Wedding Wednesdays: The "OW" in Gown!
dun…Dun…DUN!! Today's Wedding Wednesday Topic centers around Bridal Fashion.
This past weekend was an experience to say the least -
I flew down to South Florida this past weekend to go try on dresses. Really, with only 4 months to go this weekend was crucial - finding a dress was necessary! But no worries - Because
I FOUND THE GOWN!
I SAID YES TO A DRESS!
I TREASUREd MY MEASURE-ments!
(^ I tried to make that work. I really did, lol)
But there was a lot going on leading up to that weekend. It was an extremely emotional week and I tried to even myself out before my Saturday appointments.
What Not To Do
My advice to future brides:Don't be like me and wait until 4 months before the wedding before trying on dresses, if at all possible. If you have a short engagement and it cannot be helped then it simply cannot be helped. In my case it really put the pressure on. It can also put a rush on things as far as making a decision and ordering a dress that will arrive in a timely manner. Thankfully, things worked out exactly as they should have in my case - I can only credit that to God - but I definitely wouldn't recommend it.
Do not use shows like "I Found the Gown" or "Say Yes to the Dress" to gage your own experience when it comes to finding your dress. Those shows lead you to believe that you have to have a certain reaction when you find the dress. Everyone's reaction to finding their dress is different.
What To Do
Do your research - What kind of style/silhouette are you interested in? What kind of fabric do you like? This is important because if you don't know what you want/like then you may wind up settling for what someone else likes for you.
Keep your options open - Your budget is going to play the limiting factor. It's okay to be level headed and not get carried away on a beautiful dress that you will only wear one time -
Instead of buying/ordering a designer gown from a bridal boutique, consider getting something similar made. If you absolutely must have a designer gown consider renting it or finding one that was pre-owned. I know of people who have used these alternative options and found great success. Figure out what works for you and your budget.
Bridal Silouhettes and Fabrics
Body Type and Flattering Silhouettes
Designer Lazaro put together this info graphic which makes suggestions as which bridal gown silhouette most flatters each body type. I found it courtesy of Pinterest.
Popular Fabrics and their Definitions
Applique: A decorative fabric design or lace cutout that is applied to another fabric such as a dress, veil or shoes. (From David's Bridal)
Chiffon: Delicate, sheer, and transparent -- made from silk or rayon, with a soft finish; often layered because of its transparency, making it popular for overskirts, sheer sleeves, and wraps.
Illusion: A fine, sheer net fabric, generally used on sleeves or necklines.
Lace: A delicate fabric made of yarn or thread. There are many different types of lace (Alencon, Chantilly, Duchesse, Guipure, etc.)
Organza: Crisp and sheer like chiffon, with a stiffer texture similar in effect to tulle, but more flowing; popular for skirts, sleeves, backs, and overlays.
Satin: A heavy, smooth fabric with a high sheen on one side; very common in bridal gowns.
Tulle: Netting made of silk, nylon, or rayon; used primarily for skirts and veils (think ballerina tutus).
***All Definitions are from TheKnot.com unless otherwise noted.***
2014 Bridal Trends
Here are THREE of the Top 2014 Fall Wedding Dress Trends as reported by fabsugar.com:
Go Short - For the bride that's more in love with her shoes than any other accessory and who's been in the gym working on those killer legs a short wedding dress may be just what the stylist ordered.
Layer It On - As the temperature changes for Fall and Winter Weddings those brides who want to keep the chill and cold feet at bay may consider adding a layer be it a bridal cover up or wedding dress jacket.
Roses - Flower Child brides rejoice! Designers know that all the floral arrangements in the world could never be enough - that's why more of them are adding rose details (rosettes) to the gowns themselves.
My Weekend Wedding Dress Adventures
So in all honesty, I kind of psyched myself out about the whole trying on dresses experience. The good thing though was that I was aware of what I was doing and I was able to recalibrate in time.
I arrived in South Florida Friday morning but I spent the day sleeping, eating and hanging out with my little sister, mom, and second mom (future mother-in-law). It was a pretty easy going day and I made it clear before arriving that I was not trying on any dresses on Friday.
I had two appointments on Saturday. One at 11am and one at 2pm. So what did I do in order to prepare for my appointments? Why, I went fishing of course! LOL
I haven't gone fishing in YEARS! And I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially because I caught quite a few. I know my Pops was glad to have the company again and he had all three of his kids with him.
I got home just in time to shower and make it to my first appointment by 11:05am.
I was one of those people I talk about when watching shows like "Say Yes to the Dress" the people that arrive with an entourage and you just shake your head.
With me at my appointments: My mom, Danny's mom, my sister and Matron Kerry, my little sister and junior bridesmaid Candace, my grandmother and one of my aunts.
I wasn't sold on any of the dresses at the first place. I didn't have a sentimental moment either - womp. womp. womp. I tried on 4 dresses or so. And it felt like playing dress up. *Shrugs*
We could have gone in early for the 2pm appointment but I opted for food instead of being early. I'm no fun when I'm shopping on an empty stomach. It was in the best interest of everyone.
The second place didn't allow any photography. It was set up similar to those boutiques featured on "Say Yes to the Dress." I found the dress at this place. I still didn't really have a moment here. At one point tensions got a little high and I was more irritated than anything. But never mind amidst all of that a dress I hadn't even found to pull at first was brought my way and it was even better than the concept I had in mind!
Once that was established. I had to find shoes and get my measurements done.
I found my shoes later that evening after spending some QT with my cutie nieces.
Sunday I went to church. Ate well. And slept even better!
Monday morning I decided to go watch the sunrise. It's one of the perks of being all the way east.
At 10:30a I went to do my measurements. That's when it really sank in for me. I didn't ball - but I did get very misty eyed!
And at 4:30p I hopped a plane back to the A.
All in all it was a pleasantly eventful weekend. I'm glad things worked out the way they did and I know it was all for a reason.
There's still a lot to be done in these 107 days leading up to the BIG day.
But as I hope you understand from me by now - its more than just about the dress, or the centerpieces and food, and all the other many details - for me the most exciting thing is being able to make the covenant commitment with Danny and God!
Okay, I'm outie.
Peace.&.Love
-CN