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January/February 2021
18 Wedding Planner®
wedding gowns | bridesmaids | mothers gowns
Read the entire Wedding Gowns article @
Bridal Consultant
Many bridal shops offer the services of a bridal consultant, who assists
you in trying on gowns, helps you choose accessories, and takes care
of ordering your gown for you. She can be a very valuable help to you,
so make sure to ask her a lot of questions and for her advice. She has
a lot of experience in helping brides look their best.
Make An Appointment
Making an appointment assures you that there will be a salesperson
to attend to your every need. Start off by telling her your budget. That
way you won’t see a lot of dresses you can’t afford. You will be in a
large dressing room, with plenty of mirrors. The salesperson will bring
you many different gowns to try on. Try to have an idea of what you
want, and talk to her about it. If you want lots of lace and sequins,
she won’t bring you the less ornate dresses. You may also want to
take this time to look for your attendants’ dress, just to get an idea of
what type of dress will compliment your gown.
Setting A Budget
Usually the first question the bridal consultant will ask is how much
you want to spend. To give you some idea, wedding gowns can cost
from a few hundred dollars to many thousands. An average price
in Rochester would be from about five hundred dollars to fifteen
hundred dollars. The bridal gown is traditionally paid for by the
bride’s parents, or by the bride herself.
Cost
This will depend upon the intricacy of the design, the type of material,
and the number of alternations you want made. If you find the dress
you love is out of your price range, you may also ask about buying
the sample dress. If cost is a large factor, you may look for one that
had been canceled, or at the end of the season when the dresses are
on sale. You may also want to see if having your dress made by a
seamstress is more economical, although you may not find a great
deal of difference in price.
Looking for bargains? This can be a triumph or a headache. Remember,
you usually get what you pay for. If it seems an unbelievable bargain,
it probably is. Make sure that the quality of material and workmanship
are the same as the higher-priced gowns. Also, make sure the shop
is reputable, that you will actually have your gown, and on time.
Figure Types
Women come in many different shapes and sizes. Keep your figure
in mind when shopping for a dress. Here are some tips to get you
thinking! If you are:
Short: Look at dresses where the lines run up and down. An
empire waist, a high neckline or trim at the neckline will also
help. Stay away from extremely ornate gowns, they will make
you look shorter. An elongated waistline will help to add height.
Tall: Choose a skirt with many flounces or tiers. A low neckline
can minimize height. Off-the-shoulder gowns will also flatter you.
Thin: A very full dress, especially with full sleeves, will help
round you out. Materials that drape a lot will look good on you.
Horizontal detail will also serve to add shaping.
Stick figure: If your hips and bust are the same size, and you
don’t have a waist, your dress should help create your shape.
You would look best in gowns with oversized shoulders, a bateau
neckline, or very detailed sleeves. You should look for a more
billowy skirt.
Full figure: A flowing material, such as chiffon, will help hide
extra pounds. Look at your good points and emphasize these
and try to detract attention from your bad points. If you have a
heavy waist, choose a dress with a higher waistline.
Top heavy: You can help balance your figure by lengthening the
upper body and drawing attention downward. Billowing skirts
or a lot of ornamentation on the skirt will balance your figure.
Pear shape: You should look for a gown with more ornamenta-
tion or texture on the bodice. Try to find a dress that gives you
broader, squarer shoulders. Your skirt should have a defined
waistline, then not be extremely full beneath.
Wide hips: A flared skirt, or an A-line dress will look best on you.
A fuller skirt will minimize heavy hips or legs. The wider hemline
can be balanced on top by puffed sleeves or a hat. A dramatic
neckline will also draw attention upwards.
Hourglass: Your dress should balance your proportions above
and below your waist. Classic styles will look best on you. Look
for a dress that will emphasize your waistline.
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