Wedding Layers

Your wedding gown is one of the most important things that you will ever purchase. To be sure, it is the most emotionally charged purchase of your life; not only is is the most that you will ever spend on one piece of clothing, but it has to make you feel the most beautiful that you have ever felt! This is a tall order for one gown, and to make sure that the entire experience of finding and ordering your dream dress is as happy as possible, check out this list of the top ten things that every bride needs to know before buying a wedding gown.

1. Do not shop with an entourage. It is only natural that everyone from your mom to your best friend to your old college roommate will want to get in on the fun of wedding gown shopping, but this is a definite case of too many cooks spoiling the soup. Plan to bring no more than two people with you to give their opinions. For every additional person that tags along, your chances of picking a gown that day decrease by about 25%. Choose your gown with only your most trusted friends or your mom, and let the rest of the gang come along to a fitting.
2. Most gown orders require a 50% deposit, and it is non-refundable and non-transferable. In other words, choose well, because once you put down that deposit, you are going to own that gown, even if you change your mind or heaven forbid, cancel your wedding. This is because once the bridal shop has ordered your gown from the designer, they will be unable to cancel it, and they do not want to end up stuck with a dress that was special ordered for a specific bride.
3. Alterations are not included in the price of a gown. This is because the cost will vary depending on exactly what you need to have done to make your gown fit perfectly. Some bridal salons will have set fees for each type of adjustment (ie, $250 for a hem or $75 for a bustle), but many do not, because altering one particular gown may be much harder than a different style. When all is said and done, it would not be unusual to spend over $500 on altering a designer gown.
4. You do not have to buy all of your accessories at the same time as the gown. Some bridal shops have reasonable prices on their veils and bridal jewelry, but others (especially in big cities) do not. Once you have your gown selected, you can take a bit of time and shop around online and at local boutiques that specialize in wedding accessories. It takes a much shorter time to order a pair of cultured pearl earrings than it does a made-to-order wedding gown. And unlike a dress, a pair of cultured pearl earrings will not require any alterations, so you really do not need the same lead time.
5. Speaking of lead times, order your gown at least six months before your wedding. Many take as long as four or five months to be delivered, and you need to allow time for alterations, as well.
6. Wedding gown sizing is not the same as regular dress sizing. This is one the best reasons to make sure that you are working with a knowledgeable salon rather than trying to order from a sketchy discounter that cannot help you order your gown in the proper size for the best fit.
7. Work with a bridal shop that has a good reputation. Check with the Better Business Bureau, get referrals from other brides, ask your vendors, and look for references and reviews online. Nothing can ruin a wedding like a bridal salon that does not deliver the dress on time!
8. Some salons can offer discounts or throw in accessories like a plain veil during a designer trunk show that they cannot offer at other times of the year. Check with your local salon to see what trunk shows they have coming up or look on the website of your favorite designer to find out where their trunk shows can be seen.
9. Photographs are generally not permitted of a gown until after you have ordered it, so leave your camera at home when gown shopping. There are simply too many knock-offs being made for a salon to risk having someone take a picture to copy a dress. Once you have placed your deposit, the shop will be more than happy to permit pictures for mom or friends who were not with you.
10. You don’t have to go crazy, but also don’t be afraid to splurge a little on a wedding gown that melts your heart. I have seen many cases of brides who were disappointed after they settled on a less expensive dress that they did not truly love, and no brides who were sorry to have treated themselves to the wedding gown of their dreams.

Finding the whole process of weddings and all the planning that goes into one fascinating, Laura writes about many of the considerations that brides have to deal with. Cultured pearl earrings are a timeless and beautiful accessory for a bride.

Author: Laura Firenze
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With wedding planning, it can get very hectic quickly. That’s why you need a “plan for your wedding planning” as odd as this may sound. You should determine early on what tasks will have to be completed to successfully plan the wedding on time and within budget.

Things to Do Very Early On

There are some things that just can’t wait when it comes to wedding planning. First, secure your photographer of choice with a money deposit. Once you have a wedding date set, you can talk with a photographer and schedule the photo session for your bridal portraits and secure their services for your wedding day. The reason you’ll want to book this very early is because photographers (really good ones) are usually booked months in advance, and many weddings are on weekend days.

Find a wedding dress early on as well so you’ll have time for fitting, ordering, and alterations (if needed). The bridesmaids will need plenty of time for their dresses so keep them informed also. Choose wedding colors and possibly a wedding theme before you start planning. Once you know the colors, you can start shopping for wedding favors and decorations early and possibly find some great bargains when you’re not in a rush.

