Wedding Dresses - Designer Wedding Dresses - Plus Size Wedding Dresses

The biggest day of your life will be the day you start shopping for wedding dresses and beautiful wedding gowns. Wedding dresses come in a vast range of styles, colors and fits, you'll need a plan to make sure you choose the correct one for you. Wedding dresses come with their own unique glossary of terms (or jargon, as you may want to call it). Wedding dresses are usually white, but there are many shades ranging from pure white to ivory. Your sister and mother will probably want to shop with you for your wedding dresses that you select and your wedding gowns will be all lined up for try on when you go to your first bridal dresses store. Bridal gowns are easy to find in all sizes and style and your wedding dresses final selection will be your choice completely. No matter what, choose from many wedding gowns to know that your final selection of wedding dresses is the one you really want to make.

Some ivory wedding dresses have yellow undertones, making them look creamy; some are just a "quiet" white. If you have yellow or olive undertones yellow-ivory wedding dresses may not be best for you. Informal wedding dresses are in high demand and extremely popular. Informal wedding dresses are chosen primarily by women who want something simple and comfortable, yet still elegant and enchanting at the same time. If you take the phrase "informal wedding dresses" and envision a gown that is unpretentious, relaxed, graceful and classy.

Designer wedding dresses are the best choice for women with unique styling and sizing needs. Designer wedding dresses offer brides the ability to stand apart from the crowd. Designer wedding dresses are also being fashioned to meet full figured women's specific needs and desires. Many designers realize that 50% of American women are a size 14 or larger -- and therefore they are now

creating beautiful plus size wedding dresses in a range of gorgeous fabrics and styles. Often women seeking full figure wedding dresses turn to designer gown makers to ensure an appropriate fit and selection of styles. Designer wedding dresses in plus sizes are often highly sought after within the designers dress and gown market. Today's beautiful designer wedding dresses come in every imaginable design, style and color. Designer wedding dresses offer the perfect fit, whereas traditional gowns typically have to be altered to suit a woman's unique shape and size. If you have any questions you will find that the consultants and wedding dress design couturiers are helpful and extremely knowledgeable as they are all professionally trained as to how true designer wedding dresses or bridesmaid dresses should be fitted.

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How About Designing Your Own Wedding Dress?

As you probably have begun to realize, planning a wedding is both exciting and often more than a little nerve-wracking. Preparing for a ceremony as special as a wedding is plenty of cause for excitement and anticipation. However, there is so much to do and, most likely, since you'll want it to all go perfectly that's plenty of cause for anxiety and stressed nerves. And when you consider that it isn't the kind of thing we do on a regular basis, nor something that we norm

ally have any training for, you need to ease up a little on the quest for perfection and try to focus on the excitement.

Your wedding dress is likely to be the most significant component of the wedding ceremony. Everyone's eyes will be on the bride. Whatever style of wedding you settle on, you'll find that there's a lot of traditions that relate to the wedding ceremony - even with some of the more unusual themed weddings. Still, there is room for you to add your own special touches - to make your wedding uniquely your own.

If you've never thought about actually designing your own wedding dress, you should give it some thought. If you've priced wedding dresses, you'll be aware that even low-end brands may cost over 5 or 6 hundred dollars. Dresses sold by bridal shops tend to include a lot of overhead and additional costs which you can avoid by designing your own wedding dress. If you have a friend or relative who is well-skilled in sewing, you can save even more money. One of the greatest benefits of designing your own wedding dress is that you will end up with a true one of a kind, a wedding dress no one else owns.

One caution - before you start designing be certain that you have or can find a person with the needed skills to actually create your wedding dress from your designs and ideas. This is not something you can wait until the last minute to do. You'll need to spend some significant time working with this person - well in advance of the wedding - so make sure of both the person's skills and availability.

A good place to start generating ideas for your wedding dress design is to consider the theme of the wedding and when and where it'll be held. Is it going to be a summer wedding? A winter wedding? Will it be outdoors or indoors? Will the reception be indoors or outdoors? What special characteristics does the location have? This is particularly important for an outdoor wedding since the answers can have a significant bearing on the style of wedding dress you design. As an example, an outdoor wedding in Texas in the month of August requires a wedding dress design that will not leave you soaked in perspiration. You should also consider how formal or informal the wedding ceremony itself will be.

If you don't already have some ideas for a design, a good place to start may be with bridal magazines, wedding dress catalogs and even on-line bridal shops. All these can be good sources for ideas to use in designing your own wedding dress.

