By Georgina Clatworthy

Ok, so this is the moment you have been waiting – it is time to hit the bridal stores to find ‘the one’.  But finding an outfit as important as your wedding dress is not as easy as you may first think, and when it comes to wedding dress shopping, it is savvy brides who will find it easiest to make a final choice.

For some knowing which dress is the right one will come instantaneously from the moment they put it on, for others it will take longer, requiring far more deliberation and possibly several hours in the store!  But one thing you can be sure of, once you have found the wedding dress for you, there will be no question that is the right one.

Wedding dress shopping should be one of those life changing occasions that you will enjoy, but before you hit the salons it is important to have plan of attack first.  Knowing what your budget is vitally important, and giving yourself plenty of time will ensure you don’t fall into the two biggest shopping mistakes – overspending and making hasty decisions!

Giving yourself plenty of time to find your wedding dress is essential and I don’t just mean on the day you go shopping.  Most wedding dresses are made to order to your size and can take up to eight months to arrive back from the manufacturers to the bridal store.  There is then the time needed to make any alterations and for fittings.  So begin looking fairly early on in your wedding planning to ensure you have enough time.  Once you have decided when to start your wedding dress shopping, follow these essential tips to aid you with your choice:

Creating a backdrop: think about the surroundings in which you will be getting married and your wedding style.  If you are having a traditional, formal wedding then choose dress which is equally traditional and formal; if your wedding is taking place in a garden then choose a dress which is flowing and romantic in style.

Budget: your wedding dress is one area where you will be most tempted to overspend, but by setting yourself a budget before your begin shopping you will be less tempted to try on gowns well out of your price range.

Create a scrapbook: this is one of the best ways of narrowing down your choices in store.  Go through bridal magazines and cut out pictures of wedding dresses you like and in particular those that are on models of a similar size and shape to you, then stick them into a scrapbook and take it with you so you can look to copy the styles and looks.

Choose some shopping partners: shopping for a wedding dress is always something a bride should do with her mother, but there is nothing to say you cannot take a close friend with you as well.  Just make sure you take no more than two people and that they are patient, open minded, honest and positive.  You need them to give you honest opinions on the dresses you try on and to aid you in your final choice.

Take notes: after trying on a plethora of beautiful dresses it is easy to forget which you have tried on and which ones were the front runners.  Keep some notes on each one such as what you liked and what you disliked about it.

By Georgina Clatworthy

When it comes to choosing your wedding dress, finding the right style for you body shape is only half the battle.  If you have read my article on wedding dress styles – a guide to styles of wedding dress, then you should already have some idea about your body shape and the wedding dress style you should be looking for.

Choosing the right shape is only part of the story because your wedding dress has to fit perfectly and be able to flatter you at every angle.  Even the best photographer in the land will not be able to capture your ‘best side’ on every occasion, so be sure to check out any style of wedding dress from all sides and angles in a full length, 3 sided mirror.

There are also other body issues which you will need to take into consideration when making your style choice.  These may sound trivial but they do make a big difference to the look and feel of your dress and your own confidence.  Look out for unsightly fat bulges, particularly hanging over the backline of your dress; avoid excessive cleavage; too many moles or freckles and consider any birthmarks; also think about sleeves, tight sleeves can squeeze your arms and make them look flabby.

After looking at the basic body shapes, there are some other body related issues than you may need to consider when choosing your wedding dress style:

If you are plus sized, then think less is more!  If you want to wear a dress decorated with beads and crystals, make sure they are subtle and go for the flat versions rather than larger rounded ones.  You should also avoid any dresses which are tight fitting or clingy.

If you are petite then make sure your choice of dress does not overwhelm your tiny frame.  For those women who are under 5′ 4″ it is best to avoid any big ballgown style dresses with big puffy skirts.  Instead go for a style which is slim, simple in its design and form fitting to make you look taller.

If you are tall you may notice a problem with the traditional waistlines on many wedding dress styles.  The waistlines on many common dress styles can appear be too high on a tall woman, so over come this by choosing empire or princess waist dresses.

If you have a large bust keep your bodice simple, free from decorations such as crystals, sequins and beads and make sure you choose a design which will give you good coverage.

If you have a small bust, then do the opposite of the above and choose a bodice with sequins, crystals and beads.  Square necklines and thin straps are also very flattering for a small bust.

If your arms are on the big side avoid dresses with thin straps or capped sleeves which will only accentuate your arms.  Instead choose three quarter or long sleeves for the most flattering look.

