How to choose a wedding dress? 5 steps to find the perfect model!

We love talking to masters of their craft. Only from them can you learn the smallest subtleties and secrets of wedding preparation. This time we decided to find out how to choose the perfect wedding dress. That very dream dress, which, in fact, rarely anyone manages to find.

Four years ago I opened a salon with the unusual name “Cloud of Love”. But now it’s not about me and my salon. I want to talk about the intricacies of choosing the most important outfit in a girl’s life - choosing a wedding dress.

How not to make a mistake, how to understand that it is the right one, how not to overpay, how to evaluate the quality of a dress.

Where it all begins

I am a bride (though that was 10 years ago, but it doesn’t matter). They made an offer to me, well, ideally of course :) For example, my mother made an offer to me in the style of: “Well, stop visiting each other already, maybe you can get married already?”

I conveyed the words to my boyfriend at that time, he agreed :) Let’s say that everything was more romantic with you than with me. And you, all happy, almost the same evening, sit down at your laptop to look at photos of dresses. Is it true? Isn't that what happened?

You sit for an hour, two, a day, a week... you spend hours looking at gorgeous photos of Western dresses Pronovias, Rosa Clara, Mori Lee, falling in love with these images. Then take your girlfriend and go to the salons! And there - oops! Well, where do you get such beautiful dresses? Shock, stupor, life is pain...

The main problem is that often we see a picture in a photo, and not the dress itself.

We like the setting of the shot, the light, the model, the pose, but we don’t see the dress itself. And often our figure does not coincide with the model’s parameters. Let's step by step determine the sequence when choosing a wedding dress from the very beginning. First we need to choose a salon where we will buy it. And there are several important criteria.

1

Large “support group” at the fitting

Choosing a wedding dress is a responsible matter. But you shouldn’t involve too many people in this process. Imagine how everyone will vying with each other to say that this dress is beautiful, but that one doesn’t suit you, or, even worse, opinions will be divided. How can you not get confused here? Enthusiastic screams and sighs of admiration can confuse and lead away from the bride’s own wishes. Of course, an outside perspective is important, and that is why it is better to take one or two people for fitting, no more. They will be objective and put your interests first.

2

Availability of a website and/or group on a social network

Of course, it’s nice to be in a group or on a website where there is always up-to-date information, rather than looking at photos from 2-3 years ago. Let's say that you saw the dress of your dreams or a dress that you even just liked.

Be sure to contact the salon administration to clarify availability, price and size, as well as the possibility of ordering if the dress is suddenly out of stock.

2

Don't wait for the perfect day to try it on.

Going around bridal shops waiting for the day when you finally lose weight and decide to try on the tightest dress from the window is a bad idea. By postponing the purchase until the last minute, you make it worse for yourself: you will have to choose an outfit in a hurry and on your nerves, and there may simply be no time left for fitting it to your figure and thoughtfully selecting accessories.

Dresses: Wedding by Mercury

Competence of consultants

• Pay attention to whether they approached you right away or continued to chat on the sidelines.
• Look at what models they bring to you, whether they correspond to the wishes that you told the consultant about.
• Don’t they force their own vision of a wedding dress on you, like: “oh, well, the Greek style is not very good... the fluffy one is, yes, the real dress.”
  By the way, there is one here nuance. It happens that the bride has created an image in her head and wears her feet with calluses in search of, for example, a fish-tail dress. And then, in one salon, a competent consultant asks the bride: “Have you tried on other styles at all?”, to which she receives the answer that she hasn’t tried on anything other than fish.

  This is followed by an offer to try on other styles. And it may well be that the bride will be incredibly delighted with the magnificent dress and will immediately buy it.

  This happens and is not so rare. If you see that the consultant is a real expert in his field, do not be afraid to trust him and try on something that you did not plan at all, or something that does not cause delight on the hanger.

