Paisley's "Do-It-Yourself" Wedding Kit

Paisley's Do-It-Yourself Wedding Kit
Choosing What to Wear

It's hard to know where to start when discussing wedding wearables. Everyone has their own taste, a different body shape, a style of wedding in mind. In the end, though, all brides want the same thing: to look fabulous on their wedding day.

I remember my mother and I looking at someone's wedding photos, and throughout the collection of them, the bride was stunning and we ooohhed and ahhhhed over how beautiful she looked. She was so happy, so excited, just so incredible... and it wasn't until years later, when passing by a small portrait of this woman in our parlor that I took a good look at what she was wearing. I don't recall seeing an uglier gown in all my life. Plus it was ill-fitting, which never helps. When I mentioned to my mom how we never noticed how wrong the gown was for this particular bride, she said, "It doesn't matter what the bride wears on her wedding day, because all brides look beautiful." I've never forgotten that - especially since I've found it's true. It's the woman inside the gown who make the dresses look good, not the other way around.

With that in mind, let's start with a few tips to keep in mind while choosing the gown that you will make beautiful:

Start looking for your gown early, one year to 9 months before the big day is ideal since you'll be doing a lot of shopping around, and the store where you finally buy the gown will need a lot of time to order and alter your dress.
Even though huge numbers of brides - something like 75% - buy the very first gown they try on, make sure that you try on styles you wouldn't be caught dead in. Sometimes they look frightening on the hanger, but dreamy on the person. Don't be afraid to try on different styles, either. What have you got to lose by trying them on? Only a chance at the "perfect" dress.
Check references and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for info on any store you might buy your dress from.
Bring a friend or relative you trust. Don't bring along your sulky, jealous cousin or else you might end up buying a very costly dress that would look better on the dog. Beware of bringing fathers... although I did and he was wonderful to have there as a dress-gauge, sometimes a dad will get one glimpse of his little girl in a cloud of tulle and get misty. So if there's any danger of you crying with your Daddy in public, leave him at home. Along with anyone else who might upset you, or give you bad advice.
Speaking of bad advice, remember that salespeople work for the store to make money. They will attempt to sell you whichever gown you happen to have on, the most expensive gown, or any number of "essential things" the store carries. They might try to sell you a much larger gown than you need so that they can charge you extra for alterations. If anyone from the store pressures you, mistreats or insults you, run (do not walk) from that store and buy your dress somewhere else.
When shopping for gowns, consider a "rental" store if you don't want to shell out hundreds (or thousands!) of dollars for something you'll just pull apart to make curtains from. Wedding gown rental stores are becoming more popular, which means that most places will have a fairly good selection to keep competitive with the other stores.
Check to see if the store offers discounts to the other bridal party members (male and/or female) if you buy your dress there. The store I bought my gown at gave the groom's tuxedo rental free! You might even be able to grab a percentage discount if all your bridesmaids buy their dresses at the same store, too. Remember that their dresses are mighty expensive, too... don't force them into anything ugly for all the times you had to wear a horrendous bridesmaid gown.
Keep in mind any alternatives you might have dreamed up - maybe you've always wanted to look like Cinderella, or have a specific mini-dress or untraditional style in mind. If you can't find what you want, definately feel free to explore elsewhere.
Themed weddings (country and western, royal, or a wedding based on a shared interest of the couple - I knew one woman whose husband was a professional clown, and the bridal party wore big red foam noses) might need a little more time or careful planning to allow for special outfits. Ever shared walking space with a woman wearing a square-dancing crinoline? It's enough to make you wonder about the safety of your guests in the aisle seats. Anyway, give yourself enough time to make sure the entire ceremony will accomodate whatever costumes or related plans you have for a themed wedding.
Planning a "historically-themed" wedding? You might need extra time to get the wedding outfits for everyone. Unless you live near a costume rental store that has period clothing for the exact time in history you want, in everyone's sizes, you'll probably have to get a seamstress to make your attire. Since most people who have a themed wedding have thought about having one for a long time, they're usually on top of it when their engagement is announced. They know how 'Guinevere' they want to look, and skip the gown shops in favour of finding a good rental shop or seamstress.
Even if you aren't planning a medieval wedding, you still might want to create your own work of art and then wear it to your wedding. In which case, you'll need even more time - give yourself at least a year before the big day, for most seamstresses (especially if you plan on getting married during the popular spring/summer months). Choose your seamstress carefully, check references and the BBB for info, and make sure that you ask around. You don't want to find out at the last minute that the seamstress hasn't gotten around to even starting your gown, or that she is unable to sew a sleeve. Satisfied and dis-satisfied customers alike will let you know about their seamstress escapades, if you ask.
Some brides, especially the super-finicky obsessive ones, will lie about their wedding date so that they can be assured they will get their gowns (etc.) on time. This also allows for any miscommunication, correction of mistakes, and so forth. It's not something I would do or recommend, but it's a suggestion to consider: Tell the person you are ordering from that your wedding date is two weeks before it actually is.

Should any salespeople or seamstresses treat you poorly, deliver shoddy goods or services, or break contracts, remember to call your local BBB and file a complaint. A great way to get some honest revenge on an unscrupulous company is to make sure that other prospective customers know that they shouldn't be doing business with them! Just remember that these people work for you, and if you do your research and start early, you should be able to avoid manymanymany pitfalls.

Bridal Accessories

It's a common adage that the bride must carry "Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue" down the aisle with her. These traditional items are best personalized and left up to the bride and her own level of sentimentality. However, there are a few items which most brides choose to wear as a part of their wedding day ensemble...

Headpieces
Headpieces are varied in size, shape, and style. Remember to choose one that will accentuate your hairstyle for the day, and that bigger is not always better. You don't want to be mistaken for a cockatoo, and you don't want to be dusting the ceiling with your plumage. The headpiece is something that will most likely be in every picture taken, so choose carefully.

The Veil
Believe it or not, there are even rules for veil "etiquette". Style of dress and what time of day the wedding occurs usually dictates which length of veil you wear, and the style. Feel free to go against whatever rules you think are ridiculous (except, of course, if you are bound to them by tradition or religion).

Shoes
Since I don't have much style when it comes to shoes, and don't pretend to know or care what should be on your little piggies when you get married, I only have one thing to say: Go for comfort, not looks. I got married in dangerous but very cute double-strap white satin heels... and danced the night away at the reception in black 3-hole Doc Martens. Blisters and pinched toes do not a happy bride make, so choose carefully or do as I did and bring a pair of comfy shoes for later.

There are many other options for wedding wear other than the traditional wedding gown and veil. You might be the proud owner of your great-grandmother's wedding dress, have a friend or relative's old dress available to alter, or maybe you've been married before and wish to wear something completely different: casual, themed, business, or beach attire. Whichever avenue you choose, rest assured that you will look absolutely beautiful... so befitting a bride on her wedding day, don't you agree?

Do you have a suggestion for a unique wedding attire tip to add to the ones I've created here? Get in touch and I'll add it. Let me know if you have any questions or found these pages helpful!