a Beautiful Gown

A Good Wedding Plan should include a Beautiful Wedding Gown

The proposal pretty much signifies a commitment by the  groom to show up dressed in whatever costume his bride-to-be has decided would be appropriate for the day. In my case, I found out ten minutes prior to the realizatipn that I was indeed getting married on that particular day, (another story, another day). The Brides's Gown is another matter. In many cases the gown that will be worn on her wedding day is chosen shortly after she learns to walk, flip the pages of a magazine and say  those immortal words, "look mommy  a princess!". A case in point, our  unmarried daughter's wedding dress has been hanging in our closet for five years, . . .

Whether or not you have dreamed of the perfect dress for years or suddenly come to the realization that you really do want to play dress up, selecting the perfect gown is often one of the most exciting decisions. It's not every day you can dress like royalty and be the center of attention. As with any important purchase however you should go shopping armed with advice. As Wedding Photographers we have seen our share of dresses from elegant to vintage, from extravagant to simple, from heavenly to 'no one should be seen in a dress like that'.

At most bridal salons, you get some consultation just by walking in the door. Take advantage of the information you receive. The consultant will be able to offer suggestions on fit and style based on your age and body type. A wedding gown may look wonderful in a magazine, but it may not look good on you. Take along someone who is not afraid to give you honest 'no-holds-barred' feedback. Deciding on a particular gown style is easier when you know what flatters your figure. Whatever your shape, wearing the right cut for your body type can highlight your best features and downplay others.
Larger sized brides will look wonderful in A-line or Empress dresses. But not all styles will look flattering, a mermaid style for example.  Mermaid is a slim, body-hugging gown, with or without a waistline, flaring from the knees or slightly above. When trying on a dress remember it's more difficult to see behind you. Have your advisor watch out for flowing body parts, cleavage in places where it should not be. Larger size women may also want to avoid clingy fabrics such as crepe and jersey, and bulky fabrics such as velvet and heavy satin. Opt instead for lighter weight satins, chiffons, and silk.
If you're pear shaped, a strapless ball gown will cover your bottom half and highlight your better half. An off-the-shoulder neckline, for example, will make your top look more in proportion to your bottom. On the other hand, a sheath can be unflattering, and a V-neck will draw the eyes downward, where you don't want them to go.
Extremely thin and shorter brides will get lost in big, ornate ball gown styles. You may want to try them anyway. This will give you a feel for what you don't want as well as what you do want.
If you're short-waisted, a princess-line silhouette, fitted at the bodice and opening up gradually to a full skirt, will elegantly draw out your figure. If you're comfortable with your shoulders, try a portrait or halter neckline.
During the last three seasons the trend has definitely been towards strapless dresses. Comfort and fit it is extremely important with these dresses. Some of our past brides that wore a dress which was slightly large (by even half a size), or was a just a little uncomfortable with  the  'exposure'  factor resulted sagging or pulling up, adjusting the dress all night long.
Another trend is the 'lace-up' dress. The experts in the salon can put you into one of these dresses in no time at all but unless you have plenty of practice it may take longer than you expect on the 'day of'.  We have seen it take up to  45 minutes as the bride is laced in to the dress, then unlaced because she cannot breathe, then laced again and even again when the second lacing ends up being too loose.  Best advice we can give - practice with whomever will be finally helping you dress on your wedding day.
Buying a dress is a major commitment and it's natural to wonder if you made the right choice. Wedding gowns can run into the thousands, which can eat into a good portion of any wedding budget You want to look amazing, but you’d also like to give your guests something to eat, drink, and ideally sit on. In  a recent online survey 80% of those polled indicated they’d at least consider a used wedding dress on the big day. Yes, someone else wore it already. But only once. You can have it professionally cleaned, and may be able to afford a higher end designer this way. Many sites use a peer-to-peer model, so you contact the seller directly. You can ask all kinds of questions (see below) and arrange shipping and return logistics. Pro: Because you’re dealing directly with the seller, you can negotiate the price. Con: You’re dealing with an individual as opposed to a business, so build in the unpredictability factor.  A list of retail and online resources as well as a list of important questions to ask sellers is included at the end of this article.
When buying new don't be preoccupied with the size of the sample gowns you try on initially. Most gown samples are smallish in sizes 8, 10, or 12. You'll be able to tell what the gown will look like even if it's too big or too small. Once you make your decision, the gown will be ordered from the manufacturer's size chart according to your measurements, regardless of the sample size.
New gowns usually take anywhere from four to six months just to come in, and you'll need another six weeks for alterations. There are exceptions to this rule, but leave yourself as much time as possible before the wedding to be sure you can get the dress you want with the proper fit.
It's common to have two or three fittings for your gown. The first fitting usually takes place about six weeks before your wedding day. Bring along a trusted friend or family member for advice. This first fitting is to ensure two principal things: your gown is the right size, color, and design (neckline, train, sleeves, etc.) and your seamstress knows what she's doing.
An excellent seamstress or tailor is key for altering a used or sample dress. They will most likely have an assistant (maybe the salon salesperson or another member of the staff) who helps you get into your gown. The seamstress should then begin looking for places where your dress needs to be altered.
A final word about the cost of buying a gown - Most people don’t keep up with wedding gown fashion, so no one will ever recognize your dress or where you got it from–all the more incentive to go for the deal. Everyone that day will just be focused on how amazing you look. And you can use the extra money saved for, oh, say, photography, or your honeymoon — by then, your dress will just be a little heap that’s yesterday’s news.To be honest, I very much enjoyed enjoyed playing dress up in my (new-to-me) Calvin Kline three piece suit. And yeah, I felt, . . . 'special'.


sjones / 971-235-4440 / www.aaronstadt.com

Wedding Lines At Retail Stores
BCBG A small but special selection all under $1000.
Anthropologie (BHLDN) Dresses with a bohemian and vintage bent that one would expect from Anthro. Most dresses are under $2000.
J. Crew Classic all the way–and the largest collection. All gowns are under $3000 with plenty of options under $1000.
Ann Taylor Simple and flowy, almost all under $500.

Sample Sale Dresses
TheAisleNewYork.com The Gilt Groupe of wedding dresses, just launched in January: An online flash sale that features a high-end dresses at a discount for a limited time only.
BridePower.com Sample and consignment dresses at deep discounts

Used Dresses
PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com One of the original sites to connect buyers and sellers of used dresses, with a broad selection.
OnceWed.com A tasteful site and blog with a lovely selection of used designer gowns.
RecycledBride.com Our pick for used bridesmaid dresses.
WoreItOnce.com This website has a clunkier interface, but if you’re looking at everything, has gowns worth checking out.
eBay Great selection of wedding gowns on eBay. Just don’t get caught up in the bidding, and make sure to check return policies.
Craigslist (portland, or.) A bit of a stetch, but the advantage here is that it’s local so you can go try on the dresses in person. Bring cash and be ready to negotiate if you like it (or run if it gets weird)

Questions to ask Previous Owners
Can you Skype? There are sellers who will Skype with long-distance buyers to show them the dress.
What are the measurements? Nearly every wedding dress is altered, and a previously-altered dress won’t match the size label. If it’s a sample size, they tend to run smaller than street sizes.
Was the dress cleaned after use? How? Did the original wearer get anything on it?