Photo by Laura-Elizabeth

Whether it’s a simple sleek cream-colored or an elegant fairytale white ball gown, every bride has her own vision of what makes ‘the dress’. Whatever your vision is, there is always that little nagging voice in the back of your head reminding you that this is a dress that you will only wear once and so, money does become an issue. There are, however, lots of ways to find the right dress at an affordable price.

Look online. Many online merchants will be able to provide you cheaper wedding dresses. If they don’t have a physical store they will have lower overheads and be able to sell at a lower price. You may be able to purchase directly from the manufacture, therefore cutting out the middle men along with their high markups. Be sure to check that whoever you buy from they have a return policy you are comfortable with. Because you are looking at a dress on a computer, and not trying it on in a fitting room, you want to be sure that you can return it for a full refund if you are not happy with what you receive.

Check online classifieds and auctions. You can usually buy these dresses for a lot less than you would pay for a wedding dress from a retailer. Many will be second hand but some will be from brides that changed their mind and found a different gown, and the occasional cancelled wedding. As before, ask the seller if you can return the dress if it doesn’t suit you.

Brush up on your bargaining skills. Whether you are shopping online or at a bridal boutique, as long as it is not a major chain-store, you should be able to get a better price than what the sticker says. Ask if they provide bulk discounts if you purchase your bridesmaids dresses there.

Buying off the rack will save you major money. While having your dress custom made guarantees you get exactly what you want, bridal gowns come in many different shapes, sizes, textures and designs so you should be able to find a dress that is pretty close to the vision you have in mind.

If you are lucky enough to have a friend or family member that is particularly handy with a sewing machine, ask them to make your dress. You will be able to choose the exact fabric and design that you want. Try to keep the overall design simple, then embellishments such as beadwork, sequins, and embroidery can be added later and will cost much less.

Bridal shops plan to raise their prices considerably when it is the peak season for weddings. If you start looking for your wedding dress in April or May, you are likely to pay more money for it than you would if you considered looking in the early fall or winter. Even if your wedding will be during the peak months, consider shopping around for it in the fall before. When shopping, ask the salespeople how long the dresses have been out for and when they are getting their next shipment in. If they are just about to receive new stock, they will be eager to get rid of their old dresses. Always ask for a discount.

Buying something other than a wedding dress can also save you a lot of money. Look at bridesmaid’s dresses, prom dresses, or even cocktail dresses if your wedding is going to be a more casual affair. These dresses will save you a lot of money and can be just as elegant and beautiful as a wedding dress.

Embellishments such as beadwork, sequins, and lots of detailing are sure to drive the price of your wedding dress through the roof. If you really want those little extras, consider purchasing a simple gown and ask a seamstress add to it. By finding the right seamstress, this could also save you a lot of money. You would have complete say as to what gets added to your gown making it more personal for you.

Photo by jemsweb

Bridesmaids’ dresses are sleeker, more stylish, and more elegant than ever before. Every bridesmaid is different and will no doubt have an opinion on what looks best on them. It’s important to make sure that your maids are happy in what they wear down the aisle. Here are four great tips for choosing their dresses.

Let Your Bridesmaids Select Their Own Dresses

This is a great way to make sure that everyone is happy with what they are wearing. Give them one color and tell them that as long as the dress is that color, they are pretty much free to choose whatever they like. This works especially well for budget conscious bridesmaids. You may want to set some ground rules such as: no two-pieces, no pant suits, nothing too revealing, and make sure that they let you see the dress before they buy it.

Swap Colors

Most often, the same color just isn’t going to look as good on one bridesmaid as it does the next. A simple way to fix this is to choose two different colors and let your bridesmaid choose which one she would like to wear. This can get tricky because if you have four bridesmaids, you have to make sure that two will wear one color while the other two wear the other color. Also be sure to line them up so the colors alternate as they walk down the aisle.