Finally, if you have a tattoo you may want to think about how it will look on your wedding photographs.  It may look fabulous peeking out under a strappy top or hipster jeans on a normal day, but it could become a major distraction on your wedding day and the focus of everyone’s attention.  If you cannot cover it up with your dress, then look into applying some make-up which will help to hide it from view.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Your wedding dress will be the most important outfit you will ever purchase and by now you are probably fed up of hearing that statement!  Truth is your wedding will be the one occasion when it is so important to consider not only what you wear but how you wear it as well and that can only be achieved by doing your research in to the perfect wedding dress.

Finding a reputable bridal store with knowledgeable staff should high on your list of priorities.  Despite what you may think, there is a certain amount of experience, skill and creativity involved in advising brides on the perfect dress for them.  In some cases even a degree in diplomacy and tact is called for as brides often become too carried away with the amount of choice on offer!

Take your time in finding a good store, even if it means having to travel some distance to get the right one.  Do some research online in to designers and current wedding dress trends and collections.  Many websites will list stockists so you can find one near you should you see a dress you like the look of.  Recommendations from friends and family are also worth their weight in gold and people are often readily able to tell when they have excellent customer service or when they have had bad.

Of course finding the right store is only part of the story when it comes to finding your perfect wedding dress.  Style, shape and fit will all have a part to play.  Do your research into the dress shapes which best fit your body shape.  Think about the style of dress you like and if you are unsure if it will suit you then try one on!  A good store will be able to advise you on dresses which will suit you body shape, as well as guiding you to dresses which you want to look at.

Think about fabrics and colors too.  White is traditional, but few brides will actually wear pure white these days as it can be a very unflattering color.  Ivory, cream, ecru, champagne and other subtle neutral shades are all popular and colored dresses in shades of red, blue and coffee are also increasing in popularity.  If you are getting married abroad, on a beach or at the height of summer, then you will need to look for dresses made from lightweight materials and which are not too tight fitting.  If you are getting married in a cooler climate, then look for heavier weight fabrics and styles with sleeves or matching accessories.

The only way to truly find the perfect wedding dress for you is to try on as many as possible in as many different styles, colors and fabrics as possible.  By simply wearing the dress and looking at yourself in a mirror can you determine if it feels right, if it looks right and if it fits right (slight alterations can be made).  A bridal store assistant can only advise you so far, but at the end of the day it is down to you to find the right dress.

By Georgina Clatworthy

A lace wedding dress is a romantic look and one which many brides go for.  However, a dress made entirely from lace may not suit everyone, so should you go for an allover lace or a dress made with pretty lace details?

As wedding dress fabrics go, lace is one of the most visual stunning.  It can create a range of different looks from vintage bride, to light and airy to sophisticated and sleek.  But in order to choose the right style of lace and dress you need to appreciate what you are looking at, how it will look on you and how it will suit the time of year of your wedding.

Not every lace is the same; some have patterns, some flowers, some created on net, and some on a fabric backing.  The origins of lace are as a substitute to embroidery where it could be used in larger sizes than embroidery could.  It can appear light and summery or warm and heavy depending on the style of lace you choose.  It can also be used over another fabric or worn on its own to show the skin.

If you are pear shaped then avoid choosing a wedding dress which will add emphasis to your bottom half.  Detailing on the skirt such as heavy lace, beading and sequins will all draw the eye and give focus on the wrong part of your body!  Lace used on the bodice only is a good choice.

The opposite of a pear shape is an inverted triangle.  Here you want to avoid emphasizing your top half and instead draw attention to your bottom half.  Having lace on the skirt is a good option here, but keep the bodice simple.

If you are a rectangle then you have the ability to wear a dress which is sleek and sophisticated.  Choose lightweight laces on a sheath style dress or have an empire line dress with a lace bodice which will hide your waist and emphasize your top half.

The hourglass figure has the most choice because most wedding dresses are designed for the hourglass figure.  Here you can choose pretty much whatever you like, however your only restriction is avoiding making either half of your body look to full.  Avoid heavy lace detailing to the skirt or bodice which can make you look heavier.

Lace doesn’t work for everyone and allover laces can look very busy on a simple wedding dress.  If you are unsure then try on as many different styles of lace wedding dress as you can, including those made entirely from lace, with simple lace detailing and a mixture of separates which include lace.  If you have a wedding dress covered with lots of lace, then avoid putting your bridesmaids in lace dresses – the collective look could be too frilly and overwhelmed by lace!

By Georgina Clatworthy

A beach venue has become a popular choice for couple’s looking for an informal venue for their wedding day.  But choosing a beach wedding dress brings with it some style constraints and the need to choose your dress carefully or you could find yourself with a host of problems on the day!

