Im going to davids bridal right now because they have a dress that i totally fell in love with. Any suggestions any recent brides want to share...anything i should know about buying, altering, and storing my dress. How long in advance should I buy it??
2006-09-11 05:28:18 · 20 answers · asked by knufflebunny 2 in Family & Relationships ➔ Weddings
Here are some tips. I think you will find them very helpful, as buying a wedding dress is very different from buying any other article of clothing you have purchased before.
• Never, ever put a deposit down or pay for a gown when you have not confirmed the date of the wedding. A lot of brides, with their rose colored glasses, even start buying gowns at the mere mention of the marriage. Slow down—don't put the cart before the horse on this one. It is quite likely that in your rush to make things “real” for you, you could put a big dent in your wedding budget. It happens quite often: you may not even like the wedding gown that you chose in April for your confirmed wedding in December. Don't get me wrong, window shopping is great—but you have bigger fish to fry, so don't shell out any money before you have the ring…and a date!
• Never, ever crash diet or buy a gown sizes smaller with the expectation of losing weight. It is far easier to take a gown in, than it is to have it customized and then taken out if you don't meet your goal. Don't put unrealistic expectations on your plate. You have enough to deal with. If weight is an issue for you, I strongly suggest that utilize the services of a personal trainer. We have a Buff Brides package that allows you to work with a personal trainer to get your body the way you want it—not only for your wedding, but for life! Be realistic: there is no way you can go (intelligently and safely) from a size 20 to a 4 in a year. I don't care what anyone says. Embrace yourself for who and what you are, and work with what you've got!
Now that we've got that out of the way, let's talk shop!
There are many things to consider when choosing the perfect gown—color, your complexion, size, cut, and the formality of your event. The latter is something I think a lot of brides forget to associate with their gown and wedding. As strange as it might seem, there are brides that will choose an ultra-formal gown for their Sunday Brunch garden wedding.
Again, this is the first step of self-acceptance and a big dose of reality. Take your measurements. What are you—short, tall, pear-shaped, or thin? Be honest with yourself. While the gowns you see online in magazines and books are gorgeous, it is always best that you try them on. As a former model, I will tell you—it takes a lot to get into those gowns, mainly smoke and mirrors! There is tape, more tape, airbrushing, invisible corsets, and more that you don't even see. So while you may like the gown on the model, it doesn't necessarily mean it will look the same on you. While it would be nice if we were all shaped like J. Lo or Rene Russo, the sad truth is that many of us aren't. However, that doesn't mean you cannot find the perfect gown.
Take a look…
If you are:
• Top Heavy —we need to create an illusion of balance and length with you. Let's choose a full, billowing skirt with plenty of adornments and an elongated bodice. However, we should avoid (at all costs!) any extra ornamentation on the bodice. It will draw too much attention to your chest. The same goes for low necklines, full sleeves and empire style dresses. Ask me how I know!
• Short —in your case, my petite friend, we will steer clear of any design that will accentuate your stature. Instead, create an illusion of height with an empire waistline. High necklines and trim along the neck and shoulders also look absolutely fabulous on your frame. If you are going formal, try short sleeves with long gloves.
• Pear Shaped —in this instance, you are narrow in the torso and fuller in the hips and thighs. Shoot for a bodice that is textured and bejeweled. You are the opposite of our top heavy bride, so you need to bring attention to the bodice and away from the waistline and below. Accentuate the waist in a simple skirt instead.
• Tall —for you, my statuesque beauty, I love the high fashion look of tiers and flounces to balance your height. Look for bodices with low, ornamented necklines.
• Full - Figured —you should avoid the flounces and tiers suggested above and contrasting colors. Instead, opt for a princess style gown that will skim the body. Necklines with a V or U shape are best, especially when accompanied by an A line skirt.
• Thin —you also look great in princess style gowns or gowns with a Basque waist and full skirt. Bloused bodices with a gathered skirt are also great options for you.
After you confirm your shape, the next task is to consider your complexion. It is important, even if you intend to tan, to understand that your hues will determine what will flatter your appearance best, live and in photos. Darker complexioned brides and brides with dark hair look best in beautiful, bright whites. Blondes and redheads are stunning in creamy and silk whites. This is also true for porcelain-skinned brunettes. If you would like to throw in a bit of color to your dress, look for those with undertones of pink or coral—they flatter all brides.
