Sunday, December 19, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Modest Wedding Dresses (An Overview)
How to Choose a Modest Wedding Dress
If you've set foot inside of a formalwear department store or a nationwide bridal retailer lately, you know how difficult it is to find wedding and bridesmaids gowns that come anywhere close to satisfying higher standards of modesty. Modest brides need to eliminate a lot of dresses from the running at first glance. So how do they select the best one from the remaining acceptable choices?
Contrary to what a lot of fashion designers seem to think, there are thousands of flattering styles and designs of modest gowns for brides and bridesmaids. It all depends on your budget, your wedding colors and theme, and of course your body type. Learn which modest wedding dresses fit you best and how to find a gown that is both modest and stylish. Then pair them with just the right veil, shoes, and accessories to wrap it all together into your perfect bridal ensemble for you.
Where to Find the Perfect Wedding Dresses
Even in the dead of winter, it's truly difficult to find even one modest dress in the formalwear or bridal section of most retailers. Most women's formalwear is strapless or backless with a plunging neckline. The irony is that dresses with a little more coverage are actually more flattering for the majority of body types out there! Regardless of whether or not it makes sense, the fact is that any bride is going to have a difficult time finding a modest bridal gown - so she might as well know what to do about the situation.
Wedding Dress Specialty Stores
LDS brides who live in areas with a large concentration of other Latter-day Saints usually have an easier time finding dresses that suit them for their Mormon wedding. Specialty LDS weddings retailers cater solely to Mormon brides who don't want to bend their standards of modesty for their wedding day. Even brides who don't live in Utah often make a special dress-shopping trip to Provo or Salt Lake City, including the travel cost in their wedding dress budget.
Non LDS brides seeking to find modest wedding dresses, or modest wedding gowns, will have to search for the Modest Wedding Dress Specialty Stores near them. The modest, non LDS, bride can save themselves time by shopping in dress store catering to the need of LDS brides to find modest bridal gown stores with a good selection of beautiful, yet modest wedding dresses.
Online Formalwear Retailers
Even if you live in an area with little modest selection and don't want to travel, you're not completely out of luck. The Internet can be your best friend in shopping for modest wedding gowns and bridesmaid's dresses. LDS specialty stores may physically reside in Utah and Idaho, but they have an online presence everywhere in the world. Regular formalwear stores also have a larger selection online than you see in the showroom, so you may want to check those out, too.
Chain Formal and Bridal Stores
Don't discount the possibility of finding a dress at a non-LDS formalwear or bridal store. You may luck out and fall in love with a modest wedding gown that they carry, or you may find a gown that can be altered for modesty by adding sleeves or a chemise underneath. Talk to the salespeople about your needs and see if they can help you. It may be that they carry "less popular" dresses with sleeves in the warehouse and just need to order them in your size.
LDS Temple Ready Dresses
Even if the wedding gown you ultimately select is modest, it still might not be "temple ready." A dress that can be appropriately worn inside the temple for the sealing ceremony is:
• White
• Long-sleeved
• Floor-length
• High necked (no collarbone showing)
• No train
If you don't want to wear a long-sleeved wedding dress, don't panic. You can always wear a dickie or faux sleeve inserts provided by the temple underneath your dress for the sealing, or you might opt to change into a plain white temple dress for the sealing. Brides without a temple ready dress can still get married in the temple, and have lots of options for what to wear during the sealing ceremony.
Temple ready rules only apply to the bride's dress. The wedding party is not a part of the temple sealing ceremony. If the bridesmaids will be attending the sealing, they will be attending only as guests, wearing either their bridesmaid's dress or changing into their "Sunday best" for the ceremony.
Setting a Bridal Gown Budget
On average, brides who shop retail stores and buy an off-the-rack dress can expect to spend between $500 and $1,000. Wedding gowns of all different styles and cuts have an enormous variation in pricing, though: brides could get lucky and find a dress for less than $100, but you can easily spend as much as $4,700 or more!
