There's nothing quite as joyful, or as nerve-wracking, as getting married -- especially when you're the bride. All the groom has to do, once the difficulty of popping the question is past, is find you a good wedding ring and then show up on time; you and your family and girlfriends have to do everything else (not that you'd have it any other way). Along with the bazillions of invitations, you've got to arrange the entertainment, book the hall, find the right minister, hunt up the bridesmaids dresses, and arrange for flower children and ring bearer. And isn't there something you're forgetting... oh yeah, the wedding dress, the centerpiece of the whole event. What about that?

Snowed under

The type of wedding dress you'll need depends upon the style of wedding you've chosen: formal, semi-formal, or informal. Once that decision is made, it's time to do your homework. Start flipping through bridal magazines, visiting bridal stores, and searching online boutiques for the styles you like. Informal wedding dresses may be easier to choose from, since they offer simpler styles much more like those you may be used to from everyday wear. Of course, if yours is to be an old-fashioned formal or semiformal soiree, you'll want to focus your attention on designer wedding gowns. These dresses tend to be cream-colored or white, with full skirts reaching to the floor and stretching out behind. Your gown needn't be Versace or Vera Wang, but whatever catches your eye, be sure to get the appropriate veil, train, and gloves to go with it. These accessories are optional for a semi-formal ceremony.

After a while spent pondering the possibilities, you'll find that you've trimmed down the massive selection of wedding dresses to just a few that you like. Unless money's no object (and if it isn't, go for the Vera Wang, honey), then it's time to start shopping for the best price -- possibly the most enjoyable part of the process! Visit your local bridal shops for price comparisons, and don't forget to check out your online options: oftentimes, the best and least expensive dresses, designer and otherwise, are those you'll find online.

The antique option

Even if you've decided on a strictly formal wedding and have to stick to the designer wedding dresses, that doesn't mean you have to go with a designer who's working today. In recent years, vintage wedding attire has enjoyed a surge in popularity. Not only are there plenty of older but serviceable wedding dresses still floating around, some manufacturers have started making reproductions of classic dress styles. Imagine how you and your groom would look wearing Edwardian or Victorian wedding clothes, or how elegant you'd appear in a genuine 1920s beaded gown. Add a vintage bridal veil and a pair of elbow-length gloves, and you're the very picture of style and class. Interestingly, many of these older dresses will cost you no more than a new designer dress. The reproductions are especially inexpensive, but even a genuine antique may not be out of your range. Informal dresses are even less expensive.

Whatever you select, keep in mind one thing: it doesn't have to be Prada to be perfect! The gown you choose must fit within your budget, of course, and it has to be right for your type of wedding; but otherwise the sky's the limit. It doesn't matter if your wedding dress comes from K-Mart or Nordstrom, don't settle for second best if you've found the gown that's perfect or you.

Published with permission (FCDMInc)

 

• • •

More wedding articles and helpful tips are available
in our Wedding Article Directory.

• • •