The Right Gown

Getting Your Wedding Gown to Measure Up

Most brides want to choose the right dress for their wedding. You spend hour after hour looking for the perfect wedding gown, and you probably devote a large amount of your wedding planning to pouring over wedding magazines, visiting bridal shops, and trying on gown after gown. However, there is more to looking perfect in your gown on the wedding day from finding the right person to make your gown to getting the right measurements:

The Store Bought Gown vs. The Custom Made Gown
Getting a custom made gown does not mean you have to spend a fortune. If you have done your wedding planning right, you know exactly how much of your budget you will be able to put toward that gown. If you know a good seamstress that can double as a designer, it is likely you can get a gown custom made. This means you can have greater control over fabrics and design so that the gown fits you to a tee. However, a designer will almost always be a little more expensive than buying a pre-made dress in a retail setting. Plus, you will get to try on a gown to see how it will look rather than choosing a dress from a drawing.

Getting the Right Measurements
Whether you go to a designer or a retail bridal store measurements are an important component of wedding dress shopping and looking good on your wedding day. Before you order your gown you should get measured properly. Since every manufacturer has a different sizing system you should order a dress that is at least two sizes larger than what you wear on the street. The dress shop should know how the manufacturer sizes, and they should be able to guide you toward the proper ordering size. While it may sting the ego for a moment, ordering the larger size will allow for proper alterations.

Getting the Right Size
So, how do you know what size to actually order? Most wedding dressmakers agree that the size that corresponds to the largest measurement is the size to order. Remember, your tailor can always alter the wedding dress if it is too large, but alterations on a too small wedding dress are more costly and difficult.

After The Wedding Dress Is Ordered
When your wedding dress order arrives, it is time to start scheduling your alterations. Some bridal shops and designers include the alterations in the cost of the dress while others charge anywhere from $100 to $500 for all the alterations to the dress. The first fitting should be between 8 to 10 weeks prior to the wedding, and the last fitting should coordinate with the bridal portrait. Your tailor should be able to guide you toward the proper dates depending on your wedding planning schedule.