Choose a Location for Your Wedding

Probably one of the most important things you’ll do is choose a location for your wedding. If having the wedding in a church, consider the types of decorations you will need and where you might hold the reception. If planning a wedding outdoors, you’ll have to take possible weather conditions into consideration – and do have a backup plan! Pick a location with great lighting, or plan to illuminate with additional lighting. The location is important to know how many decorations you will need, depending on the size of the building or area, and how many guests you can invite.

Hire a Wedding Director

A wedding director should be booked early on as well so you can be sure to have one when the day arrives. The director can help with last minute planning and the formalities of the ceremony. You’ll likely consider the director to be a lifesaver when the day finally arrives!

Order Decorations, Flowers, Invitations, and Wedding Party Gifts

The little details can cause big headaches if you don’t do these early on. You’ll need invitations early enough to address them and mail them at least a month ahead of the wedding date. Flowers and corsages should be ordered well in advance along with small appreciation gifts for the wedding party including bridesmaids, groomsmen, etc.

To save time and possibly money, you might be able to order many of the small wedding items online. There are thousands of wedding websites that carry almost every decoration, gift, or invitation you can think of at reasonable prices. The wedding websites also usually offer great tips on wedding planning for your benefit.

Don’t forget about the wedding rings, catering, wedding songs, reception decorations, punch, food, and of course, the wedding cake. These are all crucial parts of wedding planning and have to be taken care of early on to minimize stress. If you take care of the wedding planning far in advance, you’ll see things fall into place and be able to enjoy your wedding as it was meant to be!

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Wedding Planning Tips

Author: Chris Robertson
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You’ve gotten engaged and have set the wedding date and now it’s time to get down to business. All the planning and decisions can be overwhelming to the most organized and practical bride-to-be. There is help out there for you. Below are some suggestions of how to go about buying your wedding dress.

Q. How much time do I have before my wedding to look for my dress?

You should begin looking for the dress as soon as possible after the date date is set. It could take you awhile to find the “perfect” dress. Once you do find it, there is likely to be alterations that need to be done and accessories to be bought.

Q. Where can I look for a dress that offers a variety of styles at various prices?

Look in bridal magazines. The choice of dresses will depend greatly on the time of year your wedding will take place, the type of wedding you are planning, and your budget.

Q. Why do I need someone to come with me while I am looking for my wedding gown?

The reason for having someone with you is for moral support and to help you decide whether a dress is a good style for you or not. Besides it can be fun shopping with someone else.

Q. How much can I expect to put down on a deposit for my dress?

You can expect to put down at least half of the total price of your dress. It is a good idea to pay this portion of your dress with a credit card. If goes something seriously wrong with the purchase you might be able to negotiate reimbursement through your credit card company.

Q. I wear a size six dress but my wedding dress is a size 10, why is that?

The wedding dress designers each use a different sizing chart and these sizes tend to be a bit larger than typical sizes. It is best to look at and/or buy a dress that fits. If you lose weight it is easier to take the dress in than it is to increase its size.

Q. Do I need to have the things I will wear with my wedding dress when I go for a fitting?

Yes have what you will be wearing with you when you go for fittings. The undergarments including a slip or hoop skirts size could be affected if you wear something different. You will want to have the same good fit on your big day as you do during fittings.

Q. What should I look for in a wedding dress?

When you are looking for a dress make sure the buttons are secure.Turn the dress inside out and inspect all seams. Make sure the stitching of the seams is solid and that there are no gaps in stitching. Check the Beading and appliques to be sure they well stitched. If the beads are glued on you might consider another dress as the beads could fall off.

Q. How can I protect myself in the event something goes wrong with the purchase of my wedding dress?

The best way is to pay the deposit for your dress with a credit card. This way if the deposit is non-refundable as is the case in most places, you might be able to go through the credit card company. Also make sure you get your purchase order in writing so that if there is difficulty you can refer to it.

Q. Will I still be able to get a terrific dress if I am on a budget?

Yes you should be able to get a terrific dress no matter what your budget is. Some of the well-known wedding dress sellers will hold $99 sales or basement sales. Also, don’t just look at wedding dresses. Take a look at prom dresses. Designer knock-offs can be purchased at prices that are up to 50% less than the origin.

About the Author
Martin Smith is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of Wedding Dresses which includes Informal Wedding Dress, Discount Bridal Gowns, and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information

Author: Martin Smith
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When you order a new dress if it has beading/embroidery on the hem it should be provided in the exact length to fit you to avoid costly and very difficult alterations. You will need to wear your wedding shoes for the fitting. Ask if the shop assistant is experienced in measuring and fitting. A lot are not!

