Why Two Are Better Than One! 

By Georgina Clatworthy 

Now I am not talking about buying two wedding dresses just in case of an emergency (although it may be an idea!).  I am in fact talking about a formal wedding gown & a second dress for the evening festivities.  But is two dresses really a good idea?

The idea of a second dress isn’t really new.  Brides have been changing from their long wedding gowns into something more practical for the evening do, for some years now.  In recent times celebrities such as Christina Aguilera have kicked started the trend for changing in to a shorter cocktail dress later on in the day.  The idea has become popular & bridal designers Amsale have launched a range of cocktail dress called Little White Dress for this season.  Amsale have long been touted as the founders of the modern wedding gown & this new collection is sure to be popular.  These pretty dresses would also make elegant attire for your engagement party or rehearsal dinner, as well as being ideal for destination weddings.  Check out the range below.

So is a second dress a good idea?  Well, if you like to dance then your floor length ballgown may not be ideal & having a shorter cocktail dress stashed away somewhere would provide you with an ideal alternative.  But if your budget is already tight, can you afford the extra expense?  Also consider that having spent a small fortune on your wedding dress & accessories, you will surely want to get the maximum you can out of them.  After all this is the only time you will wear them.  Perhaps it would be prudent to buy a cheaper cocktail dress, just in case you wanted to change or wear the dress you wore to your engagement party – which probably cost a small fortune too!

Hollywood Dreams did come up with a solution to the dilemma of second dresses.  They designed a range of floor length gowns which had removable skirts.  The bottom half of the skirt would come away leaving you with your original bodice & a shorter skirt.  Sounds great doesn’t it?! But the designs could only work with skirts heavy with ruffles or tiers to hide the join, so style wise you were limited.  But think of the possibilities – imagine adding some frivolity to your first dance & have your new husband whipping your skirt away part way through!  It could prove to be the talking point of the whole day!  For something a little more elegant, check out these dresses from bridesmaid dress designer Bari Jay.  These two designs both have detachable skirts, allowing you to have the best of both!