Wedding Layers

Planning for your wedding gown preservation takes work on your part. When the wedding is over, your job will be to get your gown clean and preserved. The cost of preserving wedding dresses may vary depending on several factors. When you understand the process of repairing, cleaning, preserving and storing of your dress, you’ll be better able to make the best decision for your wedding gown preservation.

Depending on what you are planning on doing with your wedding dress will depend on the type of cleaning and/or preservation you will need. However getting it cleaned is important whether you plan to keep your wedding dress or sell it on eBay or CraigsList.

Why do you need to clean your wedding gown? Everyone, especially brides under stress perspire. Your wedding gown, from your first fitting through your reception, is subjected to deodorant, perfumes and sweat. The day of the wedding will bring extra dirt from the train dragging around the floor during the ceremony, sitting at the and just walking around. Wedding dress cleaning is crucial to the preservation of your gown. The faster this cleaning takes place the better chance you have of the stains not “setting in” the fabric.

First before the gown is cleaned it shouls be carefully looked at by a seamstress. Any missing beads should be tied off or replaced and any damage to the hemline or other parts on the dress should be repaired before the gown is cleaned. Most good cleaning facilities will not clean your gown until these repairs are made.

You will discover various options for having your wedding gown cleaned. If you decide to choose a local dry cleaner, ask who actually do the cleaning of the gown. You don’t want your wedding gown leaned with other people’s clothing. some local dry cleaners send the dresses out to a national company that specializes in wedding gown cleaning. This is your best option, because most local dry cleaners don’t have the right equipment and space for the proper cleaning and care of your gown.

Next question you need to answer is where are you going to store your wedding gown after the wedding? The best solution for your gown is in a cardboard box. It is better to have the gown lain down and relaxed lying in a box. The very best is to gently wrap it in acid free tissue paper and folded it neatly to fit in a special acid-free box. You don’t want to hang the dress, some gowns can weigh as much as 20 pounds and even if you use a hanger that is padded, over the years the stress of the weight on the fabric will take it’s toll.

Do not store your wedding gown in a plastic bag. The petroleum can react with the gown. When storing your dress you will want to store it away from excessive heat in an attic and basement.

The cost of wedding gown preservation may be as high as $300.00. Some gowns that are covered with intricate bead work, embroidery and lace require special care in the cleaning process. Shop around locally and online. Ask questions about the cleaning and preservation process. If you have a good knowledge it will help you make the best choice for preserving your gown, you never know your gown may someday be worn by your daughter or granddaughter.

Erlene Clifton has owned Celestial Selection Bridal Salon for 9 years. Visit her store website for more information http://www.celestialselections.com or http://www.wedding-gown-preservation.net for your wedding gown preservation needs.

Author: Erlene Clifton
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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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
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Every bride has a vision of her wedding party as they walk down the aisle. You have a color in mind, a style and your maids have been carefully chosen. Shopping for your bridesmaid dresses should be easy, but its not. Maids or mom do not like the style, the color or the fabric. Take the sting out of shopping for your bridesmaid dresses by keeping in mind your maids body shape and their budget.

Pre shop for your maids with just ONE trusted friend, the maid of honor, your sister or your mother. Look at the different styles, colors and fabrics and narrow down your choices to no more than three dresses. Then make an appointment with the salon to bring your maids to pick THE dress, giving all the maids a choice and a vote.

When pre shopping, its really important to keep your maids body shape in mind. Happy maids equal a happy wedding. If they are uncomfortable in the style you have chosen, you will have problems. You need to concentrate on dresses that will flatter their figures, are within their budget and whether they want to wear the dress again. If you choose a knee length dress, they will have to buy matching shoes which needs to be added to their budget costs.

No one has a bridal party where everyone is built the same or has perfect figures. Every body shape is different. and none are perfect. What will flatter your size 8 sister may look awful on a size 20 best friend. If you have a large busted maid, you can not expect her to go bra-less in a plunging neckline. She will be uncomfortable, you will be uncomfortable.

Do not hesitate to ask your bridal consultant for help in choosing dresses that will flatter your maids. Tell the consultant the range of sizes, keeping in mind that their regular size will not be the same in a maids dress. Maids dresses run smaller because they are cut directly to the body, there is no ease or wiggle room in the dress. If your friend is a size 12 in regular clothes and you order a size 12, chances it will not fit her. Bridesmaid dresses are sized by measurements and they run small.

If one of your maids is a plus size, she will have to pay extra for a larger size. It is a manufacturers charge, it costs more money to produce because they use more fabric. You need to keep her in mind when choosing a dress. You do not want to put a plus size gal in a mermaid silhouette unless she is built perfectly in proportion. You also do not want to put any pear shaped or larger hipped maid in a sleek mermaid silhouette. It will not flatter them. Instead, choose a softly flowing A line skirt that flows over the hips. Your maid will look slimmer, she will be comfortable and you will be happier.