It's normal to feel overwhelmed by sticker shock the first time you browse a selection of wedding dresses and check the price tags. It can be hard to part with so much hard-earned money for a dress that you'll probably only wear for 8 hours of your life! But remember that you will only have one wedding dress, and you will be seeing it in your wedding pictures for the rest of your life. If finances allow, you shouldn't feel guilty about splurging on this special once-of-a-lifetime expense.
If you've gone over your finances and still feel nervous about taking on the cost of a wedding dress, seriously consider money-saving wedding dress tips like renting a gown or buying a pre-owned dress. Traditionally, the bridesmaids pay for their own dress, shoes, and hair.
From:Rosanna Haller
If you've set foot inside of a formalwear department store or a nationwide bridal retailer lately, you know how difficult it is to find wedding and bridesmaids gowns that come anywhere close to satisfying higher standards of modesty. Modest brides need to eliminate a lot of dresses from the running at first glance. So how do they select the best one from the remaining acceptable choices?
Contrary to what a lot of fashion designers seem to think, there are thousands of flattering styles and designs of modest gowns for brides and bridesmaids. It all depends on your budget, your wedding colors and theme, and of course your body type. Learn which modest wedding dresses fit you best and how to find a gown that is both modest and stylish. Then pair them with just the right veil, shoes, and accessories to wrap it all together into your perfect bridal ensemble for you.
Where to Find the Perfect Wedding Dresses
Even in the dead of winter, it's truly difficult to find even one modest dress in the formalwear or bridal section of most retailers. Most women's formalwear is strapless or backless with a plunging neckline. The irony is that dresses with a little more coverage are actually more flattering for the majority of body types out there! Regardless of whether or not it makes sense, the fact is that any bride is going to have a difficult time finding a modest bridal gown - so she might as well know what to do about the situation.
Wedding Dress Specialty Stores
LDS brides who live in areas with a large concentration of other Latter-day Saints usually have an easier time finding dresses that suit them for their Mormon wedding. Specialty LDS weddings retailers cater solely to Mormon brides who don't want to bend their standards of modesty for their wedding day. Even brides who don't live in Utah often make a special dress-shopping trip to Provo or Salt Lake City, including the travel cost in their wedding dress budget.
Non LDS brides seeking to find modest wedding dresses, or modest wedding gowns, will have to search for the Modest Wedding Dress Specialty Stores near them. The modest, non LDS, bride can save themselves time by shopping in dress store catering to the need of LDS brides to find modest bridal gown stores with a good selection of beautiful, yet modest wedding dresses.
Online Formalwear Retailers
Even if you live in an area with little modest selection and don't want to travel, you're not completely out of luck. The Internet can be your best friend in shopping for modest wedding gowns and bridesmaid's dresses. LDS specialty stores may physically reside in Utah and Idaho, but they have an online presence everywhere in the world. Regular formalwear stores also have a larger selection online than you see in the showroom, so you may want to check those out, too.
Chain Formal and Bridal Stores
Don't discount the possibility of finding a dress at a non-LDS formalwear or bridal store. You may luck out and fall in love with a modest wedding gown that they carry, or you may find a gown that can be altered for modesty by adding sleeves or a chemise underneath. Talk to the salespeople about your needs and see if they can help you. It may be that they carry "less popular" dresses with sleeves in the warehouse and just need to order them in your size.
LDS Temple Ready Dresses
Even if the wedding gown you ultimately select is modest, it still might not be "temple ready." A dress that can be appropriately worn inside the temple for the sealing ceremony is:
• White
• Long-sleeved
• Floor-length
• High necked (no collarbone showing)
• No train
If you don't want to wear a long-sleeved wedding dress, don't panic. You can always wear a dickie or faux sleeve inserts provided by the temple underneath your dress for the sealing, or you might opt to change into a plain white temple dress for the sealing. Brides without a temple ready dress can still get married in the temple, and have lots of options for what to wear during the sealing ceremony.
Temple ready rules only apply to the bride's dress. The wedding party is not a part of the temple sealing ceremony. If the bridesmaids will be attending the sealing, they will be attending only as guests, wearing either their bridesmaid's dress or changing into their "Sunday best" for the ceremony.
