Design Your Perfect Wedding Dress
A bride on her wedding day should look more beautiful and radiant than ever before and a gorgeous, flattering wedding dress is the most important part of her look. But, what should you do if you have looked everywhere for the perfect wedding dress to suit your style and flatter your figure and you haven’t found anything suitable?
Do not despair – you can design your own dream wedding dress. If you or a close friend or relative are nifty with a needle, then you might even be able to design and make your wedding dress yourself.
You could also enlist the services of a professional wedding dress designer. Although this is the most expensive way of buying a wedding dress, you will at least know that the dress is exactly how you want it to be and you could even economize in other areas of the wedding in order to compensate for the extra expense on the dress.
You could also regard the expense of a bespoke wedding dress as an investment: either as a family heirloom that could be used by generations to come or as a dress that you would be willing to sell onto another bride after your wedding.
Working with a Wedding Dress Designer
Try to find a wedding dress designer through recommendation: did you admire a friend’s stunning wedding dress that you heard that was designed especially for her? Ask her who the designer was.
Before meeting the designer, it is a good idea to make a scrapbook of ideas for your wedding dress. For example, if you like the bodice of one gown and the train of another, cut out pictures of both dresses, stick them in the scrapbook and make notes by the side of each picture on what you like and don’t like about each dress.
You could also collect swatches of fabric in the colors and textures that you would like for your dress. You may even wish to make a few preliminary sketches of your dream dress yourself, but this is not necessary.
If you would like to wear a special necklace or other piece of jewelry with your wedding dress, show that to the designer too. He or she may be able to use it as inspiration or to ensure that the dress will fit in with your accessories.
Be prepared for the designer to ask you several questions about yourself and your fashion likes and dislikes in order to gain a picture of who you are and whether or not you would like a traditional, romantic dress or a more modern ‘alternative’ design. Perhaps take along a close friend or relative who knows you well and who would be able to give the designer extra information that you perhaps would not think of yourself.
After the initial meeting with the designer, he or she will go away and come up with perhaps two or three initial designs for you to look at when you next meet. Be as honest as possible at this meeting: if you don’t like a particular design or if there is something you would like to alter, let the designer know now rather than after the dress has been made!
The designer will modify the designs and come up with a final draft design. You then have the opportunity to either agree with this design or make changes. Once a final agreement has been reached, the dress will be made for you and you will probably have several fittings at which minor alterations can be made.
When your wedding day arrives, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that your wedding dress is truly one of a kind, as unique as you are!
Bridesmaid Hairstyles
Coordinating your wedding is not easy to do. There are dozens of elements that need to be designed to reflect your weddings’ theme, and your bridesmaid hairstyles make up several of those design elements that you need to coordinate. Fortunately most women enjoy trying new hairstyles and they will be more than willing to go that extra hair mile for your special day.
Decide an overall hair theme
The first step for coordinating your bridesmaid hairstyles is to decide on an overall hair theme for your wedding. To do this you will need to examine the theme of your wedding and get an idea of what hairstyles typically are associated with that type of wedding. For example if you are planning a formal wedding then you will most like focus on up-dos. However, if you are planning a Renaissance themed wedding then you will want to look at hairstyles and headdresses from that period.
Hairstyles that complement
The second step is to meet with your bridesmaids to figure out what types of hairstyles are going to compliment each bridesmaid. Because you want your wedding party to look as good as possible, and as uniform as possible you will need to work with your bridesmaids to try out several hairstyles to find a selection of styles that will compliment all of your bridesmaids. You may need to work with a professional hairstylist to vary one hairstyle to flatter each of your bridesmaids.
Experimenting with different hairstyles
Before you select a single hairstyle you should experiment with several hairstyles. Your first option is to create a variety of hairstyles on each bridesmaid. This can be an expensive option if you are using the services of a professional hairstylist, however, if you need a less expensive way to try new hairstyles you can use hairstyling software. This type of software will allow you to scan in a photograph of your bridesmaid and then change their hairstyle digitally. This is a fun way to try out a lot of hairstyles in a short period of time, without damaging the bridesmaid’s hair. It can also be a great party game.