While you are always free to design your wedding dress to reflect your personal style, most likely you'll want to follow one of the standard shapes generally used for wedding dresses:

A-line - Empire - Straight - Ball Gown - Mermaid - Strapless.

The shape of your body is an important factor in choosing a wedding dress shape that is most appropriate for you. If you have a full figure, or what is considered a "pear" shape, an A-line style dress may work best for you. A dress with this style accents the top-half of the body which is smaller while concealing a larger bottom half.

Not many women tend to opt for a straight wedding dress, including women with coke-bottle figures for whom this style of wedding dress was designed.

If neither of these styles seems to suit you, then a ball gown may be a good choice. This style of wedding dress has a snugger fit at the waist with a somewhat exaggerated full skirt.

A strapless style can be integrated with several shapes. The so-called mermaid style tends to be somewhat uncomfortable and not particularly popular. If you feel uncertain about what shape may work best for you, you can always visit a bridal shop and try on several styles to find the one that appeals most to you.

Once you have chosen the shape, design and style for your wedding dress, you are ready to consider the type of material. Silk and linen are both commonly used in creating wedding dresses. Both can be fairly costly and linen, in particular, tends to be quite delicate and require considerable care when putting the wedding dress together. There are also blended materials which use silk or linen along with other man-made materials allowing the creation of a fabric which is both beautiful and substantially easier to work with.

Once you've decided on the shape and design, and chosen the fabric, it's time to get together with the individual who will be making the wedding dress for and begin bringing the wedding dress of your dreams out of your dreams and into reality.

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Choosing The Ideal Wedding Dress

Most brides-to-be start dreaming about the ideal wedding dress long before they are even engaged. Choosing the ideal wedding dress is crucial because it is perhaps the only day that all eyes will be looking at you. A dress that is beautiful whilst remaining tasteful and also flattering to your figure will ensure that you look your best on your wedding day. With so many style, color and fabric options available, choosing the ideal wedding dress can be a daunting task. However, most brides simply know when they have found the ideal wedding dress. From the moment they put on the dress, they instinctively know that this is the ideal wedding dress for them.

The most important thing when searching for the ideal wedding dress is to begin looking at least six months before your wedding date. Finding the ideal dress will most likely take quite some time and once you find the dress, it could take up to four months for the dress to be ordered and shipped to the store. Once the dress arrives in the store you most likely will require several fittings to ensure that the dress fits absolutely perfectly. You should take your time and enjoy looking for your wedding dress so it is crucial that you begin the process in good time to avoid feeling rushed and overwhelmed.

Another useful piece of advice for finding the ideal wedding dress is to try on many different styles of dresses. Even though you may be certain that you want a particular style you may find that the style that looks so appealing in magazines does not suit your body type. You may also find that a style that you would have never have considered before can be flattering to your figure. For this reason it is important to try on a wide variety of styles before dismissing a particular style. The old adage "you won't know unless you try it," holds perfectly true for wedding dresses. There have been numerous brides who have found that their ideal wedding dress turned out to be totally different from the one they had envisaged.

Although it may not be what you expect, the color of the wedding dress is an important thing to take into account when choosing the ideal wedding dress. The consensus seems to be that the only acceptable color for a wedding dress is a pure white. However if you keep an open mind, you may find yourself with a wedding dress that is far more flattering to your skin tone than a pure white dress. Wedding dresses come in a wide variety of colors including ivory, cream and even subtle beiges. If you are happy to consider these options it is important to try on dresses in these colors to see how they work with your complexion.

Choosing the ideal wedding dress often requires getting a few second opinions. Having a few close friends or family members that you trust come dress shopping with you can help you find the dress of your dreams. They can offer opinions on each dress that you try on and can also scour the countless racks of dresses available and choose dresses for you to try on. Many brides instantly know that they have chosen the ideal wedding dress the moment they put it on but having trusted friends and family members with you can confirm this feeling. When you first step out of the dressing room and show them the dress you are wearing you may see reassuring confirmation that you have made the perfect choice. The reactions of your assistants will indicate that you have indeed found the perfect dress.

When you have chosen the ideal wedding dress, now is also the time to buy the it. Nothing is more important than your gut feeling and the reactions of the friends and family that accompanied you so if you know you have the ideal dress in your hands, don't risk losing it by opting to think about it for a few days before you make your purchase. There is always the chance that the last available dress will be sold or that the company will discontinue that particular style so do not allow yourself to miss out on buying the ideal wedding dress by not buying it the moment you realize it is the dress for you.

