Wedding Gown Selection Ideas

Selecting a wedding gown is one of the most exciting parts of getting married. Wedding gowns are fantasy dresses that every bride dreams of, startiing when she is a little girl. Whether it's a custom-made medieval wedding dress or an off-the-rack wedding gown you bought on the Internet, there are several tips you should follow to make sure you get the wedding gown of your dreams.

1. Set your price limit and stick to it.

Wedding gowns are expensive and if you are on a wedding budget, you don't want to spend $5,000 on a gown and have no money left for anything else.

2. Know your figure shape.

Models are super thin and anything looks good on them. Really look at yourself and determine exactly what you look like. Invite someone to go with you to be brutally honest as to how it looks. Here is a site that will help you make that determination.

3. Ask for help.

Talk to everyone you know who has gotten married; see where they got their gowns. Ask the bridal shop their opinion, and let them know your wedding budget considerations. Ask your mother, especially if she is paying for the wedding dress.

4. Don't shop on weekends.

Make your appointment with the bridal salon for during the week. If you can, take the afternoon off from work. Invite your mother and other advisers to lunch and then keep that appointment with the bridal shop. During a weekday, the salon personnel are not as busy and their attention can be focused towards your needs.

5. Lie about your wedding date.

This is especially true if your gown is not off the rack. Push the date up at least a month to ensure that you will receive the wedding dress in time. This also allows enough time for any alterations that need to be made - and they always need to be made.

6. Don't be coerced.

This is another good reason to bring someone with you as you try on wedding dresses. Over eager sales clerks may try to get you to purchase a more expensive gown when the less expensive one looks perfect on you. Another head is always good for those decisions.

7. Take your time.

Unless you've walked into a bridal warehouse and the wedding is next week, or you are part of the running of the brides, take your time in selecting a wedding dress. Try on quite a few, take some notes about the ones you really like, maybe even a photo of you in the gowns. Then go home. Go over the wedding dresses, review the prices, and narrow it down to your two or three favorite gowns. Return to the salon and try them on again. Don't let anyone, especially a sales clerk who sees a commission, pressure you in to choosing a wedding dress until you are ready.

8. Take your own tape measure.

A brand new vinyl one for your measurements should ensure that what is ordered is what you get, so you won't have to worry about too many alterations that can be very costly. Store tapes are older and stretched out, so you may get the wrong size wedding dress delivered.

Shopping for your wedding gown should be fun and exciting. Make sure you feel that way throughout the process. If you don't, you're in the wrong store or with the wrong people.

Who Ya Gonna Call? Wedding Mythbusters!

Weddings are haunted by the myths that have been spread down through the years. Often these tales keep brides and grooms from having their dream weddings since everyone tells them "it's just not done that way." Well, here and in other blogs, we are going to debunk some of those old wives' tales and demystify all that mis-information!

1) Only virgins should wear a white wedding gown.

White wedding gowns only became popular after Queen Victoria wore one in the 1840's. Before that gowns were all sorts of colors - red, blue, even gray. Since white symbolizes different things -- joy, fertility, death, etc. -- in different cultures, it actually may be inappropriate for a bride to wear white!

2) If you don't wear a diamond engagement ring, you aren't really engaged.

Well, that is a myth perpetuated by the diamond industry. You are engaged as soon as you declare your intention to have a wedding and to get married. Although diamonds are beautiful - you don't have to have one. But remember, they are a girl's best friend...!

3) Receiving a wedding invitation means that you are obligated to give a gift, even if you are not attending.

The only time you need to be sure to give a gift is if you are attending the wedding or the wedding reception. The invitation is just that -- a request for you to attend the wedding. If you aren't going, you do not have to send a gift; although there is no rule that says you shouldn't, just to be respectful. A gift also shows a couple your support.

4) The bride's family pays for EVERYTHING.

Once that was true, but now in the 21st century, couples, both families, and even friends, can pay for all or part of the wedding. If the bride's family wants to pay for the wedding, that is still an option.

5) Older brides or second time around (or more) brides can't wear a long wedding gown.

Rubbish. Any bride of any age can wear any gown she chooses. The point of a wedding gown is that it makes the bride feel special and lovely. It accentuates her day in the spotlight. As for a remarriage, if you aren't marrying the same man twice, its still a first marriage for the two of you. So live it up, and wear a long wedding gown.

6) Whoever catches the wedding bouquet keeps it.

Well, once maybe, but with the cost of flowers and such many brides prefer to save the bouquet or have it pressed. Many brides are opting for a smaller bouquet to toss, and that way you don't have to be uncomfortable in asking for it back.

So, ignore these "truths" and go ahead with your wedding plans. Watch wedding shows like "Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?" or even the infamous "Bridezillas" and see how their planners handle the debunking of all those wedding myths that can interfere with the enjoyment of your wedding. Later we will debunk even more wedding myths!