Bust______ cm/inch
Waist______cm/inch
Hip:_______cm/inch
Height with Shoes :_______cm/inch
Height without Shoes :_______cm/inch( height is from the top of your head to your toe, without shoes)
What To Consider Before You Buy The Bride’s Gown
And The Ladies Dresses
TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS PAGE – BEFORE YOU BUY THE BRIDE’S GOWN YOU NEED TO:
- set your priorities. Will price, style, a specific gown you have seen, a specific designer, color etc… clinch the sale?
- Browse online wedding magazines and the Internet in general and download pictures of the gown and dress styles that you like best.
- Print and bring them along to the shops and salons you plan to visit or the seamstress who will sew for you, or better yet, shop on the Internet and save money.
- Attend Bridal Shows with your wedding attendants and view their Fashion Shows to see the latest in wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses & handsome tuxedos.
- Consider your budget and decide up to how much you can or are willing to spend. In general, your gown should not exceed 10 percent of the cost of the wedding reception.
- In order to get an accurate picture of how you look in a gown/dress you are trying, wear shoes that have a heel of the height of the shoes you will wear at the wedding.
- It is wise to also bring a necklace and if you plan to wear them, earrings.
- Decide whether you or your bridal attendants will pay for their dresses.
- Consider:
- the style of your wedding: Formal, Semi-formal, casual, Traditional, Contemporary etc.,
- The season,
- the time of day,
- your body shape
- that you should look good and be comfortable wearing it.
BEFORE YOU START SHOPPING OR CONTACTING A SEAMSTRESS, DECIDE:
- whether you prefer a gown or a dress
- the color. In addition to white and ivory, two-tone, blue (usually light blue) red, pastels and – or an accent of color are quite popular.
IF YOU SHOP IN A BRICK-AND-MORTAR STORE:
- Do not go alone! Bring along mother(s) and your bridesmaids,
- Bring a camera or use your phone of course, for input on and pictures of the gowns/dresses you try on.
- Have a small notebook and a pen handy too, to take notes about the styles and designers you like best for your gown and the ladies dresses.
- Have a price range and do not hurry!
- Plan to spend at least an hour at each bridal shop or salon to allow for trying on many different gowns leisurely.
- Do not be shy! Try on as many gowns/dresses as you can, until you find that one perfect dress.
- Look for styles that flatter your unique figure and curves and ask your consultant to suggest undergarment options to assist you in getting the perfect silhouette.
- Ask your bridesmaids to do the same.
- Always take the information complete with price and check if it is available on the Internet.
- When you think you found the perfect dress, do not order, or purchase it immediately.
THINK ABOUT IT AND VIEW THE PHOTOS.
Only if you are sure that this is the perfect gown or dress for you, check for it on
the Internet especially if you are on a budget, or return to the store to order or buy it.
• Encourage your bridesmaids to try on dresses in your chosen color, fabric, and length, as well.
Not all ladies are built the same so they may need different styles to look and feel good.
A swatch of fabric will help them find the right dress even if they purchase it on their own, or have it sewn for them.
When they try on their dresses, they should wear shoes that have a heel of the height of the shoes they will wear at the wedding.
The bridesmaids should wear the same height heel as the bride.
• Whether your gown is plain or heavily embellished, your attendants’ dresses should be simple but very elegant, accented by jewelry such as a necklace and – or earrings and – or a bracelet.
When you order or buy:
• Be prepared to leave a deposit of as much as 50% of the cost of the gown at time of purchase.
SHOPPING ON THE INTERNET AND ORDERING YOUR GOWN ONLINE
Actually, the Internet is athe best tool for finding what you are looking for. It offers you options and money saving opportunities you will probably not find elsewhere.
Here are some “out-of-the-box” thinking ideas, most brides don’t consider until they are told about the.
Have you thought about:
- Renting a wedding gown or a dress, kind of like the groom and his attendant rent their tuxedos?
- Looking for a pre-owned gown or a dress? Some have never been worn.
- Shopping on auction sites like E-bay or community selling sites like Craig List?
- Informing the followers of your social media groups that you are looking for a gown or a dress size: __ and would like to either rent or buy it from them at a reasonable price.
- If you have a platform like https://nextdoor.com/groups/, it is awesome. It has many groups of different interests but the common denominator is that they are all in YOUR neighborhood. Here people inform, ask questions, offer items and services, make suggestions and more. If they don’t have one yet, you may even start a wedding group.
Many online wedding gown shops, provide a complete one stop shopping for the brides and female attendants, and offer customized gowns and dresses sewn to your specifications. Most carry off the rack sized as well. Basically, you provide them with your measurements, and they sew the gown to fit these specific measurements. Some offer rush orders Too.
Chances are that an off the rack sized gown will need alterations adding to the cost of the gown. When my granddaughter purchased her wedding gown the salon staff tried to convince her that she needed alterations for the gown to fit perfectly. I was with her and suggested that she not commit herself to a non-refundable $400.00 alteration fee until she recieves her, not the store’s gown. Well, though it was not custom, the gown she got fit her as if it was made especially for her. A custom gown, sewn to your specifications will need no alteration. This will save you alteration costs. To create a custom gown or dress, you will need to supply the following:
PROTECT YOURSELF!
When you pay for anything to any vendor, insist on a written and signed receipt. IMPORTANT: Neither a check nor your credit card statements are considered as legal receipts.
• Whether you buy your gown and – or bridesmaids’ dresses off the rack or place a special order, allow several months (4-6) for the gown and or dresses to be sent to you.
IMPORTANT!
Beware! It is quite common for bridal salons, especially the big chain ones, to try and convince you that when you recieve your gown it will need to be fitted and altered. They require that you pay for the alterations while you are at the salon, so they will be able to guarentee you an appointment, because they are very busy. Don’t fall for it!
Should your gown need alteration, (if you provided the right size it will probably not need any,) you don’t have to have your gown altered at the store you purchase it from. You can often save a lot of money if you check with tailors and seamstresses who work for department stores that offer alteration. Many of them have been around for years, take on sewing on the side and do beautiful work for a great deal less than bridal salons would charge.
Altering bridal gowns takes expertise. So take time to check out and get references about the people who you consider to hire to alter your gown.
Many companies state in the fine print that deposits are nonrefundable. If you are uncomfortable with that, you may reconsider your options. Be sure to know, be familiar with and fully understand and agree with the alteration policies, procedures and regulations at the store where you will eventually purchase your gown/dress. Be sure to read the fine print and agree to all the terms before you decide to work with them and sign a contract.
Use the photos of yourself in your wedding gown/dress to pick out coordinating jewelry, shoes and other accessories. Use photos of your bridesmaids’ dresses and pick out coordinating jewelry, other accessories. Make this your thank you gift to your bridesmaids.
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR CONTENT OF INTEREST TO BRIDES AND GROOMS?
Copyrights © 2022 All Rights Reserved Nily Glaser, Gan Publishing
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Author Byline
Nily Glaser the founder of the A-wedding Day Magazine, is a published author who presented workshops for wedding professionals all over the USA. She is the author of the almost 400 page downloadable, personalized, printable Wedding Planning Guide – book. It contains information, tips, ideas, worksheets that include details to be used when interviewing vendors and checklist Using it, you won’t forget any detail. Yes, for a limited time, you can login, download and print what you need, FREE, with no strings attached. To get it Click Here