  Read also:  Unusual and delicate decoration - lace wedding cake

What color of a wedding dress to choose: signs and traditions

We are used to thinking that the bride should wear white. Moreover, it is desirable that none of the guests in white come again. White is the color of innocence and purity. However, if the bride does not want to wear white, she has the right to choose any other color. Let's look at the most common colors for a wedding dress and superstitions regarding colors.

• Red . Nowadays it is generally accepted that red is the color of aggression, and it is absolutely forbidden to get married in it. However, few people remember that initially in Rus' brides were given in marriage in red attire. It’s not for nothing that “red” and “beautiful” are synonymous. According to ancient Slavic tradition, a red sundress, embroidered with patterns, protected an innocent girl from an evil eye. Dark-skinned girls will definitely like the scarlet color, but fair-skinned ladies with a tendency towards redness will have to give it up.

• White . A white wedding dress is a classic. This tradition came to us from Europe. Since it is the color of innocence, a woman could only marry in white once. If she remarried, she had to choose a different color. From the point of view of appropriateness, the dress is suitable for all brides, except completely white and black ones. A white dress will make fair skin look even paler and will distract attention from the beauty of a dark-skinned bride.

• Ivory, cream, ivory, champagne color . All these shades have something in common - a light golden yellow. You won’t immediately understand that it’s not pure white unless you compare it. This dress will look beautiful on almost any bride. The darker the skin, the better the color will look. If you believe the signs, this color promises frequent betrayals.

• Silver, metallic . Superstitious people are of the opinion that silver is the color of fragility. Therefore, such marriages quickly break up. If you don't believe in omens, you can safely shine in silver shades. The darker your skin tone, the richer gray you should choose.

• Pink . Pink color will suit both light and dark skin, as long as the skin itself does not have a pinkish tint. Signs regarding the pink dress differ. Some say it means love and tenderness, others say it means material difficulties.

• Black . Black is known to be the color of mourning. It is not often seen on brides unless it is a Gothic wedding. It is believed that a black dress is a sign of early widowhood. However, the bravest brides can afford such an extravagant dress. Girls with very light and dark skin should choose a different color. Black is ideal for brides with tanned skin and dark hair.

• Blue . Blue promises the bride a life of indifference on the part of her husband. Dark blue colors are undesirable for girls with pale skin. Lavender or soft blue colors are more suitable for them.

• Yellow . Bright yellow will look great on tanned skin, and a delicate pale yellow color will suit everyone without exception. A bride in yellow looks especially beautiful at an autumn wedding. According to signs, yellow is the color of separation; it will not allow young people to live together for more than 6 years.

• Green . Green color gives young people the joy of family life, regardless of material well-being. This color has many shades. Any bride can choose the right green to suit her skin tone.

• Orange . Orange color promises respect from society. If you wear orange to a wedding, people will make an example of your union. An excellent option for tanned and bright brunettes.

Wedding dress quality

So you have chosen one or more salons and start trying on. Take your time and be very careful, you need to take into account many little things that affect the appearance and comfort of the wedding dress.

1

Quality of fabrics. Not everyone understands the quality of fabrics and it’s difficult to explain it like that. I can give you a little hint: if the dress rustles a lot, it means the lining is made of cheap fabric, and most likely the front fabrics are also not of the best quality.

2

Evenness of seams. I think there is nothing to comment on. Chinese manufacturers are most often guilty of crooked seams and cheap fabrics.

3

Level of finishing and decor. Kilograms of plastic rhinestones glued to a dress cannot possibly be Swarovski crystals, no matter how much the consultants sing to you.

4

The number of “bones” on the corset. The bigger, the better. Please note: if in the belly area on the corset there are 3 vertical bones located side by side, this indicates the high quality of the dress and that it will not bend like an accordion at your waist. Below are photos of a low-quality corset.

And in the next photo there is just a sea of ​​mistakes: the low-quality corset went “in waves”, could not withstand the weight of the chest and broke, sliding off the bust.

5

It is better if the corset has a wide ribbon rather than a thin lace; it looks more beautiful and the corset does not wrinkle.