A beach venue, whether it is for the ceremony or the reception, presents a host of impracticalities compared to a more traditional venue.  Sand for instance is an ever moving surface, it can be tricky to walk on in everyday attire let alone a full length wedding dress.  But this does not mean you have to compromise on the dress of your dreams, merely that you need to think practically and keep your personal comfort in mind when choosing the perfect wedding dress.

Years ago it would have been impossible to find a suitable beach wedding dress amongst the rails of dresses in a bridal store.  The rise in popularity of destination weddings has spurred designers in to creating dresses suitable for a beach wedding be it home or abroad.  Today you will find many different styles of dress suitable for beach wedding and if anything you will have perhaps more choice than a bride getting married in a more traditional venue!

There are several considerations though and you need to be aware of all of them before choosing a gown.  Although it is difficult to predict what the weather will do you will no doubt be sure that the sun will be shining on your wedding day or else you would not have picked an open air venue.  But you should consider what the temperature will be at the time of day of your wedding, how cold it will become later on and whether or not a strong sea breeze is a particularly common feature.

You should also find out whether you will be actually down on the beach or up on a quayside or other hard surface.  What style of wedding are you going for?  Will you be having a traditional and formal wedding or something more relaxed and informal?

All of these will have some impact on your choices.  Hot weather means that you should look for lightweight dresses which are not too tight fitting.  A strong sea breeze could see a lightweight and full, floaty skirt becoming something of nightmare, not to mention the problems you could have with a veil!  And you may need to add in a shrug or shawl for later on when the evening becomes cooler.

As mentioned earlier sand can be particularly tricky to walk on and a floor length dress with a long train could give you significant ‘drag’ as you try to walk along the sand.  Even if you do manage it, a day walking on the beach dragging a heavy train along behind you could see you tired out before the party has even got going!  Try to opt for puddle trains or watteau train which is usually made in lightweight chiffon and will flow naturally behind you. 

Also, think about footwear.  Many beach brides will wear bridal flip-flops or go barefoot.  The bridal store will need to be aware of this when you order your dress so it can be made to the right length for you to walk in without tripping over.  You don’t have to have a floor length dress either.  Short wedding dresses with tea length or knee length hemlines are very much on trend at the moment and are perfect for a beach wedding where you want to be on the sand all day long or even take a paddle in the sea!

By Georgina Clatworthy

Not everyone wants the full, traditional white wedding treatment and most brides certainly do not want to look like a giant chiffon meringue floating down the aisle!  Whilst modern wedding dresses have come a long way from the hideous creations of the eighties, choosing an informal wedding dress can give the wearer a sense of style and sophistication without being over whelmed by it.

When you think about an informal wedding dress most will immediately jump to bridesmaid’s dresses or evening wear.  But this is not necessarily the only option.  Many bridal designers have realized that there is a growing trend for wedding dresses that do not conform to the fairy princess look and that modern brides want something feminine but chic, not too bridal but which still says ‘I am the bride’ to all onlookers.

Certainly evening wear and bridesmaid dresses can give you some fantastic options, but with the current trend for short wedding dresses sweeping the catwalks there are bridal options available too and which are well worth considering.  Vintage wedding dresses can also lend themselves to an informal style, particularly those from the fifties, sixties and seventies which were often simple but chic.

Bridal stores may not welcome you with open arms when you say you are looking for an informal wedding dress, in fact many will struggle with the whole concept and most will turn you away or try to fob you off with the destination collections or the bridesmaid’s gowns.  In fact brides heading off on a destination wedding were often treated in the same way, but now there are destination wedding dresses galore so it is only a matter of time before we see bigger collections of informal wedding dresses too.

Separates can give you the means to create your own unique look, but you will need to find a collection that gives you plenty of choice.  Half the battle is knowing what style you want or the look you want to achieve.  There is also a case for choosing a wedding dress which could be worn again on another occasion, but I do wonder how many brides who take this option actually do wear their dresses again.

Accessories can turn a plain and simple dress into something wow, so don’t be put off by many of the informal dresses you see.  Think creatively and consider how you could accessorize it to achieve the look you want.  Just because you dress is informal, doesn’t mean your accessories have to be, adding in some statement jewelry and pretty hair jewels can turn your look into sophisticated bridal rather than plain and uninspired!