Coordinating Hair Color
In addition to selecting a hairstyle for your bridesmaid you may want to consider coordinating their hair color as well. Having your bridesmaids’ hair colored to match or to reflect your wedding’s theme can be a great way to really step up the look of your wedding party, and it can also be a great bridesmaid gift.
Ask the Bridesmaids
Your final step is to ask your bridesmaids what they think. Their input is important. If they are not happy with how they look then they will not be projecting the confidence that you want your wedding party to have. Incorporate their opinions into the hairstyle designs that you decide on, and make sure that you don’t let differences of opinion ruin your relationship with your bridesmaid or your wedding party.
Couture Wedding Clothing on a Bargain Basement Budget
Wedding gowns, attendants dresses, Mother of the bride/groom dresses, Tuxes for the groom and all his attendants, clothing for the honeymoon, and don’t forget the trousseau. That is a lot of clothing!! And with the recent price increases, this can add up to a hefty sum. If you use the money saving ideas in this article, you will relieve yourself, your budget and your attendants of the financial stress. Plus you get the added bonus of knowing your attendants didn’t skip a car payment to purchase their attire.
There are many websites where you can buy couture gowns for as little as $99. Buying from an online supplier can be scary, but if you buy from one recommended by a knowledgeable wedding planner or a friend, you can be sure you wont be scammed. Remember to order early enough that there will be plenty of time to do any needed alterations. Some sites may offer a discount if you buy more than one dress from them. Rarely will a site sell only wedding gowns and not bridesmaids and flower girls apparel. You can usually order all the necessary accessories as well. From veils to tiaras, slips to foundations pieces. Look for a site that has most of everything you need . Buy the tuxes too. There are many sites that sell tuxes for about $120 for men’s and $40 for boys/teens sizes. Sure that may be a little more than renting, but hey, every man should own his own tux.
Search in used clothing stores. Goodwill and other thrift shops always have wedding dresses. Try consignment shops too. Most of those will have designer names as well. You can save from 20-75% by buying from a consignment or thrift shop. Remember to check the zippers/buttons and the seams at stress points (waist, bust, sleeve) before buying. Also if you will need to alter the dress, check to see if there is room to do that. If the dress has been altered already, the seamstress may not have left enough fabric to make any adjustments.
Hire a seamstress and have the gown made from polished cotton. Satin and silk are very expensive ($8.00 a yard and up) where as polished cotton is about $3-4 per yard. You will still get the sheen of satin for half the price. Also ask about any discounts the seamstress may offer if you have more than one item made. Keep the gown simple. When you get it home, sew on pearls, crystals, or other accents as you see fit. Sewing on beads is easy and only requires a needle, thread and beads.
Borrow your gown from a friend. Do you have a friend the same size as you?? Ask to borrow her dress. She may even let you make some changes to the neckline or other areas. Borrowing the dress is simple, free, and makes your friend feel like a big part of your special day.
Rent it!! Yes, you can rent a wedding gown. This is a good option for those who are not interested in storing a wedding gown , or for a second marriage. It will run about $200 to rent (plus deposit) depending on where you live.
Buy a prom or evening dress in a color you like. Many are available in white also. Most of the major department stores have coupons or sales you can use to save even more. Search the clearance racks first. Some of these dresses will be 50-80% off the original price.
Search the newspaper want ads. Sadly many times brides buy a dress, and then prince charming turns into a frog… These brides usually list their dresses in the newspapers want ads. Many times you can get a fabulous gown for ½ of the original price or less. I have seen them for as little as $50 with the veil and slip. Get papers from all the towns surrounding yours. Go as far as 50-75 miles away. Any money you spend on gas will be well worth the cost.
Skip the full dress, and buy a white dressy suit. This is a very good option if you are getting married for a second time, are having a very informal wedding, or maybe you and your beloved are eloping. You can save a lot of money compared to a gown. Plus you can have it dyed later and wear it for work other occasions.