Setting a Bridal Gown Budget
On average, brides who shop retail stores and buy an off-the-rack dress can expect to spend between $500 and $1,000. Wedding gowns of all different styles and cuts have an enormous variation in pricing, though: brides could get lucky and find a dress for less than $100, but you can easily spend as much as $4,700 or more!
It's normal to feel overwhelmed by sticker shock the first time you browse a selection of wedding dresses and check the price tags. It can be hard to part with so much hard-earned money for a dress that you'll probably only wear for 8 hours of your life! But remember that you will only have one wedding dress, and you will be seeing it in your wedding pictures for the rest of your life. If finances allow, you shouldn't feel guilty about splurging on this special once-of-a-lifetime expense.
If you've gone over your finances and still feel nervous about taking on the cost of a wedding dress, seriously consider money-saving wedding dress tips like renting a gown or buying a pre-owned dress. Traditionally, the bridesmaids pay for their own dress, shoes, and hair.
From:Rosanna Haller
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Why Strapless Wedding Dresses ?
Brides that are brave and body conscious can choose to wear a strapless wedding dress because this style of wedding dress will surely show your body's features and will show off more skin. So when you wear a strapless wedding dress, make sure that your arms are toned because a strapless wedding dress and show all the flaws especially on your upper torso and arms.
Only For The Buff
Avoid wearing a strapless wedding dress if you have short arms because this dress will make your arms look shorter. You should also not be super skinny because you will appear frail. And if you are too bulky on top, wearing a strapless wedding dress will make you look too heavy and like a football player.
Not Considered A Formal Gown
Strapless wedding gowns are deemed not suitable for formal wedding ceremonies because it appears to be too revealing. Some churches and spiritual congregation will not allow a bride to wear a strapless wedding gown. But if you really want to show what you have worked out for, then by all means, choose a strapless wedding gown just make sure that the place you are getting married in will allow you to wear it.
When being photographed wearing a strapless wedding dress, there could be problems that will arise if the bride doesn't stand still while her pictures are taken. This is because the dress will show wrinkles and the dress can be pulled by any movement. Moreover, your bodice might slip and reveal more than you want so make sure that the bodice is fitted right.
If you are trying out strapless wedding dresses, make sure to bring a strapless bra with you to make sure that the chest size will fit you and you can also bring high heels to know if the length of the dress is good enough so you will not have any problems walking.
Also, you might want to ask your dressmaker to add some bones to your dress so it can hold the dress up. It is not nice to see the bride always adjusting the dress back into place. You also need to make sure that the dress is not too loose so that it does not sit away from the chest, as well as not to tight to avoid bulges on your chest area.
With this style of dress, you can wear some large pieces of jewelry or accessories like gloves if you want. For your hairstyle, a clean up-do will always look good with this style of dress.
A strapless wedding dress is a popular choice nowadays. So if you really want this style, go for it and work it.
Only For The Buff
Avoid wearing a strapless wedding dress if you have short arms because this dress will make your arms look shorter. You should also not be super skinny because you will appear frail. And if you are too bulky on top, wearing a strapless wedding dress will make you look too heavy and like a football player.
Not Considered A Formal Gown
Strapless wedding gowns are deemed not suitable for formal wedding ceremonies because it appears to be too revealing. Some churches and spiritual congregation will not allow a bride to wear a strapless wedding gown. But if you really want to show what you have worked out for, then by all means, choose a strapless wedding gown just make sure that the place you are getting married in will allow you to wear it.
When being photographed wearing a strapless wedding dress, there could be problems that will arise if the bride doesn't stand still while her pictures are taken. This is because the dress will show wrinkles and the dress can be pulled by any movement. Moreover, your bodice might slip and reveal more than you want so make sure that the bodice is fitted right.
If you are trying out strapless wedding dresses, make sure to bring a strapless bra with you to make sure that the chest size will fit you and you can also bring high heels to know if the length of the dress is good enough so you will not have any problems walking.
Also, you might want to ask your dressmaker to add some bones to your dress so it can hold the dress up. It is not nice to see the bride always adjusting the dress back into place. You also need to make sure that the dress is not too loose so that it does not sit away from the chest, as well as not to tight to avoid bulges on your chest area.