You may run into the problem of one bridesmaid not being happy with either of the colors. This is really a case of, “too bad.” Have her choose the one that she likes the most and she can wear that. Remember it’s your wedding and your decision. Chances are your bridesmaids will be happy to have any say at all and will pick a color with no complaints.

Make the Dress Versatile

A dress that can be stretched through a few events instead of just your wedding will go down well with your maids. As they are most likely paying for it, try not to choose dresses that scream “Bridesmaid dress!” Cocktail dresses can work very well. They are formal yet fun and flirty and can be used for more than one occasion.

Keep It Simple, Sister!

Sequins may look great on one of your bridesmaids while another may pull off belts, sashes, or scarves with style. All these embellishments mean there is just one more component that everyone needs to pull off in order for you and your girls to be happy with how they look.

When choosing dresses, keep the choices simple. Remember this is your wedding day and you don’t need to attract too much attention to the bridesmaids’.

Wedding gown alterations can add up to quite a bit of money and that money could well be spent on another area of your day or saved for the honeymoon. There’s no need to worry, though. You can still have your dream wedding dress if you think about the alterations, what they will cost you, and how to get around paying the price.

Hand-stitched alterations cost more than a machine-sewed option so if you are looking to save money go with the latter. The truth is no one is ever going to know that your alterations were hand-stitched except for you. You can’t tell when you are walking down the aisle or visiting reception tables. If you’re keen on hand stitching for your dress at least have your undergarments altered by machine.

If you need alterations in a hurry a seamstress will often charge less than your wedding dress boutique and be quicker too. Just because it’s a bridal gown, doesn’t mean it needs a bridal seamstress to complete the alterations. Any professional in the sewing industry should be able to finish the job. Tailors offer some of the most competitive rates but shouldn’t be used for anything more than basic changes, as they are often not as familiar with women’s clothing.

Ask if alterations are included in the price of your dress. If they are, ask if there is a limit and what it includes. Some shops provide only basic alterations and make up for it if you need something more complicated such as taking the dress up or down a size.

Order a wedding dress on the higher end of the sizing chart rather than the lower end. It costs quite considerably more to let a dress out and make it bigger than it does to make one smaller. Have your heart and mind set on your lingerie, and the shoes you will be wearing. These will all play a role in what alterations you need. If you are planning on losing weight before your wedding, try to be the size that you want to be on your wedding day for the first fitting to avoid alterations later on.

Lastly, whichever type of dress you decide on, and whichever seamstress you choose to use, get all arrangements in writing. Bad alterations can wreak havoc on a beautiful dress and the last thing you want to be thinking about is how much it’s going to cost to undo the damage or even get a new one.

Pear-Shaped:

• A-line dresses generally work best wit h the waistbeginning at the natural waistline and a skirt that falls to the floor.
• V-necks, bateaus, scoops, and spaghetti straps are the best necklines.
• Sheath, trumpet, and mermaid shapes should be avoided.

Apple-Shaped:

• A-line dresses and empire waists are good styles for this shape.
• V-necks, scoops, and plunging necklines work very well.
• Ball-gown silhouettes should be avoided

Petite:

• A-lines will elongate your frame if you’re petiteand will make you look taller. Sheath dresses, empire waists, andprincess dresses will all work very well on a petite frame.
• Chooseyour neckline on whether you have a large or small bust. V-necks willshow off yoru bust line while scoop necks provide a soft elegance whilesweetheart necklines and sleeveless dresses will also show off yourslight shoulders.
• Calf-length bridal dresses will make yourframe look disproportionate and ball-gown styles will make you appeareven shorter and so they should be avoided.

Tall:

• If you’re tall, you have a huge variety of dressesto choose from. The only styles that should really be avoided areprincess style dresses, as the effect will be too much and mermaid ortrumpet dresses as they will elongate your legs even more.
• You’llalso have your choice of necklines with this type of dress and as withthe petite frame, can choose whether you want to show off your bust orhide it.

Hour Glass:

• Hourglass shapes have always had the distinctadvantage of being able to wear just about any shape or style and pairit with any neckline and it will look great! Here you can be trulycreative and really show off who you are!

