know your budget. Be honest (some brides are embarrassed to reveal their gown budget to a stranger) and you will save yourself (and the consultant) headaches and stress.
Trunk Shows:
In addition to their typical services, bridal salons often host trunk shows. Trunk shows are special in-store events that are held at the beginning of each fashion season, just after the new styles have been shown on the runways. These events give a bride the opportunity to preview the newest selection of designs, usually before they are released to the stores. Keep in mind if you wish to buy at a trunk show, you will need to make your decisions immediately (before the show ends), as these events have exclusive and limited runs.
Heirloom Dresses:
Heirloom dresses provide you with a piece of history for your walk down the aisle. If you choose to wear the dress of your mother, grandmother, other special person, or even a historical or vintage gown, be sure to find a couturiere that is skilled in restoring and working with heirloom dresses. Depending on the age and condition of the gown, this option may cost more or less than going to a full service bridal salon, as the restoration, alterations, or additional styling details can add significantly to the cost.
Custom-made Gown:
A truly unique and personal option for your wedding gown is to have the gown custom-made by a skilled couturiere. Working with a professional, you can design and create the gown of your dreams using the fabrics you select. Best of all, the gown will be one of a kind, no other bride will ever have a dress like yours, and it will fit you perfectly without additional alterations (the gown has already been fit to your body). While custom-made gowns are not inexpensive, you can often get the style and look of a designer gown for a fraction of the price of buying a designer gown at the bridal salon. On a final note, most couturieres prefer to assist you in creating an original design, not merely knocking off other designer’s styles.
Bridal Discounters/Consignment/Internet Auction Sites:
These are options that provide a cost effective solution for the budget conscious bride. You can find a range of styles, from the “not so new,” to designer knock off’s to brides selling designer gowns for a fraction of the cost. Some gowns have been worn and others have not. These sales are typically final and most often a case of “buyer beware.” Check for flaws, tears, and stains before you buy.
Department or Specialty Stores:
If you are not in search of a typical wedding dress or looking for a more casual option, this may be right up your alley. If you find a dress at one of these stores, you will (probably) get a great price and will be able to buy the dress and take it home right away. This is also a great option for brides with shorter planning calendars.
Now that you are familiar with where to look for a gown, a little education on what to do before and during your gown search is in order. One of the biggest surprises brides find during their gown shopping is that stores typically carry only sample sizes (8’s and 10’s). This “scares” many brides that are larger or smaller than those sizes. However, it should not, as the sales consultants are experts at pinning, tucking and finessing the dresses to “fit” you well enough to get an idea of style. Heed the following advice to heed for successful shopping.
- Call the store ahead of time to see if an appointment is necessary. Appointments are typically a must for bridal salons.
- Decide who you would like to accompany you to the appointment. Pick only 1 or 2 people that you trust to shop with you. Others opinions are good, but this is serious business, not a party.
- Have the basics decided: date, location, and style/formality of wedding.
- Let the salon know what your budget is.
- Bring any accessories you definitely plan to wear, such as an heirloom pearl necklace, to make sure it works with your selection.
- Wear appropriate lingerie and shoes (heel height) if possible.
- Bring photos of dresses you like to show the consultant. Keep an open mind when trying the dresses on. Sales consultants know their inventory and may be privy to dresses that would be great for you, but are not widely advertised in bridal magazines.
- Ask the salon if you can bring a camera. Most will only let you take a photo once you have purchased the dress.
Once you find the dress, it is time to place an order. On average, it takes four to six months to receive a gown after placing the order. Be sure to allow plenty of time for your gown search so that you may avoid rush charges on the final order. These charges average 10%-20% of the cost of the dress, and are a needless expense that can be avoided with a little planning. Be aware that it may also take a significant amount of time to have an heirloom dress restored or a gown custom-made. Because of these time constraints, shopping for and selecting the wedding gown is one of the first tasks you should tackle in your wedding planning.
TIPS
- If your budget is truly set (i.e. no flexibility at all) be honest with the salon or store and try on only those dresses which fit into your budget. Once you begin trying on more expensive gowns you will see the quality of the fabric and workmanship in the high end dresses you may not want to go back to more moderately priced counterparts.
- Be open to trying on gowns that you may not initially think are your style or would be flattering on you. The salon’s bridal consultants do this for a living and often have a very good eye for these things. They may also know of dresses in their salon that are not nationally advertised and that you would other wise not know about.
- Select and buy a style you feel great in now, not if you lost 10 pounds or toned up your triceps (don’t laugh, bride’s do this). What if you don’t lose the ten pounds or the triceps are not as firm as you would like. Pick a dress that flatters your body and enhances your best features now and you cannot go wrong.
- Keep in mind you should always try on the style you are interested in (i.e., don’t mail order or buy from the Internet without making sure this is the dress for you). Many brides have been surprised when the dress they thought was perfect wasn’t really flattering once it was on them.
- Believe it or not, most brides do know “the dress” when they try it on.
