Some brides know exactly which gown they will wear on their wedding day, and have done since they were old enough to play dress-ups. For others, it’s a chaotic nightmare shuffling through wedding magazines and bridal boutiques, having no clue as to where to begin. Nonetheless, every bride romanticises about appearing perfectly beautiful on her special day.

Bridal fashion offers many alternate styles, whether traditional or off beat. This provides the bride with the opportunity to focus on her particular preferences without feeling her choices are limited. Some bridal fashion advice indicates that the gown must be appropriate for the chosen wedding style. Personally, I have seen many weddings work where traditional bridal etiquette has been completely brushed aside.

My favourites include the big fluffy gown at an informal beach side gathering, a luxurious beaded satin slip with a delicately sheer cathedral length veil for a very formal church ceremony, and a heavily adorned crystal gown for a simple afternoon cocktail affair. What allowed these brides to carry it off so well was their ability to select a gown that suited them.

When the gown suits your features so completely, you will look stunning no matter where or how your wedding takes place, and, your guests will think you are perfectly exquisite.

The most priceless snippet of advice?

Be realistic and be confident. Have the confidence to accept who you are and what god gave you. Highlight your positive assets and accentuate those features draw attention away from your less positive features. When something really gets you down, fix it! Obtain a professional assessment from an exclusive hair stylist, go to the gym and lose weight, start having your nails manicured, have your teeth whitened or go and treat yourself to a weekly body spa and / or facial for the next six months.

As the bride you have two questions that you needs to ask yourself.

  1. What sort of gown am I going to wear?
  2. Where will I get the gown?

Select approximately two or three bridal boutiques that carry a differing variety of styles and schedule an appointment. Remember, a gown always looks very different on a model or on the hanger! While you may not like the look of a particular gown, you can truly be amazed to realise that it completely transforms your entire appearance when you try it on. At this particular point, it is more relevant that you figure out which styles work and what to avoid. That won’t happen if you are afraid to try something on.

By the time you get home you will be dazzled, dazed and bewildered! Gems, jewels, beads, lace and tulle will be twirling around in your head making you giddy. Sometimes, for some brides, it can take a few days or even a few weeks for it all to settle. Eventually the mind will automatically sift through the information and you will wake up one day and just know where to go from here.

When you find a gown in a boutique and you fall in love with it, there is no need to consider looking elsewhere. You may find, however, that you like the bodice on one style and the skirt of another. Some bridal boutiques actually allow you to combine one or two styles and create an entirely new gown. Simply advise of the styles that you like and ask whether you are able to do so.

Alternately, whilst many bridal boutiques simply sell gowns from a range of different designers, some boutiques actually own their styles and design all of their own gowns. This option is very helpful for the bride who just can not find anything they really adore. The professional bridal designer will sit and discuss what you like and what you are really after. They will offer you assistance with selecting colours, fabrics and so forth and it will allow you to piece together those little things that you have been looking for which just don’t seem to be available.

Some brides find the gown of their dreams and just won’t settle for anything else, until they see the price tag! When you have your heart set on a particular style that you just can not afford, an experienced (bridal) dressmaker can create a similar style for almost half the price.

Finally, there is the occasional bride that loves anything that glistens and glimmers, and feels that most gowns they have seen just don’t have the sparkle that they are after. You can actually visit a local bead supplier who offers a wonderful variety of Swarovski crystals in all sizes and colours. Because the crystals are stored in large jars and are priced per gram, you can purchase any given quantity at the most reasonable price. This is where bridal designers purchase their crystals and beads. You can provide your boutique or designer with a sample of your preferred crystals and they will create the effect you are after. Beading does tend to incur extra cost because they are sewn individually, by hand.