Some Basic Tips

Regardless of your shape, there are still some things to keep inmind when you begin your hunt for the perfect wedding gown. Here aresome tips to remember:

• Start looking at least6 months before the ceremony. This will give you plenty of time to findthe perfect dress and have many fittings.
• Always bring pictures of dresses you like when shopping for your wedding gown.
• Choosea style appropriate to the theme of the wedding. You may not want tochoose a formal ball-gown for a barbecue wedding in your backyard or asimple summer dress for an afternoon wedding in a church.
• Create a budget and stick to it. Within that budget, plan at least $300 for alterations.

The Shape of the Dress

Any bride who is choosing their dress is going to be concerned about their own shape and the shape of their dress. But when you’re a plus sized bride, you need to pay particular attention to both of these shapes. There are some general guidelines that you can work within to make sure that the shape of your dress perfectly flatters the shape ofyour figure! A-line dresses are generally recommended for plus-size brides as they will float over your hips and give you a smooth and seamless look. Ball-gown dresses are beautiful but they will only accentuate your round shape so they should be avoided and dresses that fall to the mid-calf also may make you look shorter, adding to a round shape as well. Generally floor length dresses look great on full figures and v-necklines can also accentuate the right curves!

Where to Buy

Buying any wedding dress online is risky business as you won’t be able to try it on before you buy and if there’s a problem, you’ll need to deal with shipping for returns and waiting for it to return. However, these problems become much more complicated when you have a plus size figure simply because plus size women are often grouped into one category, although your shape is different from other plus size women. Therefore, the chances that there will be a problem with a dress you find online are even greater. However, if you do choose to buy online, try to find an online merchant that is located close to where you live and that guarantees quick shipping and return policies.

Make it Fit!

Although this may sound like obvious advice, plus size women especially are tempted to buy a dress that tugs a little at the shoulders or that creeps up a little at the waist. If you’re tempted to make these kinds of compromises simply because you think it was difficult finding a style you liked, never mind having to find another one, you’re best advised against it. Remember that on your wedding day, you won’t be sitting there stoically. You’ll be running from venue tovenue, getting pictures taken, dancing, and constantly making your way through wedding crowds. You absolutely need to make sure that above all, your dress is comfortable and will let you enjoy your wedding day the way it should be!

No matter where you buy from or the style or type of dress that you ultimately choose, it’s very important to take it to a seamstress and get it altered to fit you. Every woman’s shape is different, even when you fall into the plus size category and having small tucks made or a little taken out can make an off-the-rackdress look as though it was custom-made!

When and Where to Look

Hopefully your daughter will have picked out her dress at least sixmonths before the day of the wedding and if so, that’s a good time tostart looking. Although it probably won’t take you that long to find adress that you love, it will give you enough time to have multiplefittings and it will also give the store time to order it if you needone in your size or color that’s not in stock.

When you areshopping for your daughter’s dress, you may want to peruse the sectionsof the bridal salons and boutiques that are reserved formother-of-the-bride dresses. Often these stores are on the pricey sidebecause they are specialty stores but even if you can’t afford thedresses there, it will give you a good idea of what you like and whatto look for elsewhere. Department stores usually have a department forformalwear where you can find beautiful evening wear for cheaper thanthe bridal stores.

Remember Etiquette

As with everything related to weddings, there is a proper etiquettethat goes along with choosing a mother-of -the-bride dress. White isnever a good idea for anyone to wear except for the bride and black isalso thought to be inappropriate because it’s a sign of mourning aswell as a symbol of bad luck. It’s also important to remember thatafter you have bought your dress, the mother-of-the-groom will want tobuy hers and so, you or your daughter should make her aware of what youwill be wearing. Not only will this allow her to take cues from you asto the tone and style of dress, but it will also allow her to wear adress that matches or coordinates to give the overall look of thewedding a smooth and finished feel.

