5 Tips that will help you choose your wedding dress

Our brides sometimes struggle to choose between a few Indie Bride wedding dresses they have fallen in love with. To help them choose between their favourites, I ask them to consider the following five aspects of their wedding and the dress itself.

 

1. Things that are important to you in the wedding dress itself

Do you want a wedding dress made of natural materials? Or one that’s ethically handmade? Is the dress being comfortable most important to you? Do you feel self conscious about your arms and want a dress with sleeves? List your non-negotiables and stick with them no matter what. When trying on a sample dress, you might be swayed by your family and friends, so it’s really important to remember what it is that you want to wear and feel comfortable wearing.

However, keep an open mind when it comes to the style of the dress. Oftentimes, a bride has a very specific idea of the style of dress she wants to wear, but after trying on a bunch of different styles, she ends up choosing something entirely different.

 

• If the material of your wedding dress is important to you, ask for specifics about the material of the dress. Do your research and don’t settle for answers like “The material is tulle” or “The dress is made of satin”. Tulle and satin are names of fabrics (or weaves) and don’t explain what the fabric is made of. Tulle and satin both come in silk and polyester, for example. If the bridal consultant is not able to give you an exact answer on the spot, they should be able to find out the answer and let you know later. You can also ask about the origin of the fabric and the materials that the fabric was made from. Read more about materials on our recent blog post, Wedding Dress Materials Matter.

• If the origin of the dress is important to you, ask where the dress is made and by whom. It might not be a good idea to choose a dress that is made in the Far East or Asia if the manufacturer is not known, as often factories in these areas use child labour and exploit their workers. Wearing a wedding dress that’s made by exploiting people would be heart-breaking.

 

2. Your venue

Consider the surfaces and surroundings at your venue and think about the practicalities. As an example, some surfaces are not ideal for a train that’s made from a delicate material.

Also, although nowadays, wedding etiquette, especially what the couple chooses to wear to their wedding, is more relaxed, it might be a good idea to consider whether your dress suits the venue you have chosen. Rules are meant to be broken, but there are dress styles that just suit a certain venue better than others. For example, for a barn wedding, I would choose a relaxed boho dress instead of a sparkly, strapless ball gown dress.

 

3. Underwear

Do you need to wear a bra with straps to give your bust support, but your dream dress is soft-structured and backless? We recommend Ender Legard bodysuits to keep you comfortable and secure in your wedding dress. Nude-coloured underwear is the best, and the closer the colour is to your own skin tone, the better. Make sure that the dress style you choose offers enough cover to hide the lingerie you’ll be wearing on your wedding day.

 

4. Shoes 

If your dress is made from delicate material, like single silk georgette, it might not be the best idea to choose stilettos or shoes with embellishments that might make the skirt get caught and, in the worst-case scenario, rip. 

If you want to start your day wearing 4-inch heels and change into flats later on, you need to consider the length of the dress. If the length of the dress is finished according to the shoes that have a higher heel, the dress would be too long for you when you then change into flats. Consider all options with your bridal consultant. It could be worth it to make the dress a bit shorter to show off your gorgeous heels and to make sure that the dress is not too long for you, even when you’re wearing flats.

 

5. Your hair

If the dress has a gorgeous back and you want to show it off, you could consider wearing your hair up or at least half up. Talk to your hairstylist and show them the dress you have chosen. They might have cool ideas for changing your hairdo on the go if you, for example, want to wear your hair down in the evening.

Keep these five things in mind when trying on wedding dresses, and finally choose the one you’ll wear on your wedding day. You can be sure that you’ll make the right choice and avoid wishing you’d done something differently regarding your wedding dress when you go through your beautiful wedding pictures with your husband.

 

- Miina -

 

Image credits:

Dress: Clementine

Photography: Thyme Lane Photography 

Concept & floral design: Wilt Studio 

Model: Catherine South 

Hair: Barberella Bridal Hair 

Makeup: Makeup By Katy

Headpiece: Clare Lloyd Accessories

Cake: Bitesize Bakehouse

Venue: Sandon Manor