Finding the Perfect Dress

Finding the perfect gown is not always an easy task, but please try to make it fun!  Most wedded women comment that when they tried on 'the' dress, they knew it was the one.  My advice would be to find a gown you feel beautiful in.  You may not tear up or you may have to limit your choices if you are on a strict budget. The truth is there are lots of 'ifs,' but make sure when you wear your gown you feel incredible, beautiful, and everything you want to feel.  This is your day with your groom, treasure it and take some of the pressure off to be perfect.


A few things to consider when thinking about your wedding dress: What season is your wedding?  What is the location for the ceremony and reception?  Are either in a smaller space, is there room to move around casually in a full-skirted ball gown?  If you are walking down the aisle in a meadow, do you have a runner to accommodate a long train?  Are you having a destination wedding on the beach?  Do you have a themed wedding?  Not that you have to dress for the theme, but do you want to?  Is there a type of material that will work best?  You don't necessarily want to wear a heavy velvet gown during the hot summer for an outdoor ceremony.  Ultimately, the choice is yours to make, but take into account the other elements you want on your wedding day and what dress you will be comfortable in.

from abbyjean.typepad.com

Also look at the different styles of dresses so you can think about what will fit your body type best.  There are so many dress options in the many different silhouettes, fresh and modern, classic and timeless, vintage and lace. 

The basic silhouettes are:

A-line

Ethereal Monarch Gown by BHLDN

Ball Gown

Zara by Lea-Ann Belter

Trumpet or Mermaid

Quinlynn by Maggie Sottero

Sheath, Column, or Slip

Cecilia Gown by J. Crew

A few etiquette rules: Call to book a consult with a bridal boutique, most places require a reservation.  Look, look, and look some more to get an idea of what type of gown you want prior to your consult.  There is nothing wrong with trying different styles, you may be surprised what looks best on your body type, but try to narrow the choices down and have an opinion when you walk in.  Create a budget and clearly state it to your bridal consultant so you are only seeing gowns that you could purchase.  Bring a friend or family member, but don't bring too many so you have a clearer grasp on your feelings instead of 10 of your closest, opinionated friends and family.


The selection of a gown needs to ideally be 6 to 8 months prior to the wedding date.  This permits time for creation and alterations (usually at least 3 alteration appointments after selection).  If you have a shorter time length, make sure to inform your bridal gown consultant.


Again, there are many things to consider when selecting your gown; the bottom line is to make sure you feel beautiful!  Please contact us at info@vintageandlace.com for questions and recommendations.
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