Wear something you already own. This is a great tip for the attendants. Most men own suits in dark blue or black. Let them wear what they have. Just add a tie or handkerchief that matches your wedding colors. Gather your attendants together and take a survey of what they own as far as dresses/colors/lengths. Try to create your attendants look from what you have available already. You can also add things like beads, sequins, lace, shawls, jackets, ribbons, bows, or other accents. You will be surprised by what you can do with just a little creativity.
Now you have a dress, but what about the accessories. You still need a veil, shoes, and a slip. Here are some ideas on where to get those.
Petticoats and crinolines:
No matter where you get your gown, you can still rent the slip. If you are saving your gown to pass down to your daughter, she may not want the same type of slip you choose. Storing a petticoat takes up a lot of room also. Plus some of the acetates in the fabric can break down over time and make the slip unusable.
From cathedral to blushers:
What about the veil?? No problem. The same options for your gown are available for the veil. Make it yourself and save A LOT of cash. Tulle is less than $2 per yard for 120” wide. So depending on the length , style and accents you can make a veil for about $20!! Some designer veils are $300 and up. What a savings! If you are buying your gown out of the paper, ask the seller if she has the veil for sale also. Sometimes, you can get the veil thrown in for free. Borrow a veil from someone. A borrowed veil is free, and most of us have been to a wedding where the veil was absolutely perfect. Just ask.
Tip toe down the aisle:
Finding shoes that match your dress can sometimes be a daunting task. High heels are lovely and make your bottom and legs look good, but who will see them under all that skirt?? Opt for flats, skimmers, sandals, or other low shoes. Not only will your feet feel better, but you will save some $. Are you getting married in the summer?? Go barefoot. Many brides are opting for the no shoe look. If you just cant bring yourself to go barefoot, buy some of those super cute “Just married” flip-flops. How about some ballet shoes? Or a lovely pair of white satin “ballet” type house shoes. What ever you choose, your shoes (or your feet) are under your skirts. Don’t worry we will keep your secret.
Wedding Day Makeup Tips for Brides
Your wedding day is both the most exciting day of your life, and the most stressful. There are hundreds of things that are happening on your wedding day that you have to keep track of, and your makeup is just one of them. If you want to reduce the amount of stress that you have on your wedding day then you should follow these five simple wedding day tips for brides.
Wedding Day Makeup Tip Number 1 – Book a Professional
The one day in your life that you want to be pampered and taken care of is your wedding day. You are going to be under a lot of stress and dealing with a lot of last minute details. To reduce the stress that you experience on your wedding you should hire a professional makeup artist to come to you and do your makeup. This will ensure that your makeup will be perfect, and if adjustments need to be made they will be able to handle them.
Wedding Day Makeup Tip Number 2 – Stick to the Plan
Before your wedding day you should do a trial run with your makeup. Try out several different looks to see which one you like the best. At least a week before your wedding select a makeup style that you like and have a Polaroid taken of you with the chosen makeup job. Have this photo with you on your wedding day so your make-up artist will know what to do.
On the day of your wedding you are going to be filled with emotions from excitement to anxiety. Don’t let this flood of emotions confuse you when it comes to your makeup. Once you have selected a makeup style it is best to stick with that style. Last minute changes usually are wrong. Stick with the choices you made when you were calm and collected.
Wedding Day Makeup Tip Number 3 – Prepare Ahead of Time
Nothing is worse then getting to the wedding chapel and not having the right equipment with you to do your hair and makeup. If you are planning a traditional ethnic wedding, make sure that you have all of your face, body, and hair jewelry with you when you leave to have your makeup done. Prepare a makeup kit at least two or three days before your wedding. This way you will only need to keep track of one thing, the kit.
Wedding Day Makeup Tip Number 4 – Have a Backup Plan
Things inevitably go wrong on wedding days. To ensure that a missing makeup artist won’t hold up your wedding, or cause you to fall apart, have a back up plan. Make sure that there is someone else in your wedding party that can do you makeup if the makeup artist is MIA on your wedding day. And as a last resort you should be able to step in as your own wedding makeup artist.