The wedding dress is one of the most critical elements of a wedding. It is what makes a bride truly stand out and it is important for her to ensure that she has chosen the ideal wedding dress. The minute a bride-to-be steps into a wedding dress she will know instantly whether or not it is the ideal dress. It's important to trust this gut reaction and act accordingly in choosing the ideal wedding dress.

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Wedding Dresses - The Latest Trends!

Wedding dresses are such an opportunity for any bride to show their unique sense of style and to really make a fashion statement. Gone are the days of the plain 'meringue' style wedding dresses with a little cute well-placed bow; now we are daring to be different!

In fact, one of the latest trends is to offer wedding dresses that can be used again. Not only is this a great idea from a budget point of view, but it is also reflective

of the simple lines that are part of the modern trend in wedding dresses. Arguably, this fashion is due to the ever increasing age of first time brides as well as the large number of second weddings.

Wedding Dresses for the Winter Wedding

Whenever we think about wedding dresses, we automatically think of a warm, summer's day, with a crisp, wafting white dress to match. However, there is a growing trend towards winter weddings. Winter wedding dresses may not be pure white and are often the preferred choice for second time brides.

Trends in winter wedding dresses include deep red colored dresses or dresses that include a large amount of black. Another great idea is to include a fur collar, or long fake fur coat. If you love a touch of luxury and you want something a little different, then winter wedding dresses may just be the thing for you!

Wedding Dresses for the Summer Wedding

The key to summer wedding dresses, this year, is color. Many wedding dresses are now using substantial amounts of colored fabric to add a classic touch to an otherwise traditional white or cream dress.

Weddings are becoming much more sophisticated; generally, brides will select a theme that they will maintain throughout all aspects of their wedding. Wedding dresses must, of course, fit into this theme and as such colors and accessories are vital. Popular, seasonal colors for wedding dresses include lilac, pink, blue and yellow. Often, brides will choose a half-color theme where the bodice is colored or the skirt is colored, but the other half of the dress is kept in a plain cream or white.

Subtle is the name of the game with modern wedding dresses.

Wedding Dresses - Standing Out From the Crowd

Today, wedding dresses are all different; no-one wants to look the same as the next bride and, naturally, brides go to extreme lengths to make sure that they stand out from the crowd. Of course everyone wants to do so in a classy and not trashy way! It seems that individually designed wedding dresses are the way of the future. By commissioning a made to measure dress you can make sure that it fits perfectly, is exactly what you want and above all, is unique.

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Online Wedding Dress Shopping!

Taking the hassle out of finding your perfect and unique wedding dress.

Getting married is no longer a case having only two options, church or court house, as it used to be. These days it is possible to get married just about anywhere you like, so whether you want a fairytale wedding or something a little more unconventional, you can arrange to have your wedding just about anywhere.

You might want to step out of a horse and carriage and step through the doors of an elaborate church in order to say your vows. You may prefer to hire a room at a posh hotel and enjoy a civil ceremony to declare your love and intentions. You might even want to shout out your vows as you leap 200 feet down from a crane as part of a bungee jump ceremony - the possibilities are endless.

Designers and retailers have realized that weddings are not what they used to be, and people like to use their imagination more and do some pretty wild things as part of the ceremony. And because of this, you can now get some stunning wedding dresses and bridal gowns to suit every occasion and type of wedding.

Beach Weddings

Beach weddings have become really popular over recent years, with many couples opting to escape to lush, tropical surroundings for their special days, with a selection of close friends and family members gathered around them on the warm, sandy beach, with the lapping waves of the turquoise sea as their background.

The popularity of beach weddings has sparked a rise in the range of beach wedding dresses available for these occasions. If you are going to get married in the hot midday sun on an exotic beach, it is not always practical - or comfortable - to buy a full-on bridal gown with all the trimmings. Having to lug a heavy gown around in that sort of weather and environment would probably result in you fainting! However, understandably, you don't want to get married in a pair of shorts and a bikini top either!

This is where the range of elegant and highly suitable beach weddings dresses come in. You will find some incredible beach wedding dress styles, which are both classy and practical. You can enjoy wearing something light and cool for the ceremony, and still have the peace of mind that you look every bit the stunning bride. The simple elegance of some of the beach wedding dresses available today creates the perfect look for a hot, steamy, tropical beach wedding.

