Tips For Choosing A Wedding Dress, Part 2

(Continued from Part 1)

-Know what you want in a dress ahead of time. I don't mean that you have to have your perfect wedding dress pictured in your head; in fact, that might make things more difficult because it will be hard to find an exact match. You will, however, want to have an idea of what you want in a dress. A lot is going to depend on your figure and what parts of your body you want to accentuate the most. Do you want the skirt to be straight or flared? If you choose a flared one, do you want the crinoline built in? That will at least cut out one extra undergarment. What sort of silhouette (A-line, halter, empire waist, etc)? Do you want one with sleeves, or no? Straps or no? Can you wear a bra with it? For me, not wearing a bra is not an option, nor were “pasties” or other things for smaller-breasted women. Color-white, off-white, ivory etc? I wore white because, dammit, I could. What kind of embellishments do you want, if any? I know it's a lot to think about, but it really helps to have an idea of what you're looking for when you walk into the shop, especially if you have an appointment with a consultant.

Also, consider what to wear when you go shopping. If there's a particular accessory you want to wear-for instance, your mother's veil or necklace-, bring it with you so you can see how they look with your dress. If you're prone to crying when you find the perfect dress, I'd avoid wearing eye makeup that can run and stain. This isn't a problem for me, but it might be for you. It may also help not to wear lipstick for similar reasons.

-Consider how the dress will look in photographs. Some fabrics can look great in person but not so much in pictures. Does it flatter from all angles? If the shop you're visiting allows it (some don't), bring a camera and have a friend take pictures. This will give you a better idea of how the dress will look to others than a mirror would.

-Take the opinions of your intended and family into consideration, but don't let them pressure you. Like I said above, I was, um, qualified to wear a white wedding dress. My family wouldn't have made a big deal of it had I not been, but some families would.

-Look for fit rather than number size. Many shops will recommend that you try on dresses about two sizes larger than what you normally wear because of some of the undergarments (whale-boning for breast support, crinolines, girdles, etc) that are often worn under the dress. Even if you don't wear any sort of special underwear, wedding dresses may be sized differently “regular” clothes. Also, you're not just going to be standing; you'll be sitting, eating, possibly dancing, etc. Be sure you can do these things in your dress.