There are certainly someguidelines to follow when buying a mother-of-the-bride dress and somekey points to keep in mind however it’s also important that you havefun with it! Your daughter’s wedding will be one that you remember forthe rest of your life and you want it to be a happy and exciting timeso don’t get too caught up in all the ‘rules’!

Choices for Design

Once you have pinpointed who your attendants will be and a type orcolor of dress that will flatter everyone, you then have many choicesfor the design of the bridesmaids’ dresses. You may choose these thesame as you chose your own dress, by picking out samples and picturesfrom bridal magazines and shopping around or you can give yourbridesmaids a few options, which they may appreciate even more.

Traditionstates that it is the bride that chooses the bridesmaid dresses. Whileyou are certainly free to go this route, it is becoming more popularfor brides to allow the bridesmaids to choose their own dresses, withsome basic guidelines. You could give your bridesmaids the option ofpicking their own dress, but state that it must be in a certain coloror that it must be a certain length. Your bridesmaids will still haveplenty of wiggle room to pick a dress they love but you will still behappy with its overall look.

If you’re truly not comfortableleaving it entirely up to your bridesmaids, you can still give them theoption of choice but still make the ultimate decision yourself. You cando this by choosing two or three dresses that you love and let thempick whichever one they would like to wear. This way, you can still becertain to get the exact look you want but your bridesmaids will feelas though they had a say too!

Sorting out the Details

The good news is that once you’ve sorted out the tough details suchas what your bridesmaids are going to wear, be sure to order thedresses plenty of time in advance. The general guidelines are that onceyou have chosen your dress, you should choose your bridesmaids’ dressesas soon after as possible and order them as soon as you have decided.This will give your bridesmaids plenty of time for fittings andalterations.

When it comes to paying for the dresses, it is notonly acceptable but expected that you will ask the bridesmaids to payfor their own dresses. However, it’s a nice courtesy to keep in mindpeople’s personal financial situations and what their budget mostlikely is. You can also buy the dresses as your bridesmaids’ gifts.This is even easier to do if you buy the dresses from the same vendorand have a group discount applied. This is a great way to make yourbridesmaids feel even better about wearing the dress you chose!

First Things First

Nobody is to buy their dress before the bride. This is true for bridesmaids as well as the mother of the bride and you, the mother of the groom. Once the bride has decided on her dressed and purchased it, her mom will then generally choose her dress with the help of the bride. After this is done, it’s customary for you to ask the mother of the bride about her dress and find out things such as color and length. Then you can go shopping for mother of the groom dresses. Asking the mother of the bride before you go shopping for mother of the groom gowns makes it possible for you to coordinate your dress with bride’s mother’s and although this is certainly not mandatory, it can be a nice touch and add some continuity to the entire look of the wedding. It’s also important to not match the dress of the mother of the bride, but to make sure that the two outfits don’t clash either.

When speaking with the bride’s mother, you should also definitely consult with the bride. She may have some preferences as to your choice of mother of the groom dresses and you need to be aware of these. The bride may also ask that you choose a dress in the same color as the bridesmaids’ dresses or that you choose another shade in that same color. This is definitely not necessary if the bride doesn’t mention it but it is something that you could consider when shopping for mother of the groom gowns.

Other Etiquette Rules

Even if the bride and the mother of the bride have no preferences on what style, color, or type of ensemble you choose, there are some strict guidelines that you absolutely must follow. One of these is that no how many mother of the groom dresses you have to look at, it must match the formality of the event. This will generally dictate whether you wear a long or short dress, or what style of dress is going to be appropriate and it’s an etiquette rule that cannot be overlooked when you’re deciding on what to wear.

When it comes to choosing colors for mother of the groom dresses, the bride may have some preferences as mentioned but even if she leaves it up to you, there are some colors that are generally off-limits for wearing at a wedding. White or ivory are obvious, as these can detract from the bride, and black is also to be avoided, as it looks too grim. Some mother of the grooms think that if they are older they can get away with wearing black but this isn’t the case. If you really feel most comfortable in dark colors, choose something such as a dark blue.

