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Re:FF News: My Perfect Wedding Dress 3 Days, 8 Hours ago Karma: 0
One of the biggest decisions you will face as the big day approaches is choosing the perfect wedding dress. The process of shopping for a wedding dress can be a fabulous adventure, but it can also be stressful and overwhelming--particularly because a bride-to-be often starts shopping for her gown before many other details are determined.

You might have had a clear mental picture of the perfect wedding dress ever since you were five years old. On the other hand, you may have no idea what you are going to wear or feel strange about the idea of wearing white. The important thing is to relax, and remember that there are as many different kinds of dresses out there as there are different kinds of brides.

When to Start Shopping for Your Wedding Dress Give yourself ample time to plan- generally the rule of thumb is that you need to order your gown at least six months before your wedding. So you should ideally start shopping for your gown nine months or more before your wedding. (If you don't have this much time, it's okay, just budget for some rush charges).

Plan Ahead Take a few minutes to think about what you want. It will be helpful when you enter the maze of wedding dresses out there to know what your budget is, any details that are essential (i.e. I must have a full skirt, or my arms must be covered), and an idea of how traditional you want your dress to be. After all, if really a teal pantsuit would work best for you, it's probably not worth your time to sort through racks of flouncy white gowns.

--Footprints Filmworks Advert--

Be Comfortable! On your wedding day, you'll want to look great, but you'll also want to be comfortable- it will be hard to dance and laugh (not to mention posing for all those pictures) if you're tugging your dress up or have boning jutting into your ribs.

First- consider which wedding dress is most appropriate to your day – for example, consider a shorter tea-length or cocktail length dress for a beach wedding. If you're the type who likes to dance with her hands in the air, and anticipates doing the limbo, perhaps a strapless dress is not the one for you. Look for wedding dresses with removable sleeves or straps to give you the widest range of options.

A Dress that Fits Your Body Well Think about your body type and what kinds of dresses generally look good on you. Take a look at what you regularly wear that makes you feel confident and beautiful, and then look for a wedding dress with similar lines. If a friend is making your wedding dress, ensure that you have agreed on a fitting schedule and chances to make adjustments. If you're looking for a bargain at a sample sale, or discount outlet, you should budget money for taking the dress to a good tailor. Many designers will ask for three fittings, and will closely tailor your wedding dress to fit you.

Saving Money on Your Wedding Dress If money is an issue, remember that the most expensive kind of dress is not necessarily the best kind. Many brides find a bridesmaids dress in white or off-white that works perfectly, and is hundreds of dollars cheaper. There are thousands of dresses to be had at sample sales, thrift stores, and ebay. Consider taking pictures from magazines to a friend who sews or seamstress and getting a price quote. If you choose to make your own dress, don't delay. The sooner you finish it, the sooner you'll be able to attend to the many other details of your wedding.

Most of all, remember this is your wedding day. Wear whatever makes you comfortable and feels like you. And have fun shopping for your wedding dress. It should be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

SA President Omar Abdulla says that he was planning a re-union with his wife this month and invited guests to the 'new-wedding...'

Shopping for the perfect wedding dress can be one of the easiest tasks you ever undertake, or it can be a time-consuming, nail-biting experience. Most brides find that their experience lands somewhere in the middle. It helps to have some idea of the kind of dress you're looking for before you leave the house. In order to know this, you need to know where your wedding is going to take place; so until you book your ceremony, the dress will have to wait.

Where is the best place to shop for a dress? Do people still go to bridal salons when the Internet has made everything so convenient? What kinds of things do you need to look out for when making a purchase of this magnitude? This section will give you all the information you need to have in order to be an educated bride in search of the perfect dress.
Church Bells or Sea Shells?

Before you can even think about making appointments at dress shops and trying on gowns, you have to know where you're headed for the ceremony. Your destination is the number one factor in deciding which kind of dress you'll wear.