Finally, your only option may be to have a dress made for you.  This is certainly one way to achieve the look you want and to create a unique wedding dress.  There are many ready made patterns available with both modern and vintage looks and if you find a seamstress who can make patterns as well, then you can combine the looks to achieve something unique and personal to you.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Finding your perfect wedding dress is one of the most exciting aspects of your wedding planning, but what you need to keep in mind when you begin your search is that it has little do with the dress and more with how you and the dress fit together.  The key to finding the right one is knowing which wedding dress styles will suit you best.

A wedding dress may look beautiful on the hanger but when you try it on it is a different story.  Similarly it may look awkward on the hanger but fabulous as soon as you put it on.  Finding your perfect wedding dress is knowing which styles to look for to accentuate all your best bits and to hide your worst!

The secret to choosing the right style of wedding dress is to find the best dress for your body shape.  You will need to find one which will draw all the attention to your best assets and which will de-emphasize your less than perfect ones.  In many ways what you want to achieve is an optical illusion with your wedding dress.

The are four basic body shapes and everyone of us will fall into one of them:

• The Pear – this shape has narrow shoulders and wider hips. A pear shape is usually two different dress sizes top and bottom.
• The Inverted Triangle – broad shoulders and narrow hips makes an inverted triangle the opposite of the pear.
• The Rectangle – you are pretty much the same size from your shoulders to your hips and may have a slightly ‘boyish’ figure.
• The Hourglass – Your hips and bust are the same size and you have a smaller, defined waist.

The right style for each of these body shapes is too detailed to go into here, but here is a quick guide for each body shape on the wedding dress styles you should look for:

The Pear – A-line or princess cut wedding dress styles are best for the pear shape.  You need a style which will move with you and not be too clingy.  Avoid anything that will add weight to your lower half and avoid detailing on the skirt which will draw the eye to that area.

The Inverted Triangle – Choose a simple bodice and a skirt accented with lace, embroidery, beads or crystals.  Look for waistlines with a U or V shape (Basque style) which will help to create a waistline.

The Rectangle – Look out for sleek and sophisticated dress styles which will not define your shape.  If you want to give the illusion of curves then choose a princess style which will give definition to your hips and waist.

The Hourglass – This is the easiest bodyshape to find a style for as most wedding dresses are designed for the hourglass.  You can pretty much choose whatever you want as long as your top half does not look too full.  Sheath and mermaid styles will accentuate your curves whilst Basque or dropped waistlines will emphasize a natural waist.

By Georgina Clatworthy

The vintage look is big with wedding designers at the moment, with chic fifties style dresses gracing the catwalks at the recent new season launch.  However, if the idea of a truly vintage wedding dress appeals to you then there are a few things you will need to consider.

Firstly you will need to think about which era you want your vintage dress from.  I would recommend going back no further than the 1930’s as vintage dresses older than this may not be wearable.  Other popular era’s include the 1940’s, 50’s, and 60’s.

Sourcing your vintage wedding dress can also be tricky but there are a few places you can look.  The internet gives us access to vendors around the world when previously it would not have been possible to purchase a vintage 1940’s gown from Australia!  There are several websites dedicated to vintage clothing and more specifically vintage wedding dresses.  Ebay and Etsy are other good sites for vintage dresses and accessories.

Try thrift stores and look out for yard sales and auctions where vintage clothing can often pop up unexpectedly.  Scour the local classifieds and if your have friends and family in other locations ask them to look out for you too.

Finding a vintage wedding dress can take time, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time within your wedding planning to find the right dress for you.  Finally, ask your friends and relatives if anyone has a vintage wedding dress you could use.  Perhaps your grandmother or mother still has her dress and would be only too delighted to let you wear it too.

A word of warning about vintage wedding dresses.  In previous decades women tended to be much smaller in terms of dress size than we are today.  Whilst it is not impossible to find larger sized wedding dresses of a bygone era, it can be difficult.  Pure silk also does not tend to fair well over long periods of time and can become discolored and split as the natural fibers break down.  If a dress has been properly stored with acid free papers and kept dry and free from moisture then there is a better chance of it still being wearable.

You may be able to have a vintage dress altered to fit you better, particularly if there is a lot of fabric in the dress.  But do find a skilled seamstress to take this on for you.  Any alterations to a vintage dress could be obvious is not done correctly because of color differences in threads and fabrics.

If you cannot find a vintage wedding dress to fit or suit you then you still have other options.  Many of the major dress pattern makers release their vintage designs, including wedding dresses, to the market and there are also vintage pattern libraries online where you can find authentic and original wedding dress patterns.