With this style of dress, you can wear some large pieces of jewelry or accessories like gloves if you want. For your hairstyle, a clean up-do will always look good with this style of dress.
A strapless wedding dress is a popular choice nowadays. So if you really want this style, go for it and work it.
From:Scott Nichols
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Vintage Wedding Dresses
Are you looking for a wedding dress that really makes a statement, and not the same kind of wedding dress that every other bride will be sporting this year? Have you considered vintage wedding dresses? One of the most popular things about these gowns that they can give your whole wedding a one of a kind charm.
These dresses are always in style with an elegance and grace that many of the newer style wedding dresses just don't have. One of the best things about vintage wedding dresses is that they remind you of a glamorous and more romantic era, when things were so much different than the days that we are living in now. These gowns are getting harder and harder to find as they get older, but if you can find one, you'll see that they are exquisitely. So if you're looking for some great dresses in your area, and need help, here are a few great places to get started.
Look for Vintage Wedding Dresses in Your Own Home
Ask any bride (young or old, married for 50 years or 2), and you'll find that nearly all of them will have their wedding dress packed away in a closet somewhere for nostalgic reasons. This includes our own family. Perhaps the first place you want to look when searching for these dresses is in your own family. Ask some of the women in your family if they still have their wedding dress packed away somewhere, and if you could use it for your own wedding. This is the least expensive and easiest way to find a dress like this. Some changes may need to be made to update it or make it fit your body, but you can have a gorgeous wedding gown with a great back story for your wedding for nearly no cost at all.
How to Find Great Vintage Wedding Dresses
Find Vintage Wedding Dresses in Thrift Shops and Online
Another great place to find dresses like these are in community thrift stores or online. Some may get mad at me when I say this, but you can find great a pretty decent selection of vintage wedding gowns from the 70's and 80's in some of thrift stores that have a style all their own. While the 70's and 80's aren't exactly vintage as in hundreds of years ago, they do have a particular style and craftsmanship that many of the gowns today just don't have. Sometimes you can even find vintage wedding dresses that are much older than that in some of your local thrift shops as well, so be on the lookout. Also, it's important for you to check the Internet for great deals on vintage wedding dresses. After all, what can't you find online these days?
Some Warnings to Heed
You need to be careful when looking at these gowns, and be sure to examine them very closely before you buy. You'll want to avoid dresses that are missing buttons that can't be replaced, obvious stains or huge tears. You need to go with vintage wedding dresses that have been taken care of over the years.
Vintage wedding dresses not only have a timeless elegance and grace that other wedding gowns can't match, but they show off an extraordinary craftsmanship and detailing that many of the wedding dresses today just can't compare with. So if you're just looking for a wedding dress that is not your usual wedding dress, or one that goes great with an older times wedding theme, vintage wedding dresses may be just what you're looking for.
From:Jeffry Evans
These dresses are always in style with an elegance and grace that many of the newer style wedding dresses just don't have. One of the best things about vintage wedding dresses is that they remind you of a glamorous and more romantic era, when things were so much different than the days that we are living in now. These gowns are getting harder and harder to find as they get older, but if you can find one, you'll see that they are exquisitely. So if you're looking for some great dresses in your area, and need help, here are a few great places to get started.
Look for Vintage Wedding Dresses in Your Own Home
Ask any bride (young or old, married for 50 years or 2), and you'll find that nearly all of them will have their wedding dress packed away in a closet somewhere for nostalgic reasons. This includes our own family. Perhaps the first place you want to look when searching for these dresses is in your own family. Ask some of the women in your family if they still have their wedding dress packed away somewhere, and if you could use it for your own wedding. This is the least expensive and easiest way to find a dress like this. Some changes may need to be made to update it or make it fit your body, but you can have a gorgeous wedding gown with a great back story for your wedding for nearly no cost at all.