Now consider the formality of your event:
• Formal to Ultra-formal : Your gown should be cut from a rich fabric (silk chiffon in the summer, satin in the winter). You can have a full skirt with a train. Remember, the longer the aisle, the longer the train!
• Semiformal : Your gown should at least be full length or your train should sweep the floor. For this type of occasion, bare shoulders and taffeta type skirts are considered acceptable.
• Informal : Because of the flexibility of your wedding, you have the most choices with out restrictions or provisos. You can look for a ballerina or floor length type skirt to a dressy suit. Designers such as Jovani and Faviana make beautiful prom dresses that could pass as wedding gowns. Your possibilities are endless!
2006-09-11 05:38:49 · answer #1 · answered by sheplansweddings 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Don't take more than a couple people with you. Try on dresses that just 'sort of appeal'; it may be the perfect dress. Know that you can go up a size but not more than that.. Too much altering will change the line of the dress.
If you find a dress you REALLY like but can't afford it, see if you can get the dress in a cheaper fabric. Satin can work as well as silk, & no one goes around touching the wedding gown saying, " The wedding was beautiful, but did you feel the fabric the dress was made from?" You will be surprised to find out how much you can save using an alternative.
Unless you're going to change for the reception, don't just admire, move around; Chicken dance. I just watched a bride keep pulling her strapless dress back up over her boobs all during the reception. It soooo took away from the elegance of the bride.
After you narrow the choices, wear the undergarments & shoes you intend to wear.
2006-09-11 06:07:28 · answer #2 · answered by weddrev 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
All I have of David's Bridal are horror stories... really. Buy it as soon as you can because they give you hell over alterations..
I was in a wedding about a month ago and like three weeks before the wedding they told the bride they couldn't hem her dress because it was too much work and too little time. (she was like 4'11") And, they couldn't find my information (measurements) and the dress i ordered and already had paid for.
I hate David's bridal and I won't shop there. The only thing I may do with them is try on dresses there and take the style number to a tiny dress shop where I know the owner so I can give her business instead.
Make sure when you try it on, it is comfortable to raise your arms over your head. If there are beads on it, make sure they don't scrape the under side of your arms. ALso make sure you have your shoes and undergarments ON when you do fittings. Thats about it. Good luck and congrats!
2006-09-11 05:32:51 · answer #3 · answered by sour_apple 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Talk to the sales rep.'s at David's and ask them how long it takes to get your dress in stock (if they don't have it). My dress took approximately 6 months to be shipped to the store, and the wonderful lady who did the alterations (hem only) took less than 1 month. Does David's do alterations in the store, or do they have a seamstress that they recommend? Either way, contact the person that will be doing the alteration and ask how long they will need to alter you dress. One last thing.....I fell in love with a dress that I saw in a magazine....i thought it was exactly what I wanted (white, sleeves, very minimalistic) and as it turns out it was the opposite of what i ended up buying (and loving!) (ivory, strapless, wrap-around, beaded). What looks good on a the dress model, will not necessarily look good on you. Let the associated make recommendations that will suite your body type...you won't regret it! Best wishes.
2006-09-11 05:39:25 · answer #4 · answered by bluearia 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When purchasing a wedding dress make sure to lay the dress out and maticulously go over every inch just prior to the actual purchase, Look for stains, flaws, snags ect. When satisfied insist a durible plastic gargent bag being placed around the dress for transport... You can prepurchase a garment bag if you wish as some store charge extra for a really durrible one instead of the flimsy dry cleaner style ones...
If the dress will need to be altered make sure the pattern if any will alter well, for instance stripes (I know not usually found on wedding dresses but easier to visualize) are very difficult to alter as matching of stripes is difficult sometimes impossible..