If you have a maid who is very large busted, avoid plunging necklines or any dress neckline where she can not wear a strapless bra. Many of today’s strapless dresses have built in bras and detachable spaghetti straps. Be aware that some maids will still have to wear a strapless bra. Look for a dress with a straight across strapless neckline that comes up high enough on the bodice to hid the cleavage.

If you have maids that are thick in the waistline, look for empire waist or baby doll dresses. Wrapped waist dresses that wrap to the side of the dress are very slimming and give the illusion of having a smaller waistline.

If you have a maid that is very small busted, bra cups sewn into her dress can even up her figure. It is a very common alteration and very inexpensive.

If your maids want to wear the dress again, the truth is that they probably will not because a bridesmaid dress is a formal dress. However, if you choose a color that they can wear again and a simple elegant style, they can. Long dresses can be shortened to knee or tea length. Brooches can be unpinned, straps or a little jacket or shawl can be worn with it. If you INSIST on putting them in baby pink poofy rouched pick up skirts, make sure they are all up for it and can afford the expenditure before you commit to the purchase.

Another thing to keep in mind is that not all dresses and styles come in all colors. If you just have to have a color, you will waste a lot of time shopping and limit yourself to very few choices. Instead, shop for the style and pick a shade variation based on your color choice. And please consider whether the color will be flattering on your bridesmaids.

The quality of the dress does matter. If you fall in love with a bridesmaid dress your maids can not afford, and you see a knock off of the dress for a ridiculously low price, it is not going to be the same dress you saw in a salon. The fit will be different, the cut will be different, the fabric will be different. It probably will not have that cool built in bra or enough support to keep the girls in place. It probably will wrinkle more than the original because they are using lower grade fabric. If you do not see it and can not touch it, please do not buy it sight unseen. You will save yourself and your bridesmaids a lot of disappointment.

Rose Trifero is an internationally known expert in the field of weddings and bridal fashions. She has been involved in the industry for over 31 years and has written and been quoted in national bridal magazines including Vows, the magazine for bridal professionals. She has also spent 31 years running a bridal salon. She is also the force behind http://www.beachbride2be.com, a source of information for destination weddings and http://www.WeddingLoco.com a free wedding planning site.

Author: Rose Trifero
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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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
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Cool mobile gadgets

You will certainly need a gown for your wedding. There are a lot of choices. And there are also plenty of styles for you to choose. Some may even go for a gown designer to design her own wedding gown. In fact, one of the choices of gowns which is quite a good choice is a vintage gown.

A vintage gown can indeed very stylish and looks more unique and beautiful than the new designs. And many people indeed love the quality of vintage items. It will be excellent and deliver a special meaning to your wedding if you can wear your mother’s gown which was make say in the early 70′s.

You can imagine, if it is possible, it will be even better if your mother’s gown can even pass to your daughter. The meaning of the gown becomes extremely special. Of course it may be a bit difficult since fabric deteriorates with time. But the idea itself is already extremely amazing and romantic.

However, if the above idea of taking your mother’s gown cannot be your choice for some reason, it can also be a good idea to buy a vintage gown. A vintage gown is usually cheaper than a new one (I bet it is because a vintage gown is a used one). In fact, the price of a vintage gown ranges from $300 to $3000. It mainly depends on the style, age and condition of the gown you choose.

Besides, the vintage gowns I refer to are mainly gowns made after the 40′s. Because the gown deteriorates with time, it will be nearly impossible to have a wearable gown which is made in the 19th century. And as a result, I will suggest you to go for gowns which are made after the 40′s. Sometimes you may be able to find a beautiful and wearable gown which is made in late 19th century but it is really a luck if you can find such a gown.

You may be now comparing the difference between a vintage one and a totally new one with modern style. If you are planning to buy a vintage gown, you should try to educate yourself with different styles of vintage gown first. They are usually sorted by age and you may need to do a little research on web for the styles in different times.

You may prefer a gown which is made in the 70′s rather another one made in the 50′s. And this is why you must learn a bit about that first. Besides, you should bear the following issues in mind:

1. Stick to a shop which is of good reputation.
2. If alteration is needed, it will be probably going down instead of going up.
3. Never order it if you do not know the condition of it.
4. Never buy a gown with stains.
5. While trying the gown in a shop, try it delicately.
6. Ask for every detail (e.g. size, condition, and ask for a lot of photos of the gown) if you are ordering from an online shop.

You may also consider making a new one which reproduces the vintage style. However, as a designer myself, I will rather stick to a real vintage one since it delivers a quality that cannot be described with words.

Author: Jerry Leung
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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