Finding the "Right" Dress

In a world of poofy white dresses, row upon row of shiny fabrics, strapless floor length gowns, tiara's and veils, just how do you find the dress for you?

There are hundreds of wedding dress designers out there and if you're anything like me, you'll want to see most of them before making a decision on who to go with. A good first point is to decide on the style of dress that you would like to wear, if you're uncertain then a trip to a magazine shop where you can pick up some copies of the latest bridal magazines should be helpful. My advice would be to make a coffee, sit back and slowly flick through magazines adding post it's to the dresses that appeal the most. Perhaps you should take your time over this part of the decision, give yourself a few days so you don't get completely confused. Finally when you look over the post itted pages (yes that is my own word and I am proud of it), you will hopefully see a pattern and some similarities, the silhouette is chosen!

Next you must set a budget, this will dictate which of the designers to head to and which to rule out entirely, high end designers come with high end price tags, where as high street and off the rack labels can be extremely affordable, of course there are always the middle people, finding them is quite challenging but they are out there.

So, once you have got to this point, you are ready to have an enjoyable day out with your favourite ladies, trying on gorgeous gowns and living the high life with a glass of champagne to hand. It's best not get too excited or nervous about your appointment, remember that you are only trying on dresses and if the first visit fails to impress you, there are many more options out there.

An important point to consider, is what is appropriate when having a wedding abroad in a hot destination. Picture the scene, you are on the beach, in the sun in your bikini and it's early afternoon, it's hot, really hot, you keep running in and out of the water to cool yourself down.

Keep this image in your mind when choosing a dress, because that is how hot it is when having an afternoon wedding outdoors in a warm country, it's a given that you will be fine when getting ready in your lovely air conditioned room, however when you get a ballgown on made of synthetic fabric, add to this nerves and plenty of make up, it's not such a pretty sight.

Natural fabrics are the key, cotton, silk, organza, all breath and are comfortable against your skin when it's hot.

In addition think of wearing a relatively light dress, without crinolines, layers and layers of tulle or heavy embellishment as it will look a little out of place on a hot summer's day.

For those that are set on the idea of wearing a large dress, perhaps the best solution is to have it made by a professional dressmaker who will take into consideration where the dress will be worn.

SP