“Well, that's just silly!” you say. “I can wear whatever I want! It's my wedding!” In theory, this is true. It also might make sense to you to go looking for a dress before you finalize any other plans, especially if your mom is only in town for one weekend, or if you know it will take you months to find the right look. Your destination is part of the look, however, and you have to make sure the dress suits the setting. You just cannot wear a brocade gown with a twenty-foot train to your beach wedding. Not only will you be way overdressed, but you'll also probably faint from the heat. If that particular kind of dress has always been your dream and is the one thing you can't do without, then choose a more appropriate location (like a grand cathedral), where it will blend in with the setting.

If you're choosing a very long or large dress, really give some thought as to how well you'll be able to deal with shipping the dress ahead of you. If you just know that you would be a nervous wreck waiting to see if the dress makes it to your wedding on time, go with something simpler that you can pack in your suitcase.
E~Alert

When choosing a gown for your destination wedding, look for an easy-to-care-for fabric. Satin can be an absolute nightmare to de-wrinkle, for instance, but linen, cotton, and even silk can be smoothed out relatively easily by the resort's staff once you arrive at your location. Check with your wedding coordinator to ensure that the resort offers on-site pressing services.
Bridal Salons

You'll probably be pleasantly surprised to learn that many labels are embracing the destination wedding trend and designing less formal gowns that pack and travel well. It's best to call a bridal salon before stopping by. These shops usually have a fairly small staff, and you want to make sure that someone will be available to hunt through all of the dresses and narrow down your choices for you. The dress consultant will ask about your wedding so that she knows which dresses to bring to you, so again, before you go dress shopping, know where you're headed for your wedding!

What do you need to watch out for in a salon? Price gouging. Some salons will remove the tags from gowns for two reasons: first, so that you can't go down the street to another salon and compare prices; and second, so you don't know what size you're trying on. In a very worst-case scenario, a salon may try to increase its profit margin by convincing a woman that a certain dress tends to run small, so the bride should order it two sizes larger than she would normally wear. When the dress arrives and is falling off the bride, she has no choice but to pay for extensive (and ultra-expensive) alterations.

Full-service bridal salons tend to be more expensive than their cut-rate counterparts. Yes, it's nice to sit on a plush settee and sip champagne and eat pastries while you're talking to your mom and sister about which dress is prettiest, but you're paying for all of the niceties in the dress markups. That's not to say it's a good thing or a bad thing; it's just the way it is.
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You can reduce the risk of dealing with a disreputable dress shop by asking for references from friends who have recently purchased their wedding gowns. They can tell you which shops are good, and which ones you should stay away from.

Before you sign a contract for the dress, read through it carefully.

Take special note of the following information:

*

Deposit and balance. How much did you put down, how much do you owe, and when do you need to pay the balance? It should be there in black and white.
*

Delivery information. When will this dress be delivered? The date should be on the contract.
*

Shipping address. The dress should be shipped to the shop, not to you. If it arrives at your home damaged, you're going to have a heck of a time getting a replacement or refund. If it arrives damaged at the shop, it's their problem.
*

The size. Make sure the correct size is on the contract! You don't want to end up paying for alterations because a too-big dress was ordered. Likewise, if a too-small dress arrives and your signature is on that contract, that dress belongs to you.

It's advisable to use your credit card when paying for your dress. If something goes awry, you've got added protection in the form of your credit card company, which will help fight a monetary dispute for you (at least to some extent).
Discount Shops and Department Stores

--Footprints Filmworks Advert--

Discount bridal shops are a booming industry. Brides have come to their senses and now ask themselves, “Why am I paying so much money for a dress I'm going to wear once?” The dresses in these shops tend to be last season's models or dresses with slight imperfections. They still look great; they just cost less. The drawback here is that you may not find exactly what you're looking for. You may be tempted to go with a dress because of its low price and not because it's particularly flattering. We'll talk more about choosing a dress that suits you well later in this chapter.