How to Find Great Vintage Wedding Dresses
Find Vintage Wedding Dresses in Thrift Shops and Online
Another great place to find dresses like these are in community thrift stores or online. Some may get mad at me when I say this, but you can find great a pretty decent selection of vintage wedding gowns from the 70's and 80's in some of thrift stores that have a style all their own. While the 70's and 80's aren't exactly vintage as in hundreds of years ago, they do have a particular style and craftsmanship that many of the gowns today just don't have. Sometimes you can even find vintage wedding dresses that are much older than that in some of your local thrift shops as well, so be on the lookout. Also, it's important for you to check the Internet for great deals on vintage wedding dresses. After all, what can't you find online these days?
Some Warnings to Heed
You need to be careful when looking at these gowns, and be sure to examine them very closely before you buy. You'll want to avoid dresses that are missing buttons that can't be replaced, obvious stains or huge tears. You need to go with vintage wedding dresses that have been taken care of over the years.
Vintage wedding dresses not only have a timeless elegance and grace that other wedding gowns can't match, but they show off an extraordinary craftsmanship and detailing that many of the wedding dresses today just can't compare with. So if you're just looking for a wedding dress that is not your usual wedding dress, or one that goes great with an older times wedding theme, vintage wedding dresses may be just what you're looking for.
From:Jeffry Evans
Winter Wedding Dresses
Wintertime is synonymous with activities like skiing, ice skating and relaxing by the fireplace, but it is also becoming an increasingly popular time for weddings.
For those who think that a "June bride" is the standard, it is time to think again, and a glance at a few winter wedding dresses is a good place to start.
Perhaps the first thing that would showcase a winter bridal gown is its color. After all, in many areas, the world is awash in white, giving brides a perfect chance to really stand out. A gown with an icy blue tint, or warm ivory tone can be stunning against a background of snowy white.
While summer brides take the style and material of their gowns into consideration when anticipating soaring temperatures, a winter wedding leaves your options wide open.
Winter wedding dresses made of heavier silks and satins can only serve to keep a bride warm on her big day, as well as looking great. The addition of lace accents, likewise, while often avoided in the hot summer, are stunning on a gown worn in the winter.
While the venues will certainly be warm and cozy, some winter brides still prefer sleeveless or strapless styles of dresses. This affords them the chance to add perhaps the most elegant accessory a winter bride can have... the cover-up.
Picture a stunning bride, gorgeous white gown, with a deep cranberry red cashmere wrap against a snowy backdrop: or a flowing cape, matching the material of the gown, accented by faux fur at the neckline and a shimmering clasp.
While that may sound like the peak of glamour, consider the many options for a wedding gown with sleeves. Whether a bride's arms are covered by three quarter sleeves made of intricate lace, or dramatically cut trumpet sleeves, these styles seem to revisit a more classic elegant time. Or perhaps the compromise is a delicate cap sleeve, coupled with long, satin gloves.
Warm and wonderful weddings can take place any time of the year. Winter brides have many beautiful options from their dress's material, to the embellishments, sleeves and accessories, all coming together to create the perfect gown for the perfect day.
From:Yan T
For those who think that a "June bride" is the standard, it is time to think again, and a glance at a few winter wedding dresses is a good place to start.
Perhaps the first thing that would showcase a winter bridal gown is its color. After all, in many areas, the world is awash in white, giving brides a perfect chance to really stand out. A gown with an icy blue tint, or warm ivory tone can be stunning against a background of snowy white.
While summer brides take the style and material of their gowns into consideration when anticipating soaring temperatures, a winter wedding leaves your options wide open.
Winter wedding dresses made of heavier silks and satins can only serve to keep a bride warm on her big day, as well as looking great. The addition of lace accents, likewise, while often avoided in the hot summer, are stunning on a gown worn in the winter.
While the venues will certainly be warm and cozy, some winter brides still prefer sleeveless or strapless styles of dresses. This affords them the chance to add perhaps the most elegant accessory a winter bride can have... the cover-up.
Picture a stunning bride, gorgeous white gown, with a deep cranberry red cashmere wrap against a snowy backdrop: or a flowing cape, matching the material of the gown, accented by faux fur at the neckline and a shimmering clasp.
While that may sound like the peak of glamour, consider the many options for a wedding gown with sleeves. Whether a bride's arms are covered by three quarter sleeves made of intricate lace, or dramatically cut trumpet sleeves, these styles seem to revisit a more classic elegant time. Or perhaps the compromise is a delicate cap sleeve, coupled with long, satin gloves.
