Say "Yes" To Your Dress
We all know one of the biggest decisions in the wedding planning process is shopping for the wedding gown. Maybe you have had a dream dress in mind before you even had a boyfriend or maybe the whole process completely overwhelms you and you have no idea what kind of dress style you might want. No matter what the case may be for your particular situation, we are here to help. We want you to feel confident before you go dress shopping. We want you to know what styles are out there and what goes best with different body types. Most importantly, we want you to say yes to the dress!
First of all, you need a plan. Are there particular dress shops you would like to visit? If so, it is best to make an appointment so you don’t have to wait to be helped or turned away that day because they are too busy. Once you have your appointments set you need to decide who you will bring with you. Are you the type of person that gets overwhelmed when too many people are giving opinions? If this sounds like you than it might not be the best idea to bring every woman in your family and all of your bridesmaids! Of course, you want everyone to like it, but if having 15 people with you is going to confuse you and your own feelings about the dress than try to avoid bringing that many people. If you feel like you have to bring everyone and want to make a day of it, it might be worth it to narrow it down to the dresses you really like and come back with one or two people another day so you can really think about it and decide what you love!
Secondly, know your body type. Below are the different body types and dress styles that compliment them. Look beautiful and feel confident in a gown that accentuates your assets.
Pear-shaped: A smaller upper body and waist, with larger hips, thighs, and buttocks. For a pear-shaped bride a ball gown, empire waist or A-line dress would be best.
Hourglass: A curvy silhouette featuring a smaller waist in relation to the bust and hips.
For an hourglass figure a mermaid/trumpet style, empire waist or A-line would be a great choice of gown style.[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f> </v:formulas> <v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"></v:path> <o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></o:lock> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_7" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="pear shape2" style='position:absolute;margin-left:93pt;margin-top:309.75pt; width:152.8pt;height:230pt;z-index:-1;visibility:visible'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.jpg" o:title=""></v:imagedata> </v:shape><![endif][if !vml][endif]
Long and Lean: A lean, “boyish” figure with a thicker waist and narrow hips. For a long and lean body type a straight dress or “sheath” dress would be a nice choice.
Busty: A larger bust in relation to the waist and hips. For a larger busted bride an A-line/princess style with straps or empire waist would be a great choice.
Make sure to keep your budget in mind. If there is a dress that you really like and want to try on, but it completely exceeds your budget, don’t even bother. Worst case scenario is that you absolutely love it and are completely crushed when you can’t find the extra money in order to afford it. We have and make budgets for a reason, don’t blow your whole wedding budget on just one aspect of the wedding, no matter how important it is. With that being said, don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try on different styles and fabrics (within your budget)—remember, this process is supposed to be fun! Lastly, make sure once you do find your dress that you make the proper fitting arrangements in order to have everything ready to go in time for the big day. Speaking of sizing and alterations, even if you plan on losing weight before the wedding, don’t order a smaller size than you are! If, when the dress arrives, it is too big it can always be taken in, but the alterations people can’t add fabric to the dress that comes in and is way too small. Our final little tidbit of information is more a tip than anything; once you find the dress and say “yes,” STOP LOOKING! If you keep looking after you make your purchase you could potentially get confused about whether or not the one you bought is “the one.” Don’t do this to yourself, once you’ve got it, trust yourself and move on to the next step in the planning process.
We wish you the best of luck on your wedding dress journey and we would love to see photos of dresses you wore for the special day if you recently got married! Email them to us and we will share them on our Facebook and Instagram pages!