If you're looking for a fairly simple dress, you may also be able to find one in a nice department store. The downside here is that unless the dress fits you perfectly, you may have to hunt down your own seamstress and pay for alterations, which will pretty much offset any money you've saved by shopping in the mall. Chances are, though, that you're going to have to pay for alterations on any dress, so it's a wash.
Internet Shopping

When you buy a sweater online, do you wonder if it's going to look as good when it arrives as it does online? You can't really tell if it fits until you get it, and even if it does fit, the fabric might just be a little chintzy.

Some brides are so brave that they shoot right past the sweater shopping and order their wedding gowns on the Internet! While this may seem like a good way to save time and money, you really shouldn't take this kind of chance unless you've already done a good amount of research and you know the exact brand, style number, and size of the dress you're after. You really need to try on dresses to make sure the sizes run true, which means you probably have already invested some serious time in this venture. Therefore, the theory of saving time is out.

Abdulla says that a wedding was a great way of celebrating ones life and a bride's dress is 'the most important,' element...

If the dress you've ordered online arrives damaged (or is the wrong size or style), you might have some serious problems on your hands, depending on the Web site's shipping and return policies, so make sure you check them out extremely carefully before ordering a dress in cyberspace. At the very least, if you need to make a return, you'll probably be out some shipping charges, which can be very expensive when you're talking about insured, weighty packages.
E~Question

Will there be other costs associated with buying a wedding dress in addition to what's on the price tag?

Most likely. Your wedding dress is probably going to need some alterations to ensure that it fits you perfectly. Alterations are expensive and you're going to have to find a seamstress. So there's more time invested, and more money. Make sure you allow for these extra expenses in your budget.

--Footprints Filmworks Advert--

Bottom line: This is not the best way to buy something as significant as your wedding dress. If you do decide to go this route, find out which state the business is based in and then do another Internet search for that state's Better Business Bureau. Type the company's name into the search box and see what pops up.
Dressmakers

For that one-of-a-kind dress that you design yourself, look for a reputable dressmaker in your area — but look early. A good dressmaker may be booked a year (or more) in advance. Make sure she knows that your dress will travel with you so that the two of you can choose the best style and fabric for your gown.

--Footprints Filmworks Advert--

While the bride should be encouraged to take pity on her attendants and choose a dress that each of them can actually afford, in the end, this is not really your problem. Neither you nor the bride will be responsible for the cost of the bridesmaids' dresses. You'll be looking for your own dress and helping the bride to find her best look. Some brides (and MOBs) opt to put their dress near the top of their financial priority list, thinking that they'll be on display all day and that they only get to buy this kind of dress once. While this may be true, there are ways to dress to kill without emptying your wallet in the process.
Take Your Time

Starting early is, of course, going to make things easier on you when you're looking for your own dress, and it's going to give the bride lots of time to mull things over when she's looking for hers. If she decides to order through a dress shop, she'll need to do so at least six months prior to the wedding, so the sooner she gets moving on the search for the perfect wedding fashion statement, the better.

Encourage her to explore all avenues before she decides on a dress. If she's dead set against buying a gown through a bridal store, she should start looking for a dress as soon as the ring hits her finger. Sure, it takes less time to purchase an off-the-rack dress from a boutique or department store, but if she doesn't find anything there, and she's only started looking a couple of months before the wedding, she's going to be in trouble.
Hunting for Bargains

Obviously, buying a gown at a bridal warehouse is going to be cheaper than buying that same dress through a bridal shop; that's why prospective brides place themselves in the middle of the competitive atmospheres that are a part of these shops. One word of advice you should offer to her: Cheap is good; flattering is mandatory. She might snag a designer dress at a rock-bottom price, but if it doesn't look good on her, the money she's spent on it is a waste. No one will be reading the tag of her dress, after all, or be gossiping about the designer of the gown; guests will either be in awe of the bride's beauty (if she has chosen a complementary dress) or confused as to why she chose a gown that doesn't suit her at all.

Abdulla says that his wedding was over three days celebrating four different religions as the 'epic-of-his-eye...'

