Your wedding day isn’t just a big celebration of love; it’s also an opportunity to make a deeply personal statement about who you are as a person. The bride’s dress reflects this sentiment, embodying love, purity, and the anticipation of a shared future.
Whether or not you keep your wedding dress is a deeply personal decision, but many brides cherish their gowns as cherished keepsakes to be handed down to future generations. Professional cleaning and storage are the best way to keep your gown in pristine condition for as long as possible.
The dress’s fabric will have a major impact on price, with more luxurious materials like silk and satin costing more than their synthetic alternatives. If you’re on a budget, you may want to consider a lower-priced option like polyester satin.
A dress’s neckline is one of the most defining features, framing the face and influencing how you’ll style your hair and jewelry. Some brides find this to be the most challenging part of choosing a gown. Fortunately, today’s smart cell phones allow you to take photos of yourself in different styles to quickly get a feel for which ones look best on you.
From a bustle to a train, the fullness of a wedding dress’s skirt can be a dramatic or subtle feature that enhances the overall silhouette. While some brides choose to forgo a train altogether, others prefer to add an extra level of romance with one.
Traditionally, the white, full-skirted “once-in-a-lifetime” bridal gown was seen as a symbol of the bride’s family wealth, a status often reflected in the extravagant details and expensive fabrics used to make them. However, in recent years, there’s been a shift toward less-expensive, more-sustainable options. Some brides even go as far as to design their own wedding dresses from a variety of new and vintage fabrics, like Katherine Feiel’s one-of-a-kind pieces that are sewn by hand as a true labor of love.
When choosing a neckline, some brides struggle with finding the right one to complement their face shape and flatter their figure. Luckily, many bridal designers offer a wide range of neckline styles, from a sweetheart to a bateau, that can highlight a bride’s best features.
Sleeves can be a beautiful addition to any dress, from a sleeveless or short sleeve gown to a puffed sleeve. Sleeves can be a romantic touch or an elegant way to show off a beautiful adornment, such as lace or embroidery, on the bodice.
The bodice is the center portion of a wedding gown that ties the shoulders and waistline together, creating a flattering outline. While designs can vary, most designers use four main types of bodices: