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Your wedding gown is the most important dress you will ever choose.
Your wedding gown gives you every reason to shop till you drop. Or at
least until you find your perfect dress, with every detail exactly as
you want it.
It is worth searching - even if you do it over several months - until you find the dress of your dreams.
If you can't find what you want, talk to a good designer or dressmaker.
A dressmaker can help you make a gown which will accentuate your best
features.
Anything is possible - from the traditional to the absolutely
fantastic. And it doesn't have to be white. Subtle ivory and coffee
combinations can be introduced. A little cream lace to complement a
white dress can add just a hint of contrast. Small pastel bows or
flowers embroidered in a contrasting colour can break up large areas of
white.
Or you can always defy tradition and wear bright scarlet or crimson or purple.
A wedding gown can be plain and simple - a sweet white dress can be
suitable for a wedding and still be practical to wear afterwards.
Consider a long flowing full-length coat over your dress instead of a
veil. Or a wedding dress can be elaborate - richly embroidered satin,
falling dramatically from the waist with a feminine neckline and a full
train, complemented by a traditional veil.
Lace is perennial. Some families keep a lace wedding dress for
generations for each bride to wear. Decorative details such as a
combination of lace and hand-beaded crystals or pearls can make a fine
work of art of your wedding dress that you will want to keep forever.
Lace is romantic and evokes longstanding traditions. Or it can be
alluring and sexy. A touch of gold embroidery can embellish lace fabric
or brighten plain materials.
Consult catalogues, wedding magazines, even check out pattern books when looking for ideas for your dress.
Always try on several styles - don't just go straight for the dress you
like the best. Sometimes you will find the right dress by trying on the
very thing you would least expect to work.
Look for a figure-flattering design as well as a dress that you think
is just plain stunning. Some styles and fabrics can emphasise
femininity or a sleeker, more dramatic style can make a fuller figure
more statuesque. Some necklines don't suit everyone, slimline gowns
aren't for everyone, and neither are heavy full-flowing gowns the
perfect answer for every figure.
A gown should obviously suit the location, the style, the theme and the
season of a wedding. For example, a light embroidered fabric in a
strapless style is ideal for a summer wedding. Heavier satins with long
sleeves, with buttons along the forearm are more wintery or formal
styles.
Most importantly, choose a dress you feel comfortable in. A wedding day
is long day and you don't want to be continually adjusting and hitching
your dress. The same goes for your shoes - wear them in at home for a
week before the wedding. You may be standing up for a long time and you
don't want shoes that pinch or create painful blisters.
Before and after wedding care of your gown
Once you've chosen your wedding gown, take good care of it before and
after the wedding day. It is important to look after your unique dress
and preserve the delicate fabrics it is made from.
Hang it carefully before the wedding day and check for creases. Press if necessary a few days beforehand.
Wedding gowns are generally heavy and can easily lose their shape in
the wardrobe. Hang the gown by its underarm straps or fold it at the
waist and use a skirt hanger as a temporary measure.
Arrange for your bridesmaid to take the gown to be cleaned as soon as
possible after the wedding. It should be thoroughly hand cleaned by
experts. Treat stains as soon as possible to prevent them setting.
Stains should be individually treated using products appropriate to the
kind of stain. For example, champagne is removed by an anti-sugar stain
treatment.
The gown should be turned inside out before cleaning to protect beading
and embroidery and if possible, should always be cleaned separately
from other clothing. Then wrap in acid free tissue paper and store in
an acid free windowed box.
Always inspect the gown before it is packed away and if you need to
handle it, use gloves. Package veils, headpieces and shoulder pads
separately so metal pins don't damage the gown. Store your gown in an
area free from light, damp and moths in a dark area of the wardrobe. If
you need to use mothballs, do not allow them to touch the fabric. Wrap
the mothballs in muslin or tissue paper and place around, rather than
on the gown.
Suits and formal hire
The groom will also want to look his best on his wedding day in his
best suit, with accessories chosen to complement the bride and the rest
of the bridal party.
Hiring a suit for the groom, best man and other men in the bridal party
can save money and give a large degree of flexibility to suit the style
of the wedding. Professional hire companies can advise on style, fit,
alterations and availability and nearly everything you need for a
wedding, including accessories such as special cufflinks is available
to hire.
Be guided by the hire company but in general, book your suits four
months in advance. This will give you time to order exactly what you
want and to ensure that it is available, allow for alterations and even
allow for a change of mind closer to the date.
Try on all hired items a week before and change any details if
necessary. Some hire companies will deliver the day before the wedding,
or, leave enough time to pick up your suits without rushing on the day.
If your groom chooses an off-the rack suit or has one made he should be
comfortable on the day with a suit which won't crush, a style which
reflects that of your wedding and a fabric which suits the season. This
may mean a departure from traditional styles such as the formal black
suit or tuxedo to a more casual but dressy style.
Variety can be achieved by selecting contemporary fabrics in less
formal colours. For example alternatives to a stark white shirt are
champagne, antique gold or lavender in a blend of fibres such as linen
and silk.
A vest or waistcoat can add texture with brocades, satins or velvets
and a tie can be plain, patterned or colourful, from straight tie to
bow tie to cravat. You can choose a tie to match the colour of the
bridesmaids' dresses or one that reflects the colour of the bride's
gown.
Discuss the choice of your suit with the rest of the bridal party in
case bridesmaids need to adjust the length of dresses, for example to
match the formality of the men's suits.
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