If she'd rather not slog her way through the racks in the warehouses, she might opt to visit the local bridal shops. Are there bargains to be found here, or should the two of you resign yourself to paying full price for any dress within the confines of those walls? You could get lucky and find a real deal — but you may also have to ask for the specials. Bridal stores run end-of-season discount sales; sometimes they have off-the-rack sample gowns for sale. Sales are usually advertised; the leftovers from these sales may sit until someone specifically comes looking for them.
Essential

The bride who's looking to save a buck on her dress may want to start by asking friends and relatives if she can borrow their old wedding gown. Most women have their dress stored away somewhere and would be honored to be of assistance in this manner.

A bride who is looking for something a little less formal might find the perfect dress in the bridesmaids' racks. Some of these dresses are very elegant and are available in ivory — at much lower prices than the typical wedding dress. If your daughter is pursuing this option, she should also take a look in department stores and boutiques for evening gowns that could double as wedding wear.
Here Comes the Dress … Again

While many brides are insistent on having the dress of their dreams to have and to hold (in a box in their closet) from this day forward, others see the logic in spending far less for the dress they'll wear for one day and then pack away. These brides don't even care if their dress is brand-new, which opens up another world of opportunity for them.

--Footprints Filmworks Advert--

Bridal consignment shops specialize in recycling wedding dresses. If your daughter is in the market for a used dress, she can pop into one of these stores and browse around. If there's nothing to her liking (or nothing that fits), the storeowner can keep her eyes peeled for something that meets the description your daughter has given her.

Rental shops are one way to really keep costs low. Some bridal shops offer rental gowns, while some shops send their older gowns out to be rented. If you and the bride are dealing with a bridal shop but are thinking about renting, ask the owner about these other options.
Question

What about saving money on the mother of the bride dress?

Your options are very similar to the bride's. Start early and keep an open mind. Ask for discounts. Look for sales. Ask your friends about borrowing their MOB dress. Consider renting. Above all, make sure you look stunning in whatever you choose.

Renting a gown has its disadvantages, however. The bride will be choosing from a smaller selection of dresses (which is also one disadvantage to shopping in consignment stores); also, many shops won't do extensive alterations on their rental dresses, so the gown may not fit her as well as a purchased dress would.

Is it wise to buy a dress online, either through an auction or a designer or shop's website? These dresses may be incredibly cheap, but the bride obviously can't try them on; it's also likely that she won't be able to return a dress that just doesn't fit. (Though she can, of course, resell the gown if need be.) If she can handle the possible negative outcomes of this transaction, it may be worth her time and effort.
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Re:FF News: My Perfect Wedding Dress 0 Minutes ago Karma: 0
Choosing wedding dresses is one of life's most pleasurable dilemmas. Getting it right, however, takes some planning - and a little expert advice. Here's a crash course in bridal wear with some wedding dress tips. Your wedding dresses provides a chance to dress completely different than you do on any other day in your life, so feel free to pursue your bridal fantasies when you start shopping. Experiment with different styles to see what suits your figure, and don't rule anything out based on how it looks on a hanger — many wedding dresses look odd without a figure filling them out. How formal is your wedding? Generally, the more formal the wedding, the more formal the bride's wedding dresses. Also, keep the season of your wedding in mind, since some wedding dress fabrics might be too heavy or light for certain times of the year.

Consider your comfort, both physical and emotional. All eyes will be on you throughout your big day, so this might not be the best occasion to wear your first strapless wedding dresses. And a body-skimming sheath won't let you kick up your heels on the dance floor as freely as you might like. In each wedding dress you try on (and later at the actual fittings), try sitting, dancing, and hugging. Wave your arms around to make sure the shoulders and sleeves aren't binding. Pay attention to weight — will wearing pounds of beading leave you exhausted? Will a full skirt present a tripping hazard? Does the wedding dresses shape cry out for a higher heel than you care to wear? In general, try to visualize yourself wearing the wedding dress throughout your ceremony and reception. When the picture is right, you'll know it. Have the Wedding Dress Flatter Your Figure Wearing the right cut for your body type can highlight your best features and downplay those you’re concerned about.
No Regrets: Finding The Perfect Wedding Dress

