You want the perfect wedding dress, so you’ve made it a main focus of your pre-wedding planning. There are some things you need to find in the bridal shop, even before looking at your first dress. Is it necessary to make an appointment to visit the store? Does the store have dresses you can afford? Can you browse the entire collection or can you only see the dresses that the seller chooses for you? If this store doesn’t have the dress you love, can it be ordered?
Once these questions have been answered and you find a dress or two that you like, there are still more questions to ask. Can I order a particular dress with different sleeves or neckline? What modifications can be made and how much will it cost? Can you get a written estimate for the renovations? If we order the bridesmaids dresses here, can we get a discount or free alteration? Do you have headdresses or veils to go with my dress? How much is the deposit and when is the balance due? What are the cancellation and refund policies? Can we get a rush on this dress if we need to? These are the most important questions to ask, but you’ll probably have a few of your own. Beware of any store that does not give you direct answers or quotes in writing. When you think you’ve found the right dress, ask if they can hold it for a day or two, then go home, wait at least 34 hours, and look at it again. If you still love it then go ahead and buy it.
On the other hand, if your mother, bridesmaid, salesperson, or friend thinks a dress is perfect and you’re not sure, use the same strategy. Wait a day; come back for a second look before rejecting it. If a dress doesn’t feel right or you just don’t like it, don’t give in to pressure from store staff, friends, or even mom. It’s your dress, your day, you decide.
After you’ve chosen your wedding dress, the store’s clerk or seamstress will take measurements of your bust, waist, and hips, and determine if the dress needs to be picked up. Almost all wedding dresses need some alterations. You will also have to go to tests, usually at least three times. If your modifications are not free, be sure to get a written estimate. Find out if you’ll be able to “borrow” your dress for a portrait session and return it to be ironed later. Pay with a credit card so that if something goes wrong, you can dispute the payment.
You have another big decision to make. What about your headdress and veil? The sales people should be able to help you choose a headdress to match your dress. Veils come in various lengths and styles, and again the staff can help you decide which one is best for you.
The veil you choose for your wedding depends on the dress you have chosen. If you’re wearing a casual style dress that hits the street, I wouldn’t choose a cathedral or chapel veil, both of which trail to the floor. Likewise, you wouldn’t wear a loose, shoulder-length veil with a formal dress with a train.
Don’t forget that you need the right lingerie, shoes and jewelry to match your beautiful wedding dress.
Before we leave the bridal salon, there is one more detail to attend to, the dresses of your bridesmaids. When choosing these dresses, you need to consider the ages, complexions, and body types of your attendees. Thankfully, today’s bridesmaid dresses are no longer the cookie-cutter, all-the-same-color gowns that no one would ever wear again.
Some options for bridesmaid dresses are to choose a color and fabric that is right for all women, and let each woman choose a style that she is comfortable with. Or you could choose a simple A-line or empire waist dress that flatters all figures, and let the girls choose from a color family, for example purple, choices could be lilac, lavender, plum, mauve and orchid . If you choose to have all attendees wear the same dress, they can accessorize the look with small beaded bags, scarves, jewelry, or shawls.
Also, keep in mind that your bridesmaid’s colors and attire should complement
Your reception color scheme, you don’t want a red plan for your reception in red if your maids are wearing green, unless you’re going for a Christmassy look.
The wedding is over, now you have to decide what to do with that beautiful and expensive dress. You can put it in a shed in the back of your closet, where the stains will settle and be very difficult to remove later. You should ask your bridal shop or wedding consultant in advance for the name of a dress preservationist. Many dry cleaners claim to clean wedding dresses, but most are not experts in upkeep.
There are two cleanup methods used by conservationists. Some use the wet cleaning method, which involves hand washing the dress with a mild cleanser that removes visible and invisible stains (champagne and sugar). Other companies use the dry-clean method, in which stains are pre-treated and then placed in a dryer. Cleaning machine. Once the dress is clean, it is wrapped in acid-free white tissue paper or unbleached muslin. Ordinary tissue paper has acids in it that can stain and eventually put holes in your dress. The wrapped dress is then placed in an acid-free or cardboard box. Sometimes the box has an acetate viewing window. Store the box out of direct light to prevent the dress from yellowing.
Having a trusted conservationist clean and pack your gown can cost anywhere from $200 to $400, depending on where you live. Before you send your dress in to be made, ask if the work is done on site. Also find out if you have to sign a disclaimer and sometimes say that the company is not responsible for any damage caused during preservation processes. You should look for a conservationist who will guarantee his work.
To help preserve your dress, never wrap it in plastic, do not hang it on a wooden hanger or ordinary wire, because the dress could stretch and deform under its own weight. Do not try to clean the stains, this could cause them to set.
If you are out of stock after the wedding, you can do things to extend the life of the dress. Wrap the dress in unbleached muslin or a white sheet and store it in a sturdy box under your bed. Then, as soon as you can, take the dress to a professional preservationist. One day her daughter may want to wear it on her wedding day.