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afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and try on many different styles. Apart from the function of the gown, some wedding officiates or conservative venues may have restrictions your ability to get married in particular styles of dress, which may limit your options or require the use of jackets, shawls, detachable straps, sleeves or other modifications to a style of your choice.modifications to a style of your choice.

BudgetI absolutely believe that any look can be achieved at any budget. Whether you are a crafty do-it-yourselfer, shopping online, shop at a mass market budget conscious bridal shop, a mid-range bridal boutique, a high-end bridal salon, or decide to have a gown custom made always have a budget in mind. Unless daddy is going all out and Unless daddy is going all out and sparing no expense, you may be tempted to say that there is no set budget for your bridal gown, but for most brides there is an upper limit that you will be willing or able to spend. Some salespersons can become very unpleasant and won unpleasant and won’t even want to talk to you unless you give them a specific budget to work with. It’s not that they necessarily want to stretch you to your limit (but who doesn’t like a nice big commission…), they simply don’t want to waste time (yours and theirs) pulling dresses o dresses off the rack for you to try on that you may fall in love with but have no means to afford. My suggestion is to provide the salesperson with a smaller budget than you actually have available, keeping in mind that alterations may also be needed, which could dramatically increase the overall cost. dramatically increase the overall cost.

Silhouette/Body shape Two things to be mindful of when selecting a dress silhouette are your body shape and finding a style that provides a balance between fashion versus function. There are a few basic dress silhouettes from which many styles are created. Some silhouettes look better than others on certain body types. Some work to disguise disproportional body body types. Some work to disguise disproportional body shapes while others work to accentuate particular body shapes. Choosing the right silhouette can help any body type look great! I have created charts to help determine which dress silhouettes are most flattering for every body type.

While certain silhouettes may work better for your particular body type or a particular style for your particular body type or a particular style may be the bridal gown of your dreams, think about how practical it will be for the style of your

I’ve sewn for over 25 years and have designed everything under the sun from dog collars, to evening gowns to theatrical costumes. I’ve been a stylist for print, stage and film and I’ve fit gowns for hundreds of brides of all shapes, sizes and taste in bridal gowns.

One of the most exciting, yet one of the potentially most stressful parts of a wedding, is finding the right bridal gown. stressful parts of a wedding, is finding the right bridal gown. As a bride glides down the aisle to join her future husband, at first glance people will either gasp with delight, cry tears of joy or wonder what the heck was she thinking, but only the bride and maybe a select few will appreciate the hours spent searching, fitting, dieting, along with all of the intense emotions invested into such a brief moment in time.

When it comes to style, qualitWhen it comes to style, quality, cost, fit and level of comfort, a bride’s choice can be limitless but it doesn’t have to be overly complicated. Here’s my advice on choosing the right bridal gown...

TasteFirst and foremost a bridal gown should First and foremost a bridal gown should either reflect a bride’s personality or fulfill her wedding fantasy. If you want to bow down under pressure to wear mom’s 80’s dress then more power to you, but if not then politely tell mom no thanks, because a wedding gown is all about the bride. about the bride. Are you simple and chic, modern and elegant, wanting to show off your curves, a rockabilly bride, a country girl into lace or have you always dreamed of being a fairytale princess bride or looking like a Hollywood Starlet? Think about how you want to look and feel on your big you want to look and feel on your big day. If you’re not quite sure, collect images from magazines and online of dresses you like, make a scrap book to take to bridal shops, designers or for reference while searching online for a gown.

Theme/VenueAs you begin the search keep in mind the theme or style of wedding you plan to have. wedding you plan to have. Will it be rustic, formal, a garden affair, a Vegas wedding, Mexican getaway, on a beach or other destination wedding? Thinking about where you will be getting married is important because every type of gown may not be very functional or appropriate for the location or style of your wedding. Nevertheless your wedding will be a once in a lifetime moment (or maybe a will be a once in a lifetime moment (or maybe a second, or third but who’s counting…) so don’t be

An insider’s advice on finding the RIGHT bridal gown