--Footprints Filmworks Advert--

Don't make up your mind for or against any wedding dress without trying it on. Hangers just don't do justice to some wedding dresses, and others may not flatter your figure as you'd hoped. It's nice to bring your mother or maid of honor along for a second opinion (and some major bonding) while wedding gown shopping, but make sure you stay true to your own style and aren't swayed by their comments, or by those of the salespeople. Do not allow yourself to be talked into anything — if you're not positive about a wedding dress, keep looking. Don't worry if you feel a touch of buyer's remorse after you choose your wedding dress — it's a big commitment and it's natural to wonder if you made the right choice. Focus on how you felt when the wedding dress was on and you realized it was the one, and the doubts will fade away.
Top trends:
- Bare arms. The look of the moment is sleeveless, with a tank bodice or narrow straps, regardless of the season. Strapless wedding dresses are also popular, often paired with a wrap made of a length of sheer fabric.
- A-line, sheath and bias-cut shapes. Cinderella is dead, done in by simpler, sleeker columns and more natural silhouettes.

South African President Omar Abdulla says that he will excercise his full right as a Muslim leader by achieving the treasured goal of four wives including a black, a white, a coloured and a Muslim who covert to Islam...

- High-quality fabrics. Simpler styles demand finer fabrics. High-quality silk satins, peau de soie and crepe have the necessary substance to fall gracefully. Sweeping veils, headpieces. A long trail of tulle makes the ideal counterpoint to today's smoother wedding dresses. The same goes for headpieces, now available in an array of lustrous, contemporary designs.
Wise Brides have Budgets

Often brides end up spending more for their wedding dress than they intended. The industry is geared to make it happen. In a shop filled with wedding dresses between $800 and $5,000, a $2,000 price tag can look like a bargain. Determine your budget before you set foot in a bridal shop and stick to it. What to expect in your range:

$500 and under. Brides with small budgets have more options than you might imagine. Outlets and discount houses are obvious sources of low-budget bridal wear. Brides low on funds but high on ingenuity troll vintage shops and online mail-order sources for bridal bargains. And non-traditionalists often find that a few hundred dollars buys a knockout evening gown that's better made than bridal wear at twice the price (see Anything goes).

$500 to $1,500. The zone where what you get for your dollar varies most, depending on where you buy. At mainstream retail shops, brides will find many designer labels for under $800, usually in good-quality synthetics. Above that threshold, most wedding dresses are made of silk. Popular heavy silk satins commonly command $1,000. Discount outlets and mail-order houses frequently sell the same styles for 20 to 30 percent less. Another excellent option: custom-made bridal wear. Most brides don't realize that independent couturiers can design a one-of-a-kind, made-to-measure wedding dress for less than designer gowns of similar or inferior fabrics and quality. Why? No advertising, no middleman.

$1,500 and up. Wedding dresses this costly should be made of excellent fabrics, drape beautifully and exhibit carefully finished seams and handwork. Retail shops offer countless designer gowns in this range, but unless you crave labels, it makes more sense to have a dress custom made for you. You'll get more for your money. Full service bridal shops usually offer custom gown design. Independent couturiers - often artists of supreme skill - are an even better bet.
Three low-budget tips:
1. Embellish an off-the-rack dress. Hire a seamstress to add trimmings, or do it yourself.
2. Wear something borrowed. Have your mother's, grandma's, sister's or aunt's dress fitted to you.
3. Order a designer bridesmaid gown in ivory or white.
Did you know that the tradition of giving tokens of appreciation and remembrance to wedding guests dates back many centuries? The first recorded wedding gifts were confections and were highly prized as sugar was a rarity. Sugar coated almonds were also given to guests and that tradition is still carried on today. Extraordinary Wedding Gifts for the distinctive couple.

--Footprints Filmworks Advert--

There are thousands of wedding gown fashions to choose from. Brides can choose a wedding gown with traditional embellishments like the bell-shape skirt with lace and a train, or a modern form-fitting wedding gown made of satin and decorated with sequins. Whatever the bride may decide, she will eventually have to visit some type of wedding gown dealer.