If you buy a sale dress that has beading and embroidery on the hem and you are too short for the dress you will need to get a definite quote from the shop for the cost of alteration. You could be looking at well over £100 plus for the hem alone and if you are looking to save money by buying a sale gown you do not want to spent a fortune on having it altered.

A tip here if you are ordering a new dress. When yours arrives examine it very carefully as if you were buying a dress from the rail. Check the inside of the bodice for marks and look under the hem for wear and dirt. Unscrupulous shop owners will try to sell as new their sample of gowns that are not getting many orders. This happens a lot in the bridal industry. If a shop has a sample dress that does not get many repeat orders the shop owner will try to get rid of it to the first person you likes it!

Check every inch of your dress and be sure that it is a new dress and not just the shop’s sample. Other signs of the dress having been tried on are a crumpled label, fraying on lacing and scuffed fabric on the hem, especially on the train.

If you are suspicious ask to see their sample (the one you tried on when ordering) If they haven’t got it hanging on the rail the chances are they are selling it to you as new!

Br brave and say that you are not happy with the dress and ask for contact details of the designer who supplied the dress. They will tell you if the shop have actually ordered you a new dress. I know it will be unpleasant but how much worse would you feel if you knew that dozens of other brides had tried on your special gown.

All bridal shops have dresses that are reduced in price. You may find the perfect dress for you in your size and be happy to buy it. Before you do so ask if the shop will have it cleaned for you because many customers may well have tried the dress on. I can tell you from experience that not all brides who try on wedding dresses bother to shower first!

If they refuse then examine the dress carefully, especially on the inside of the bodice and under the hem especially the train. Remember customers may have walked around the shop with the train dragging on the floor. Also look for loose beads or threads and ask to have them sewn on. Look for any marks and if it is not absolutely spotless then ask for a reduction to allow for you to have it cleaned. If the shop agree to have it cleaned ask to see the drycleaners bill because if the dress you buy is satin it can be stuffed into a washing machine and washed very easily!! This is done all the time.

It may cost as much as £80 for a specialist dry cleaner to clean the gown. Remember that silk gowns will cost more to be cleaned than satin. Be prepared to offer less than they are asking for the dress. It should be no more than half the usual price – it has been tried on and as a shop sample is not a new dress.

The wholesale price of the dress will be no more than a third of the retail price so if they are charging more than half price you are being ripped off. It is not a new dress!

The shop owner may try to persuade you that they can take in a dress for you. No wedding dress can be taken in more than two sizes before it shows. Bust seams will be ‘off’ and straps and sleeves will not be in the correct position. Unless the bodice of the dress is totally remade which will cost a lot of money do not accept a dress that is more than two sizes too large. A dress can be let out by a professional dressmaker by up to one size (2″) with reasonable satisfaction.

Another trick played by a few shops is to take out the netting (which holds out the skirt) from the dress and then sell you a hooped petticoat at an inflated price. All full skirted wedding dresses come with netting so if yours doesn’t then ring the designer whose number will be on their website and ask if the dress should have netting in it. Don’t be afraid to ask because this is a very mean trick played by just a few shops.

There are a lot of pitfalls for the bride to be who is unsuspecting of the many sneaky tricks which some unscrupulous shop owners will use. Of course many bridal shop owners would never dream of trying to cheat their customers but it is not easy to know which are the good and bad shops since no one knows if their dress was new or just a tried on sample.

http://www.princesssparkle.co.uk

Author: Sarah Hamilton
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Most women have dreamed about the day they would walk down the aisle since they were girls. Now they are engaged and the wedding day is approaching, it is time to start looking for the perfect wedding dress.

The first step is to start your search at least six months ahead of time. Remember, if you have to special order a wedding dress then it could take months not including the time for alterations. Just give yourself plenty of time just in case something unexpected comes up.

Step 2 is to make a list of all the wedding dresses you like from magazines, stores, websites and any other place you have looked. The best way is to create a folder and keep pictures of all the dresses and keep notes on the dress with the picture. If you like a dress but you would change something about it then keep notes so you won’t forget.

Step 3 is to start narrowing down your choice of wedding dress by choosing a style that is appropriate for the ceremony. Depending on your wedding style you might want to go with a formal evening wedding dress that is floor-length, in an ivory, white or cream color, a semi-formal dress that is without the train, or a less formal dress that may be shorter or even a two piece suit. There are many styles and colors to choose from and the sooner you choose the style the quicker you can start choosing the dress and doing the alterations.

