News: How to Choose Your Wedding Dress (Jun/06)

How to Choose Your Wedding Dress

So you’re engaged – congratulations! You have so much to look forward to, and nothing more than choosing your wedding dress. After all, this is it – the most important dress you’ll ever buy! Whether you’ve dreamed of the same dress since you were six or you break out in a cold sweat just thinking about it, at the end of it all you’ll be walking down the aisle, and you will look absolutely beautiful.  

Before you get there, though, there has to be shopping! Shopping for a wedding dress comes with a very particular set of delights and issues.  It’s a big deal - even if you’re going budget, you’ll probably never spend this much on a dress again! And of course, if you’re going to spend the money, you want your dress to be absolutely perfect. We’re here to help – at Alexia Designs we know everything there is to know about wedding dresses, so here are our five top tips for brides to be!

1. Shop for your shape

You will look beautiful no matter what you choose, so choose something that works for you as you are, and something that you’ll be completely comfortable in all day long. If you’re self conscious about showing off your arms, consider a dress with sleeves – pretty illusion lace sleeves like the Alexia W431 are delicate but still offer coverage if you want it! If you think you just don’t have the curves to fill out a fishtail, consider a fuller skirt like W420 to give your body balance. At the end of the day, your body is yours – only you know how to dress it, what flatters you and what you just won’t feel comfortable in. Be kind to yourself!

2. Family matters – but so do you

Of course you want your nearest and dearest there to celebrate when you have your ‘this is the one!’ moment – but consider yourself too. If your mother-in-law or your sister is prone to snarky comments about your fashion sense that make you feel six inches tall, maybe this isn’t the way for her to get involved. Suggest something else you could do together – choosing a veil, shoes, or decorations, maybe? Your mum might be unimpressed while you’re standing in the shop, but when she sees you walking down the aisle on the best day of your life, all those picky little concerns won’t matter a bit. Hopefully shopping for your dress will be a fairytale affair – lots of sipping champagne, twirling, and people getting teary-eyed when you find your dream dress, but remember to look after yourself and believe in your own opinion.

3. Think about your day

Obviously every wedding is different – and so is every bride. If you’re planning a beach destination wedding, maybe a cathedral train and intricate lace detailing on the hem isn’t the right call. If you adore your much-longed-for Jimmy Choo wedding shoes, maybe look at a tea length gown to show them off in all their glory. If you want to dance the night away, don’t choose a huge ballgown or your groom might not be able to reach you for the first dance!

4. Set a budget – and stick to it

Your dress could well be one of the most expensive parts of your day, so you need to have your budget set before you even think about setting foot in a bridal boutique. If you don’t, chances are you’ll fall in love with the most expensive dress in the shop and be heartbroken when you realise you’d have to remortgage your house to afford it! (Luckily, that won’t happen with an Alexia dress – they’re all affordably priced so that you can have your dream dress without breaking the bank.) Make sure you’ve got your budget set, including any potential wiggle room just in case.

5. Don’t worry about Pinterest

So you’ve found your dress! You love the way you look and the way you feel in it, even if it is a simple design. And then you glance at Pinterest – the be-all and end-all of wedding planning – and see hundreds of beautiful, intricate wedding dresses. Illusion lace, keyhole backs, cowl backs – we love these details (they’re what make our dresses so special!) but if you want a simple A-line wedding dress, go for it! In the same vein, if your heart beats for an opulent gold fishtail gown (like Alexia style 1090) don’t look at Pinterest and start thinking you should go for something minimalist and white. Don’t let trends sway you from your own unique style. It’s your wedding and your dress!