Selecting Your Wedding Gown

When you visit the salon of your choice, make sure that you have a clear vision of your wedding's theme. Do not hesitate to let the salon know what you have planned for a budget. Bring magazine clippings of wedding gowns you like, and see if they have those styles or something similar. Keep in mind that with most bridal salons, you get some consultation for free. Take advantage of the advice you receive. The consultant will be able to offer suggestions on fit and style based on your age and body type. A wedding gown may look wonderful in a magazine (and most do), but it may not look good on you. Your consultant will help you find the right gown at the right price. You should visit a bridal salon even if you do not plan on purchasing your wedding gown through one. The advice you receive will more than pay for your time.

The Wedding Gown Costs

Don't purchase a wedding gown that is out of your price range. Bridal gowns can range in price from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Take some time to think about your selection. It may help to sleep on the idea and make a commitment on a different day. Remember that bridal gowns come with many unforeseen expenses. Don't spend all of your allotted money on the gown itself. Save a little for alterations and accessories. Plan to spend approximately 5.5% of your total wedding budget on your wedding gown and accessories.

Get Fitted For Your Wedding Gown

When you go to get fitted for your gown, make sure that you bring your mother or maid of honor with you. If neither of these people can be there, take a friend whose opinion you trust. If nothing else, this friend can provide some moral support if you are in doubt. You should plan on at least six months to decide on and fit your wedding gown. It will take at least three months for your order to be placed and your wedding gown to be made by the manufacturer. Then you can plan on three fittings. The first when your wedding gown arrives. The second to correct any mistakes, and the third to verify that everything is perfect. You should expect your wedding gown to be perfect. After all, you will only wear this wedding gown once. If you do not have six months, relax. You can still get everything done in time. It will just cost a little more to rush your order.

Your final fitting should take place a few weeks before your wedding. The last thing you should worry about on your wedding day is whether or not your gown fits. So make sure your wedding gown is ready early. Your salon should hold your gown until the week before your wedding. They are better equipped to store your wedding gown than you will be, and proper storage is essential to prevent your wedding gown from wrinkling.

It would be a good idea to bring your maid of honor to your fittings. She will be able to learn her responsibilities for the wedding day. Sometimes, small emergencies come up right before the wedding is about to begin. Your maid of honor should know your wedding gown, and she should also know how to perform small alterations in a pinch. If your mother would handle this situation better than your maid of honor, you might want her at the fittings as well.

On Your Wedding Day

Your wedding day is going to be very hectic. Allow yourself at least two hours to get ready before your wedding is scheduled to begin. If you are planning to have photographs taken before your ceremony, start getting ready two hours before your session is scheduled to begin. These last few hours are stressful enough, don't add to the stress by running late. Take your time when getting ready, and enjoy the company of those around you. Bring an emergency kit. This kit should have sewing supplies, extra makeup, extra hose, and tissues. You should also bring a pair of comfortable shoes such as flats with you. During the wait before the wedding, you will not want to be running around in heels. Your feet may never forgive you.

Other Helpful Wedding Gown Tips

Bridal gown This is your special day. Make sure your gown makes you feel like a princess when you put it on. When you look good, you feel good.

--Footprints Filmworks Advert--

Wedding Dress Wedding gowns tend to run small. You will probably need a wedding gown that is a size or two larger than your normal size.

wedding gown When you go for your fittings, consider wearing a strapless bra. This will help you get a better feeling of how each wedding gown would look during your wedding.

wedding dress Take at least one day to decide on the wedding gown that you would like to purchase. This will help ensure that you make a rational decision.

Bridal gowns Use a credit card to pay for your wedding gown. Most cards offer some kind of buyer protection services. So if something goes wrong, you may be able to recover some of your losses.

wedding gowns Expect to give an initial down deposit of up to 50 percent of the cost of the gown.

dress Be sure to get a written contract with specific information like wedding gown size, color, style, etc.

custom gowns Avoid cash-only brokers. They could turn out to be scam artists.