The next step, step 4, is to start searching for the dress. Don’t rule out department stores as they have a wide variety of styles to choose from. Make sure you take an honest person you trust with you to give you the feedback you may not want to hear but you need to hear. Sometimes the wedding dresses you try on will look great but be unflattering on you. The dress must be comfortable and you must be able to move around in the dress easily. Try on a few dresses and a few designer gowns so you recognize the quality of the dress and then you can choose a dress in your price range of good quality.

Step 5 is to set a budget for your wedding dress now that you have tried on and seen many dresses. You can buy a wedding dress off the rack starting at about $250 and spend as much as $10,000 for a designer dress. Check with bridal stores that are having sales or may have a discontinued styles or overstocks.

The final step in choosing your wedding dress is to put down a deposit on your dress. Make sure to get an itemized invoice stating every detail of the dress and the services to be performed on the dress such as alterations. Specify a due date for your dress and state that the deal can be canceled if the dress isn’t delivered by a specific date.

Get more information from Cynthia at Wedding-Reviews.com She has listed great wedding speeches in the Wedding Speeches section.

Author: Cynthia Bell
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Planning a wedding is an expensive affair. The expenses can easily skyrocket if you don’t have a set budget to follow. With all the money you’ll be shelling out, does this mean you should settle for a subpar wedding dress? Our answer: a big, resounding no!

Picking out the perfect wedding dress is one of the most important wedding-related decisions you have to make. Your wedding is a momentous time in your life and your dress should be equally memorable. Since you’re already spending so much, you may feel disheartened and rather inclined to scrimp on your gown to save money.

You may already have your heart set on a gorgeous designer wedding dress, but alas, your budget won’t permit it. Well, there’s a way for you to get a designer wedding dress that fits your budget, and it doesn’t involve robbing a boutique!

Find a Fabulous Designer Wedding Dress for Less

If your heart is set on going designer, then you can get a great designer wedding dress even with modest finances. The following are some tips and ideas to help you find a fabulous designer wedding dress for less.

Tip 1: The number one rule when picking a reasonably priced designer wedding dress is to pick one with a simple design.

Instead of going for a frivolous and unnecessarily extravagant designer wedding dress, opt for a simple and basic wedding dress instead. Remember, the more frills and fabric, the more expensive the gown. A sheath wedding gown or a mermaid wedding dress is more financially advisable than a beaded and ribboned ball gown.

Tip 2: Pick a wedding dress that fits you well and flatters your body shape.

You’re bound to look a thousand times better in a simple designer sheath wedding dress that fits well and flatters your figure, than in a frilly ball gown with a heavily beaded royal train. Remember to choose a dress with an excellent fit and that works well with your body shape to avoid spending hundreds of dollars on alterations.

Tip 3: Keep in mind that less is more.

Instead of picking a designer wedding dress with an incredible amount of embellishments, choose a gown with few embellishments and decorations. The more intricate the gown, the greater your expenses. A minimalist approach to designer wedding dresses ensures that you get a wonderful designer dress with an excellent price tag.

If your heart is set on having a designer wedding dress with embellishments, then pick a dress with embellishments where people can see them. What’s the use of having expensive beading on your dress if it’s hidden on the hemline instead of showcased on the bodice?

Tip 4: Know when to shop.

Once your man pops that question and you have the engagement ring to prove it, you can start looking for the right designer wedding dress. When designer wedding dress hunting, timing can be everything. The best time to shop for your designer garb is when there’s a sample sale.

If you shop during this time, you’ll find that most bridal boutiques cut the prices of their lovely designer dresses to get rid of excess inventory. Take advantage of this situation, and stop worrying about fashion trends. Believe us when we tell you that your guests won’t know or mind if your wedding dress was from last season.

Tip 5: Know where to shop.

While bridal boutiques allow you to try on their designer wear, you’ll save more money staying at home and buying your designer wedding dress online. There are numerous online dress shops that offer designer wedding dresses at discounted prices. Another advantage of shopping for your designer garment online is that you get to compare prices from different providers.

If you’re making your purchase online, just make sure you get the right dress size. You may want to get your measurements taken in a bridal boutique or by your seamstress to help you figure out your actual size before you place any online orders.

Follow these tips to help you locate the perfect designer wedding dress that won’t drain your bank account. Looking gorgeous has never been so affordable!

All women have been waiting for this memorable day, and to have the grandest wedding you need the best Wedding Tips. To help you with this, please visit fancyweddingattire.com

Author: Dennis Paguio
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