When shopping for mother of the groom dresses, the most important thing to remember is that this is your son and future daughter in law’s big day and you will look beautiful and make them proud just by being there. However, as with everything else in weddings, there are always certain guidelines to follow when choosing mother of the groom gowns and doing so helps make the entire wedding planning process go much smoother for everybody!

What will you need?

It can be extremely overwhelming when you first walk into the worldof bridal lingerie. There are so many different items to choose fromand each item has its own choices and options. It’s no wonder that itmay send you into a panic! But take a deep breath and consider buying afew basic pieces that will work for just about anything you need andthen embellishing onto those as you would like. Here are a few staplesthat will make sure you’ve covered the basics:

A good bra: Anywoman knows how important a good bra is and this is never truer than onyour wedding day. A proper bra will give you lift where you need andabove all, lots of support. It may have padding, straps, or bestrapless but it should give you the exact fit you need. See aprofessional to get a bra that fits you exactly the way you need it toensure that it will do what you need it to. Longline bras are great towear under any wedding gown because they fasten at the small of theback and so even with plunging backs, they are not seen. Even when youchoose a longline bra however, you must still be properly fitted by aprofessional.

Slimmers: There are many slimmersavailable today that will pull in all your extra parts and give you asmoother and thinner shape. While these can have the desired effect,they are not attractive and if you get the wrong kind, you might beable to see the lines of the slimmer through your dress. If you thinkyou would feel comfortable in a slimmer, try it on under your dressfirst to make sure that you can’t see any lines.

Pantyhose:If you are wearing a long and formal gown with high heels, you’ll mostdefinitely want to invest in a good pair of bridal pantyhose that won’tbunch up or run. It’s perfectly acceptable if you are having a casualwedding or wearing casual footwear that you not wear pantyhose. Insteadof hose you can also choose a garter and belt set, which can be a nicesurprise for the groom and make you feel super sexy as you walk downthe aisle!

Veils

Veils are among the most popular of choices that you have for ahairpiece but just because you’ve chosen a veil doesn’t mean thatyou’re locked into one certain look. There is a huge variety ofdifferent types of veils and each style and type generally has its ownlength. The longest veils are cathedral veils and these can reach 9feet or more. These make a very dramatic and bold statement but youhave to make sure that you can handle carrying around that muchmaterial with you. If you like the idea of a cathedral veil but don’tlike the idea of something that long, chapel veils are floor-lengthveils that are much more manageable. If you still think that’s too longfor you, you could try shorter veils such as fingertip, elbow length,or flyaway veils.

If you choose to wear a veil as your bridalheadwear, it’s important to note that long veils are not consideredappropriate for casual weddings. If you are having a casual wedding andstill want to wear a veil, consider wearing a veiled hat, which willstill have the veiled effect. Also try and buy the veil and dresstogether so you can be sure they will look good together. If you buythem separately, buy your dress first and bring it with you when tryingon veils.

Tiaras

If veils are the number one choice of brides, tiaras are a veryclose second. Tiaras are a great option and can look especially perfectwhen you pair it with a princess-style dress. But choosing a tiaradoesn’t narrow down your choices any, there are just as many here asthere are with veils.

Different Options

You may want to have something completely different for your bridalheadwear, especially if you’re having a wedding that’s more casual. Forgarden or beach weddings, small flowers woven throughout your hair canmake a stunning headpiece or ask a florist to make a halo out of yourfavorite flowers. If you’re having an outdoor ceremony, you may chooseto wear a large sunhat or if it’s an evening wedding, a small cappedhat with colorful bird feathers, such as peacock feathers, shooting outfrom it.

When it comes to your bridal headwear, there’s nodoubt that you have all the options you could want, and probably evenmore than that! Take your time choosing and make sure you’re trulyhappy with what you decide your hairpiece reveals as much about yourpersonality as your dress does. And if you can’t find anything that youfall in love with and decide on just a very pretty hairstyle, that’salways okay too!