As mentioned at the beginning many of the major designers are designing styles with vintage looks in mind and you will find many different dresses to choose from.  You could also look at theatre costumes and top end fancy dress stores, if you can find a store that supplies or stocks dresses used in films and TV then you could strike gold!

By Georgina Clatworthy

Your wedding dress will be a major purchase and considering you will only wear it once, you will want to make sure you get it right.  When it comes to putting down the wedding dress cost on your wedding budget many may simply pluck a figure out of the air and hope it is enough.

Finding out how much a wedding dress will cost can be a little tricky.  Many magazines will show prices which the designer gave them at the time of printing, but these can vary from bridal store to bridal store.  Ringing a bridal store and asking for a quote is not possible either, as each dress will have a different price tag attached, according to the designer, the fabric, the style and the shape.

So what can you do? Well much comes down to your own expectations of what you can afford and what you want from your wedding dress.  You know it will be expensive and  can cost you several hundred dollars at least.  Then add to that the cost of the shoes, lingerie and headdress, and your total wedding outfit cost is soon zooming towards the $1000 mark.

In order to understand how much a wedding dress will cost you need to know something about how they are manufactured.  Couture dresses are at the higher end of the market and include famous design labels and small scale outlets producing custom made dresses designed exclusively for clients.  The fabrics they are cut from are usually the best quality silks, satins and laces and they will often include a high degree of hand sewn embellishments and detailing.  Couture gowns are usually made to fit the client perfectly and involves the taking of very detailed measurements.

At the other end of the scale are wedding dresses from lesser known labels which are massed produced in factories in countries like China.  These dresses are cut from lower grade silks and satins and manmade fibers.  Detailing may not be as intricate as with couture gowns and hand sewn decorations will be minimal.  These dresses are usually made to order according to a standard dress size chart and it is then up to the bride to have the gown altered to the correct fit.

There are also wedding dresses from mainstream designers which fit in between these two types, which may also be mass produced for the global market, but which will be made from good quality fabrics with some hand sewn detailing and with some degree of couture techniques applied.  The majority of bridal gowns bought will be within this range.

Typically you can expect to pay the following for a wedding dress from any of these markets:

• Couture label – $3000+
• Mainstream label – $700 – $3000
• Mass Produced – $150 – $700

When calculating how much a wedding dress will cost you, you need to include the cost of alterations, which can be one or more depending on the fit of the dress to begin with, any added extras such as choosing a different fabric, having custom embroidery or altering the style to include a longer train etc.

When you attend an appointment at the bridal store you are under no obligation to purchase there and then.  Take your time and make sure you get detailed quotes for any dresses you like which you can then use to adjust your initial budget should you need to.

By Georgina Clatworthy

Beach weddings are not just reserved for the destination wedding and are growing in popularity as a location for informal weddings.  One dilemma faced by brides though is in choosing a suitable beach wedding dress.

There are several problems facing you with a beach wedding.  Firstly there is all that sand which can be difficult to walk on in your designer wedding shoes and then there is the climate.  On a hot sunny day a large skirted wedding dress made from heavy fabric will not be the best choice, whilst on a day when the sea breeze is blowing hard in your direction an ultra lightweight gown and veil combination could prove difficult to live with!

So when choosing your beach wedding dress it is wise to do a little research first.  You need to visit your location on different days, at different times and in different conditions.  Unfortunately you will have no way of knowing for certain what the weather will be on your wedding day so you will need to do a little research to find out what the conditions are like in general.  You should also take this opportunity to decide where exactly you want to hold your ceremony and reception, if this hasn’t already been decided upon.

Typically a beach wedding dress will be made from lightweight fabrics for ease of movement and because of high temperatures.  Long trains are not advised as there is a considerable drag factor when walking on sand which could slow your progress to the altar considerably!  Large skirts are also avoided for this same reason, although tight fitting mermaid skirts are also not advised.

Typically a beach wedding will be an informal affair so your wedding dress should reflect this style.  That doesn’t mean that you cannot choose a stunning and beautiful gown, but that you can also consider other alternatives such as evening dresses, occasion wear and even summer dresses.  Tea or knee length dresses are also an option and could prove to be more practical than their floor length counterparts.

You should also give consideration to your accessories.  As mentioned earlier a veil on a breezy day could be more of a hindrance than a stylish accessory and a similar problem could arise should you choose to wear your hair loose and flowing.  A part up/part down hairdo could give you a happy medium.

Consider your choice of footwear carefully too.  Whilst bridal shoes are very beautiful they are often totally impractical for walking on a beach!  Choose flats or shoes with very low heels instead.  Some designers also produce bridal flip-flops which could be the perfect choice.