As alot of you may know, I am getting married very shortly! I would like to share with you some of my tips for wedding planning success. So this is the first post of the series "Wedding Things".
First of all, I want to inform you that I will actually be having 2 weddings. The first in May here in Germany, and another in the United States in a few months. This first one is not going to be large or extravegant whatsoever. Here in Germany, you actually HAVE to have a civil wedding in a Standesamt ( US equivelent to the courthouse) in order for it to be legal. You can have another later in the day at a church, if you are religious. In the US, you just need an officiant, and your ceremony can be wherever. Because I am not religious, we will only have a ceremony in the standesamt, and a small reception at our home. Although my wedding won't be big (this one, anyway), I have aqquired an abundance of knowledge that brides may find helpful!
So today we are dicussing bridal beauty, specifically the dress and accessories. First things first : your look on your wedding day is no place to comprimise. This is the most important day of your life, and you want to look and feel your most beautiful. This is a once in a lifetime event. It won't happen again, and you don't get a do-over. You will reflect back on this day forever, and it is important to be able to look back and be satisfied with the day- not remembering how you would have chosen a different dress, etc. Your look doesn't have to be extremely expensive( maybe a friend can do your nails, etc.), but it is not a place to skimp. My future mother in law told me that the dress she wore on her wedding day wasn't the original one she had picked out, but she chose it because it was cheaper than the one she wanted. And guess what? Her wedding was 27 years ago, and she's angry about it. She wishes she would have just gone for the dress she really wanted. So you defintely don't want this regret years later.
How do you find the right gown? The initial thought of dress hunting is almost more dreaded than it is exciting. I mean, you want it to be perfect. But where to begin? Firstly, I would set a dress budget, and be realistic about it. When you go to the bridal salon to begin looking, tell the associate helping you what your price range is. This way, she can give you gowns to try on that you can afford. No sense in trying on a $3,000 dollar gown and falling in love with it when your budget was $1,000. That will only be disappoiting, and tempt you to maybe cut back in other areas that are also important. So before you head out that door, know how much you want to spend, and stick with it. Don't let pushy sales people or family members talk you out of it, either. You're bound to hear " but it's your WEDDING DAY! It's once in a lifetime!" Yes, it is. And that dress will only be worn once, too. You don't need debt or hungry guests because you had to have the designer gown.
Secondly, it doesn't hurt to look at styles before you go shopping. Look online for inspiration, and research good styles for your body type, etc. However, don't let this discourage you from certain styles while in the actual store. Maybe a mermaid dress wasn't really suited for your body type, but who knows? You might just find one that looks fabulous on you in the store. Don't knock anything before you try it on. You will likely be suprised. Alot of brides find dresses that look less than pleasing on the hanger, but end up wearing those as their dresses. Be open minded, and remember: rules are meant to be broken. Typically, true white looks better on darker skin tones, while off-white better compliments pale skin. I have extremely pale skin, and my dress is a true white, and it looks great.
Another suggestion I have is to be realistic about your body when dress shopping. It's probable that you will need some sort of altering, even if it's small alterations. Your wedding gown is a piece that you need to fit you absolutely perfectly. Your wedding gown should look made for you. So a word to the wise: don't buy a dress that is a size smaller because you plan on losing weight. You will have sveral fittings before your wedding to make sure the dress fits perfectly. But you should maintain your weight. That being said, I wouldn't purchase a dress until you are at the size you'd like to be for your wedding. It's easier to take a dress in than to let it out. Be realistic about your body, and remember: your groom loves you as you are!
And finally, let's talk accessories. It is almost impossible to wear a bra that matches each pair of underwear you own everyday. But your wedding is a time where you should match. I personally reccomend wearing a corset under your gown in white or cream. It really enhances the way the dress looks on you. However, if you do not choose this route, make sure to have a bra fitting to make sure you have to right size. Buy a pair of pretty panties to match. And again, don't have your dress altered without the right bra. Have a fitting before alterations with your undergarments, accessories, and hair, veil, and shoes. This way, if you want a different accessory or need a new hair do, you have time to figure it out.
Dress shopping was a fun experience for me. I am in love with my dress! A side note: don't forget to factor in alterations to the final cost of your dress. I hope this was helpful! I will have another Wedding Things post here shortly! Happy dress shopping!
X's and O's,
Amanda
No comments:
Post a Comment