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By Georgina Clatworthy



When you think about celebrity wedding dress designers I bet the first name that springs to mind is Vera Wang. Having designed wedding gowns for the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Victoria Beckham & Avril Lavigne, it is little wonder that she is the first name that springs to mind.



But other celebrity wedding dress designers you may know include Armani - Katie Holmes; Monique Lhuillier - Kate Walsh; Christian Lacroix - Christian Aguilera; John Galliano for Dior - Gwen Stefani.

Ironically, the likes of Vera Wang & Monique Lhuillier may not have even started in the wedding dress industry had it not been for their own weddings & a lack of dresses they liked. A situation which inspired both women to go ahead & design their own dresses & as the saying goes - 'the rest is history!'



But what if you want a celebrity style dress but don't have the budget to match? Well both Vera Wang & Monique Lhuillier have ranges available in stores across the country & worldwide for that matter & although the prices are not exactly celebrity size, a dress from either of these could still set you back several thousand dollars!

Your best option for a dress from a well known designer is to look out for the sample sales where you can back a bargain dress for rock bottom prices, you may need to get it professionally cleaned but even with the additional cost of cleaning you will still be saving a tidy sum.

Another option is to scour the classifieds or search websites like Ebay for second hand or worn once dresses. Again you will probably grab yourself a bargain & may not even need to have it cleaned!

Many of the mainstream designers will also produce wedding dresses that are a reflection of those worn by celebrities, so you will probably find a dress that is a good match for the one you have just seen in OK! Magazine for under $1000.

Or why not take a leaf out of Vera's or Monique's book & make your own! Here you have two options:

•Do like a designer & design your own. You don't need to be a skilled artist, just make a rough sketch of what you would like & take it to your seamstress. They will be able to fine tune it for you & once you're happy they can make a pattern & set to work creating it for you.

•Search through the many ready made patterns available. Pattern companies such as Vogue, Butterick & McCall all have a fantastic range of wedding dress patterns to choose from. Many will also include vintage designs from yesteryear & exclusive designs from designers such as Vera Wang & Badgley Mischka. These will come in standard dress sizes so buy the one closest to your own size & then you seamstress can alter it to the perfect fit.



Ask around for recommendations for a good seamstress & look for someone who has experience making wedding dresses. Wedding dresses can require a certain amount of couture skills to make them look the part & to achieve the perfect fit. If your seamstress doesn't posses these skills then it will show on the finished dress.

Ready made dress patterns usually come with a difficulty rating & you will find patterns available for all skill levels - from beginner to expert; easy to difficult. If you are making it yourself or someone close to you is, make sure you choose a pattern that is within yours or theirs capabilities.

When it comes to celebrity wedding style you will find it is achievable no matter what the size of your budget!