Purchase your dress 3-6 months in advance.. be sure to do a final fitting 2 weeks -1 month in advance that will give you time to have the dress satisfactorily altered if necessary.. Always buy a 1/2 size to a size larger than you really need if alterations are going to be necessary, your seamstress will appreciate the little bit of extra allowance in fabric when doing alterations... Prior to the wedding store your dress in a very durable plastic garment bad loosely wrapped in white acid free tissue paper place a few scented dryer sheets in the bottom of the bag to avoid the "musty" stored scent ...... A week before the wedding take the dress out of the plastic and air it out, hanging from a light fixture/ hook drilled into a beam in the center of a room for a few days is best as all sides of the dress are able to breath... (be sure to clean the fixture thouroughly prior to hangint the dress so you don't get any dust dribbling down...
After the wedding take your dress to a lisenced dress cleaner many of them provide a vaccuum sealing storage service at an additional charge.. Don't just take to any dry cleaner not all are able to handle a wedding dress as you would want it handled... If you can't find a service wrap your dress loosely in acid free tissue paper store in a plastic garment bag in a dark closet...
Space Bag Garment bags are a wonderful do it yourself way to vaccuum seal a wedding dress but always remember to cover in acid free tissue paper even in a space bag the tissue paper helps insure the lace stays the color it is instead of discoloring over time...
Good Luck
2006-09-11 05:50:16 · answer #5 · answered by Diane (PFLAG) 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Don't go to David's Bridal... search it on here, a lot of brides/bridesmaids have had horrendeous experiences there.
That aside. Keep your options open.
A wedding dress may look great on a 6' tall 110lb woman, but on the everyday girl, not so much. Don't discount other styles/colors/store (you may not like any DB dresses (we found them to look cheaply made). My best friend was dead set on a dress with a pearl and lace overlay, and when she finally found one she was in heaven, until she tried it on. It looked AWFUL on her.
Then she tried on a dress she would have dismissed before she found that one and instantly fell in love with it, and is getting married in it next month.
And, from what I have read about DB (we never bought there from the way they treated us from day one, making the bride cry), don't get it altered there.
Good Luck! Congrats! LK
2006-09-11 05:45:01 · answer #6 · answered by Laura 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One year gives you enough time to pick out the dress, order it, and have it altered before the wedding. Make sure they sell you the correct size, sometimes if it's to big, they can't alter the dress. The best suggestion I have for storing your dress is wrapping it in a clean white sheet and storing it in one of those huge rubbermaid containers. Don't worry about the wrinkles, they will get them out when you alter the dress! Good luck, and congratulations, hope this was helpful.
2006-09-11 05:44:20 · answer #7 · answered by none 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have a dry cleaners you trust, take your dress there to have alterations. They're much less expensive. My bridal shop wanted to make be buy a dress a size too large so that they could make me need alterations, but I stuck to my guns and ordered the dress in my normal size, and it fit like a glove. My bridesmaids dresses needed alterations, and the bridal shop wanted to charge me $50 for each dress. My cleaners charged $7-$8 for each dress. Don't let them try to charge you for things you know you don't need. Trust your body and 1st instincts. Hope this helps! Have Fun! and LET THEM FUSS OVER YOU, YOU DESERVE IT!! Congrats & Good Luck!!
2006-09-11 05:40:26 · answer #8 · answered by dct1218 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Davids Bridal is a wonderful place I just helped with two of my friends and we got everything from there. They are great people and they are lots of help. One bit of advice when you get you bra for the dress make sure you lay it flat as soon as you get home cause if you leave it folded until the wedding it will have a permanent crease.
2006-09-11 09:19:02 · answer #9 · answered by Victoria H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My advice is don't shop at Davids Bridal. Take the style number and shop else where. Davids is over priced and terribly lacking in customer service. In my experience once you buy the dress from them they dont care about you at all.
2006-09-11 05:49:04 · answer #10 · answered by whoamihere32 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Don't get frustrated. I went three differnent days. After the second day I didn't think anything would look right I knew what I wanted but I couldn't find it and nothing looked right on me but the third time it was the first dress I tried on it was perfect!!!! It made me feel good and look good. I loved it so we bought it. Don't give up just keep on going, if you are getting frustrated then it is time to go home for the day and go back another day. Good luck and Congrats!!!
2006-09-11 06:01:34 · answer #11 · answered by glitter3317 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