6

If a bride develops folds in the armpit area during fitting, there are several reasons:

• the bride is overweight. Then it is advisable to choose a dress with straps or sleeves;
• The corset is tightened too tightly, causing a fold of leather to form. Then you should loosen the lacing or choose a different dress size.

7

If the bride's dress slips off and she is forced to constantly hold it up, it is almost always the fault of a low-quality corset.

Pay attention not only to the beauty of the dress, but also to the quality. Then, when you see extra waves at the waist in wedding photographs, nothing can be corrected.

Bridal dress: season

Every girl remembers that the dress should be the best, but not everyone takes into account that the outfit should match the weather. And in vain: it depends on this whether you will feel comfortable and whether it will not cause you unnecessary trouble.

• 
  Spring Summer

This is a great season for weddings, and a good opportunity to choose a dress made of light, almost weightless fabric. The bride will look very beautiful in a dress made of airy chiffon. But the choice doesn't end there. Organza, satin, and Chinese silk will look great, creating a magical image of a bride as light as a feather.

If the wedding takes place in the hottest months of this period, and you have always dreamed of a princess-style dress, then you should not immediately abandon the petticoat with hoops. In fact, this is not so inconvenient if you choose everything correctly, and it will be better for you: it is the crinoline that will protect you from overheating; Any girl will be jealous of your fluffy skirt.

• 
  Autumn winter

Recently, the trend of holding weddings in the fall and winter has increased dramatically. This is due to lower prices than in summer and the presence of a beautiful white background of snow. It is at this time that you can go to wedding salons and try on, in addition to dresses, snow-white boots, or beautiful fur coats (and perhaps even robes).

Autumn-winter models of wedding dresses are in no way inferior in beauty and grace to summer models - here you have satin, and taffeta with corduroy, on which beautiful voluminous embroidery looks very advantageous.

It is also important to take into account the fact that along with the wedding walk and photo shoot, you will have to spend quite a lot of time outside, so we strongly recommend that you abandon wedding dresses with a neckline and give preference to more closed models, with long sleeves and a covered neck.

This doesn’t mean you need to dress like a nun, just make the sleeves and neckline lace (if you sew), or just try to find such a model, fortunately, there are many of them now. It should be noted that in terms of seductiveness they are no worse than summer ones.

The main mistakes when choosing a wedding dress

I have selected several pictures illustrating mistakes when choosing a dress.

Bridal dress: style

The wedding style itself is also of paramount importance. The dress should fit harmoniously into the environment where the event itself will take place.

Even with your dress, you will already set the mood for the entire wedding, so your choice will show what the emphasis is on: severity and restraint, pomp, or something else.

If you prefer the good old classics to all innovative solutions, then a corset and a fluffy skirt are your credo. By the way, such a fluffy dress is considered a classic, and for good reason - huge bows, folds and ruffles that add volume in combination with a corset with ties looks very rich and luxurious.

The main thing is not to overdo it with decorations; after all, you are not a Christmas tree.

Brides who are fans of everything elegant will definitely appreciate the mermaid dress. A long train, which is sometimes attached to the wrist, will look very feminine. True, such an outfit is more suitable for girls after 25-26 years old - presumably, those in whom the rebellious spirit has already faded.

“Like golden apples in a silver carved frame,” then the bride who chose a simple dress that emphasized her.

What to do if you want something extraordinary? A knee-length dress with a hat will be unusual, and even in a retro style. The dress here can be either a sheath style or with a very full skirt.

How to choose a wedding dress according to your figure?

It’s probably worth talking about what will suit your body type individually. We will show you how to choose a wedding dress so that the shortcomings are as invisible as possible, and the advantages are emphasized.

Height

An empire style dress with a deep neckline will help to visually increase your height. Of course, heels will be very useful for short girls, but the right style will also help to elongate the silhouette.

For too tall girls, we recommend models with a low waist, wide belts, and puffed sleeves.

