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| THE WEDDING DRESS
The Wedding Dress


Never put down a deposit on a dress you haven't tried on



by Joyce Barslow
The most asked question when a wedding is announced is, "What is the bride wearing?" No other garment holds as much symbolism and tradition as the dress a bride chooses to wear on her wedding day. The type and style of your dress will depend upon whether your wedding is formal or informal, traditional, contemporary or ethnic, a first or second-time marriage and upon the season of the year. There are no fashion rights or wrongs for today's bride.

But remember that you want to wear the dress and not let the dress wear you. Don't be married in a dress that gets too much attention. The secret is to wear a dress that suits you and not one that you can't carry off. If the dress is right, you'll be more beautiful than ever.

Shop six to eight months prior to your wedding - or earlier if you have special fitting needs or an unusually large bridal party to plan for. Take your bridal book with you that you have placed pictures and ideas of styles of lengths, necklines, sleeves, fabrics, trim and veils or headpieces that you like. Remember, you know your body's best and worse features. Experienced sales personnel will ask you the type of wedding your are planning. You'll be amazed at the different shades of white there are!

Before you go shopping
The Bride should always shop for her own outfit first. She shouldn't worry about accessories or attendants' attire until you have chosen yours. When you are trying on dresses, keep in mind how many hours you will be wearing your outfit and the different activities you will taking part in - getting into and out of your limousine, standing, kneeling, climbing stairs, sitting or dancing. At dress fittings, take shoes with heels of the approximate height you will be wearing.

If you are dieting while you are trying on dresses or having fittings, it will be difficult for the seamstress to make alterations. If you feel unsure of what your size is going to be on your wedding day, make sure that the seamstress doesn't cut away any fabric inside the dress.

If you are a plus size and accustomed to wearing a particular style, your wedding ensemble can follow the same lines. Use the Internet or yellow pages to identify the bridal salons, department stores or retail shops that can show you samples.


Shopping, Shopping, Shopping
When you go shopping for your wedding dress, take only one person who can be objective with you, someone who can learn how to help you get into the dress and veil of your choice. Take the pictures of the dresses, suits or gowns you have downloaded from the Internet or cut out of magazines, along with pictures of any special accessories that you like, such as veils or headpiece, jewellery, gloves, etc. Be ready to detail the style and type of wedding you're planning: the size, theme, time of day, location of ceremony and reception. Do your hair and makeup before you go shopping. Don't let sales personnel talk you into something you don't feel good in, no matter how much they say it can be altered. This is your one-in-a-lifetime dress. Look good, feel good and be in control when you are shopping.

When deciding on a wedding dress, establish a price range that you want to spend on your dress. Be firm with yourself, and stick to your budget. When you make an appointment at a salon, give yourself plenty of time. Expect to try on six to eight dresses or gown in each salon you visit. When you have selected your outfit, give the sales person the date you will need the dress and ask about delivery and fitting schedules. If you are having a formal portrait taken a month before your wedding, make sure the schedule allows for this. Ask what extras are included, such as a veil, alterations and delivery details. Initially, set your delivery date to be a month before you actually need your dress.

Before you put a deposit down on the outfit, be sure you understand all the dressmaker's terms, guarantees and refund policies. When you order your outfit, fifty percent is usually required as a non-refundable deposit. The balance is payable before the outfit is fitted. Alterations, even minor ones, are usually extra.

If you are buying a dress in a city other than where you live, you probably will buy it then and there. If you need extensive alterations and you are not staying in town, have them done by a dressmaker in your own home town. If you are buying a designer gown from a bridal salon or an expensive dress in a store, make sure you know the store's exchange and refund policy and charges for alternations, pressing, rush charges or any extras. Before you sign the agreement take it home and go over every detail, then take it back with your deposit.

And NEVER put down a deposit on a dress you haven't tried on.

Where to buy your dress:
A full-service retailer is a bridal salon that handles everything from consultation, customizing and modification of design, fittings and alterations. It also carries accessories and can coordinate the ordering and fitting of your Attendants' attire. The salon usually requests that you book an appointment to try on gowns. Often the salon will refer you to suppliers of those wedding necessities that it doesn't carry. Bridal designers take anywhere from six weeks to seven months to create and make your dress. Give yourself and your dress designer plenty of time.
Major retail and department stores often carry the same manufacturer's gowns as bridal salons. However, because of their buying power, the majors can retail at a lower price; however, selection may not be as great. Full services are usually available such as alterations and fittings.
Discount stores feature sales all year round. Several stores from time to time advertise gigantic bridal gown one-day sales off their premises, usually in a hotel suite. These gowns are close outs and usually have no identifying labels or tags on them; they were probably used as samples several times. Look for any damage on the dress. Ask about alterations or fittings. Some discounters will want only cash and will have no refund or return policy. What you buy is what you get. Be careful and be sure. Sometimes a "good deal isn't all it's cracked up to be".
Vintage boutiques and shows and costume houses usually offer antique gowns for sale. You can also rent vintage garments from a costume house.
Consignment and second hand shops are springing up. Check your yellow pages for them; you never know what you're going to find. They usually take credit cards or personal cheques with proper identification.



WeddingsHoneymoons.com | W&H: Gown Shopping | July 20, 2010
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