Warm and wonderful weddings can take place any time of the year. Winter brides have many beautiful options from their dress's material, to the embellishments, sleeves and accessories, all coming together to create the perfect gown for the perfect day.
From:Yan T
Monday, November 8, 2010
Custom Made Bridesmaid Dresses
Whether you choose a pre made bridesmaid dress pattern, or start from scratch, you can come up with a unique bridesmaid dress that can be fitted to each of your friends.
A quick trip to the local fabric store is a great way to see exactly what is available. Fabric stores usually have a table laid out with pattern books from a range of designers. By flipping through books from companies such as McCall or Butterick, you can often find a bridesmaid dress pattern that fits your needs. Most of the patterns will be readily available at the store, and will provide you with a list of all the materials needed to sew the dress.
If you have something more specific in mind, you can contact a seamstress in your area and tell her what you are looking for. A skilled seamstress will be able to take you ideas and put them down on paper, to create a workable pattern that she can use to produce a dress for your bridesmaids.
Once you have a pattern in mind, you can choose material to make it. Fabric stores offer an enormous selection of materials that fit nearly any design. You can select expensive cloth, or find a less expensive alternative that still looks great. If you have the time, keep an eye open for sales where older stock is offered at discount rates to make room for newer material.
One huge advantage of using a bridesmaid dress pattern is that you can custom fit the dresses to each of your bridesmaids. If one is larger or smaller than the others, you can easily put together a dress that compliments the individual build of that bridesmaid, without loosing the symmetry of your wedding party. When you have a junior bridesmaid, or one of your bridesmaids is pregnant, this can make your life much easier.
While it is simpler to hire a seamstress to make your dresses, if you are skilled at sewing you could make your own bridesmaid dresses. Each pattern will have a rating as to the level of experience required to sew it. Be careful not to overface yourself as the added stress of a pattern that is too difficult can make the dressmaking process an unwelcome chore.
Bridesmaid dress patterns are a great way to get exactly what you want in your bridesmaid attire without having to search a multitude of shops and boutiques for what you want. You can fit the dresses for everyone in your party, and no-one needs to look out of place. Best of all, you can save a lot of money by purchasing raw materials at discounted prices and sewing the dresses yourself.
By:Bridgette Bayer
A quick trip to the local fabric store is a great way to see exactly what is available. Fabric stores usually have a table laid out with pattern books from a range of designers. By flipping through books from companies such as McCall or Butterick, you can often find a bridesmaid dress pattern that fits your needs. Most of the patterns will be readily available at the store, and will provide you with a list of all the materials needed to sew the dress.
If you have something more specific in mind, you can contact a seamstress in your area and tell her what you are looking for. A skilled seamstress will be able to take you ideas and put them down on paper, to create a workable pattern that she can use to produce a dress for your bridesmaids.
Once you have a pattern in mind, you can choose material to make it. Fabric stores offer an enormous selection of materials that fit nearly any design. You can select expensive cloth, or find a less expensive alternative that still looks great. If you have the time, keep an eye open for sales where older stock is offered at discount rates to make room for newer material.
One huge advantage of using a bridesmaid dress pattern is that you can custom fit the dresses to each of your bridesmaids. If one is larger or smaller than the others, you can easily put together a dress that compliments the individual build of that bridesmaid, without loosing the symmetry of your wedding party. When you have a junior bridesmaid, or one of your bridesmaids is pregnant, this can make your life much easier.
While it is simpler to hire a seamstress to make your dresses, if you are skilled at sewing you could make your own bridesmaid dresses. Each pattern will have a rating as to the level of experience required to sew it. Be careful not to overface yourself as the added stress of a pattern that is too difficult can make the dressmaking process an unwelcome chore.
Bridesmaid dress patterns are a great way to get exactly what you want in your bridesmaid attire without having to search a multitude of shops and boutiques for what you want. You can fit the dresses for everyone in your party, and no-one needs to look out of place. Best of all, you can save a lot of money by purchasing raw materials at discounted prices and sewing the dresses yourself.
By:Bridgette Bayer
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
