Designer Wedding Dresses The Couture Details Every Bride Wants Author

Designer Wedding Dresses The Couture Details Every Bride Wants Author Brandon Kamins

There are three things that every bride-to-be should consider before she goes shopping for her wedding dress. The first is her budget, the second is the season, and the third is the wedding theme. In this article we will discuss a few simple tips that will help you select the right designer dress.

Where to Begin?

Believe it or not, one of the most difficult decisions every bride-to-be must make is where to shop for her new dress. Almost without exception, she will be besieged by suggestions from friends and family about where she should shop. There are bridal boutiques, online boutiques, designer showrooms, department stores and virtual auctions to choose from.

The fastidious bride-to-be can find the perfect dress at any of the aforementioned. However, it may not be a great idea to purchase a dress before seeing it in person, i.e., on the Internet. There are simply too many unknowns, and even if the price is right, alterations are almost always required when you buy a dress online.

Most women who have never shopped for a wedding dress before have no idea how expensive it is to hire a seamstress to make even minor alterations. So, that deal that looked so good on your computer screen might end white strapless dress up costing you lots of extra money.

What a good alternative? Department and discount stores often offer a nice selection, but they are not specialists. The business that can cover all of your wedding day needs is a bridal boutique. Also known as bridal salons, they are the closest thing to a one-stop option the industry has to offer. Not only do they sell a full range of designer wedding dresses, but they also offer dresses and accessories for the entire bridal party, including the bridesmaids, the flower girls and the mothers of the bride and groom.

Designer Wedding Dresses

Most women that want a more formal wedding order a designer dress. The cost of these gowns depends, of course, upon the reputation of the designer and the number alterations that must be made to the basic design. One reason that designer dresses are far more popular for formal weddings is because they take several months to complete. On average, it takes between four and nine months to deliver a designer wedding dress. That is why most shotgun and Vegas brides buy off the rack.

So, if you have always wanted a designer dress, you must plan ahead. Most recently engaged women begin by taking a trip to their local bridal store with a few of their friends/future bridesmaids. It may take several visits to finally decide on a design, especially if you don know what you want. Consider a few of these helpful suggestions.

Fabric

As you may be aware, most designer wedding dresses are quite heavy, even without a train. Now, this might be perfectly appropriate for a formal indoor wedding in the fall or the winter, but what if you have planned an outdoor wedding in the middle of August? Obviously, that heavy dress could begin to get a bit uncomfortable after a few hours.

Since summer is the most popular season for nuptials, it is often important to pay close attention to the fabric and materials. For a summer wedding, especially if it is being held outdoors, your best options include lighter, cooler fabrics like crepe and chiffon over velvet or satin.

Cut

As with any full gown, different body shapes and types are flattered by different cuts. Again, this is one of the main reasons bridal shops are preferable to a department or discount store. The experienced wedding consultants at these establishments will be able to tell you at first glance which cut will flatter your figure. Trying to do this on your own may result in a major fashion faux pas.

Motif or Theme

The motif or theme is almost always dictated by the setting, which is often dictated by the season. For example, if you have planned an outdoor wedding, then you will want a dress that is not too heavy or hot under the summer sun.

But the motif can affect more than just the fabric of your designer wedding dress. It may also influence the style. Sticking with the beach wedding example, a long flowing gown with a train would not work on sand, for obvious reasons. Therefore, the bride might opt for a much shorter hemline and maybe even a backless or strapless number.

Budget

The average designer dress costs between one and two thousand dollars, depending on the designer, of course. Another important consideration is the accessories. Many brides-to-be like to shine on their designer cocktail dresses special day, and this may require special additions that must be hand-applied to the dress. Crystals, sequins and even pearls may be added to a designer wedding dress. As you might expect, this will also add a few hundred dollars to the final bill.

Finding the perfect dress for your wedding ceremony depends on many variables and any choice would be well served by plenty of diligent research.

Beach Wedding Dresses Don't Have To Be Plain Or Boring

Many couples are considering alternatives to the usual church wedding and for some, this means marrying on a beach. Beach weddings are intimate and highly romantic, but they also offer other wonderful perks which many people are a little surprised to discover.

One of the joys of a beach wedding is that everything gets to be scaled down to a more serene and unique level. With the beautiful scenery as background, you can spend more time working on the vows that you will be saying to each other. You can also spend more time choosing the wedding outfits, and for the bride that means finding her beach wedding dress! Whether you are marrying on distant shores or having a more casual affair at your local beach, choosing the perfect dress is every bit as important and deserves all the attention and consideration you can give it.

One of the best parts of a beach wedding is that no aspect need be expensive. As a matter of fact, when choosing your dress, the biggest question is probably what type of dress do you want to wear - do you go with a more traditional gown or something less formal?

Regardless of the type of dress you decide on, every bride wants it to be uniquely hers. It's the little details that will pink strapless dress really make you fall in love with your wedding dress. Here are some creative ways you can incorporate to help make your dress your own:

- Tie a wide silk ribbon, chiffon sash or cummerbund around your waist. For a little added punch, use a color other than your dress color. For instance, if your dress is white, how about contrasting the waist band in ivory or champagne - you could even coordinate it with one of your wedding colors. This is a particularly good option for a second wedding when you don't want to wear a totally white dress.

- Try a dress of a different color other than white - like champagne, blush pink, baby blue, or even something vibrant like red!

- If an entire dress in red is too dramatic for you, but you like the idea, how about an accent of color around the neckline, hem or waist? This is really a great idea to play up the season of your wedding - red for winter holidays, maybe gold for fall, or turquoise for summer.

- A basic dress can be embellished with embroidery, possibly with a little pale color in the design. You could add some pearls, Swarovski crystals, sequins, colored rhinestones, or chiffon fabric flowers into the design.

- If you are adventurous, you could alter the hemline. A high-low design where the dress is knee length in front and floor length in back is a popular style for the flirty look of a tropical wedding dress. Out on the beach you might not want a full length dress, so perhaps you might consider shortening it to tea length for a more casual wedding dress feel.

You can truly be creative with your beach wedding dress and it can still be quite affordable. But, if you love the look of the basic little dress with only a smattering of flowers in your hair, then this should be what you wear.

Remember, your dress should be a reflection of who you are and it should also reflect the environment you are marrying in. A beach wedding embraces a love of nature and this should come through in your wedding dress.

There are no rules for a casual beach wedding dress, so feel free to express yourself and make your dress a special one, just for you.