Breast

Often here you also need to make your own adjustments, to divert attention from areas of the body that are less attractive to areas that are more attractive.

• If your breasts are small, then dresses with a high waist and a beautiful lace corset will visually enlarge them.
• If you have large breasts, then feel free to take strapless dresses, which many people dream of, or dresses with an asymmetrical neckline.

Waist

For girls who have a beautiful waist, it’s very simple. But what to do if there is practically none? Then choose dresses in the Greek style: they have a high waist and flowing fabric that covers all imperfections. This is also suitable for pregnant girls choosing a dress for themselves.

If the waist is low, then pay attention to dresses with an A-line silhouette. But for both the first category of girls and the second, it is better to avoid straight cut.

Broad shoulders/hips

Broad-shouldered girls will have to worry a little, but the problem can be solved. You just need to give up straight skirts and make the cutout on the bodice minimal.

Full hips are not easy to hide, but you can focus on something else, for example, an unusual beaded corset.

We hope our tips will be useful to you, and you will see and feel the rest yourself when trying on different options.

Waiting VS. Reality

A few horror stories if you decide to order a dress from an online store :) You may not always get what you saw in the picture. The issue here may be the store’s dishonesty, as well as what I have already said: the dress on the model and the dress on you are different dresses.

Uncomfortable dress

“You can endure it for the sake of beauty”, “inconvenient, but beautiful”... Forget these phrases! You should be comfortable, so buy only clothes in which you can move freely, dance and hug with guests. Secret: if something is bothering the bride, it will show in the photos, so take care of yourself.

By Watters

They succeeded!

And finally, a joyful selection of photographs of successful dresses of real brides.

All photographs of brides used in the article were taken from open sources. By posting them, we did not want to offend anyone; our goal is to protect future brides from mistakes. If you recognize yourself in the photo and do not want it to be on our website, please let us know and we will definitely replace it.

Options for choosing wedding dresses

Body type

The most important role is played by what type of figure you have. Very often, the style that attracted the bride in the picture does not suit her at all when she tries it on. As a result, a dress is chosen that the girl would not have even thought of at the beginning of preparation. There are, of course, more universal silhouettes that suit most, but you can still choose the ideal model only by wearing several options for comparison.

Color

There are thousands of colors and shades of wedding dresses. Most often it is white, beige, champagne and many other pastel colors. But there are also less classic options - red, burgundy, blue, black and so on. Recently, new fashion trends have made the ombre effect popular, when the color moves from pale to bright or vice versa. Each salon has experienced consultants who will help you choose the right shade of a particular color for your type, because even white has hundreds of them.

Length

In the classic version, the length of the dress reaches the floor. For greater convenience, the hem should not touch it, but should be about three centimeters higher. It is in this case that the bride will be able to move comfortably in her dress without feeling constrained and without the risk of stepping on it, tripping or tearing her skirt every time. The dress is shortened only after the shoes have been purchased and the length of the petticoat has been determined, which itself raises the dress above the floor.

Short wedding dresses are an option for brave girls. But keep in mind that if you decide to wear just this, then your legs must be without defects, since a bright outfit with jewelry will only highlight them and not hide them. When wearing a short dress, you need to wear the thinnest nylon tights so that your skin looks perfect.

Availability of sleeves, straps

Straps and sleeves not only help the dress stay in place, but also add additional variety and flatter your figure. For busty brides, their presence is a must. You cannot do without straps and sleeves if the dress has a deep neckline, especially in the form of cups. It is also advisable for pregnant women to choose such options, because they cannot wear very tight corsets.

Convenience

The deciding factor when choosing is convenience. No matter how beautiful and impressive the dress is, if you are uncomfortable in it, then the holiday risks turning into a painful one. It is unlikely that any bride will want this. When deciding on a model, be sure to pay attention to whether it is comfortable to move in the dress, sit, dance and even run. If you feel constrained in any movements, then look for another outfit that will give maximum comfort.