If you're planning to jet off to sunnier climates for a beach wedding, you will find a wide range of beach wedding dresses available online. You can choose from a selection of light, airy, yet stunning fabrics, and there are styles available to suit all shapes and sizes. You can also enjoy some really low prices on beach wedding dresses online, so you can get the perfect look for the perfect setting and at the perfect price!

Traditional Weddings

If you are a dedicated follower of tradition as well as a dedicated follower of fashion, you may have decided to enjoy your special day with a church ceremony followed by a classy reception. However, you may want to set the scene with an absolutely stunning dress for your memorable day.

The great news is that you can now get some spectacular designer wedding dresses and bridal gowns for the occasion, and at really affordable prices. Your wedding day is one that you will hopefully never be repeating, so you want to make it something really special - in terms of where you hold it, your guests, and of course what your wear. With a stunning designer wedding dress, you can look proudly back on your photos for years to come, and you can even pass your wedding dress down to future generations.

Designer wedding dresses are no longer reserved for the rich and famous; these days most people can enjoy the luxury of wearing a unique and gorgeous designer bridal gown for their wedding day. You can get these designer wedding dresses in all style, sizes and colours, so whatever type of theme you want for your wedding - from medieval to fairytale - you can help create the perfect look with a classy, designer bridal gown.

Where to Find Discount Bridal Gowns and Wedding Dresses

Whether you decide to go for a romantic traditional wedding or a sizzling beach wedding, you'll want to ensure that you get the right dress for the occasion and at the right price. Some people search far and wide in order to try and get the perfect dress, traipsing from one shop to another and still finding a very limited choice coupled with high prices. This type of hassle is the last thing you need when you have so many other preparations to worry about.

The Internet is a different matter altogether. You can browse a wealth of fabulous wedding dresses and bridal gowns from the comfort of your own home, and you will have access to outfits from all over the world, so you can be sure of getting plenty of choice as well as a unique and stunning bridal gown. You won't even have to leave your home to find the wedding dress of your dreams, and once you have found and ordered the one that really catches your eye, you can enjoy fast and convenient home delivery.

You can find some excellent deals on wedding dresses online, and if you are after fabulous styles at affordable prices you will be delighted with the choice of discount bridal gowns available. Whatever you shape, size, taste or budget, these discount wedding dresses will ensure that you can look really amazing on your special day and without breaking the bank!

There are wedding dresses to suit every theme and setting online, so it doesn't matter where you plan to hold your ceremony and what your planned theme is. You can find the perfect bridal gown to really fit in and set off the theme for the day, and whether you are getting married on a tropical beach or in the local church, you can still look and feel like a million dollars.

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The Wedding Dress Revealed

Fashion Trends and Popular Styles and Colors

The Wedding Dress - How did it all begin?

Did you ever wonder how the tradition of wearing a wedding dress came about? Wedding dresses have been worn by brides young and old alike for centuries. In modern times almost anything passes for a wedding dress however, in times of old, traditional wedding dresses were flowing gowns usually white in color.

White is usually accepted as the "traditional" color of gowns, and many designer wedding gowns are still fashioned in this color, representing the "purity" and "innocence" of the bride to be. Many women opt for other colors, including blue, pink, cream, yellow and more.

Wedding dresses have changed with time much as everything in the world has. In times of old most women selected a gown based on her financial status. Women who were at an economic disadvantage usually did not have the luxury of selecting an extraordinary gown that would be worn only once. Rather, most selected something more "plain" that could be worn for church services and other occasions after their blessed day.

Wedding gowns of varying styles and colors were popular among the elite, and by and large represented the unique style and personality of the bride to be, as well as modern trends at the time.

Popular Colors

An old poem states about the color of a wedding dress that "Married in white, you will have chosen all right." This is not to say that all brides historically have chosen white for their wedding gown. In fact, many brides chose colors including blue, pearl and even black. Many brides believed that if they wore blue their husbands would remain true to them (also a famous line in the wedding poem). Pink was even a popular wedding gown color for a time, though its darker variant, red was often considered taboo because it was associated with "scarlet women".

Many women who did not have a large budget to spend on a wedding dress in times of old opted for fashions that could be worn any day, rather than solely on their wedding day. For their wedding day, they would dress up their gown with accessories and flowers, even bows that could be removed after the festivities.

Wedding Gown Fashion

In the United States for a short spell the color white fell out of favor, but around the time of the Industrial Revolution, when the department store made it possible for a bride with any budget to purchase the gown of her dreams, white once again became the fashion. The style worn by women has changed through time.

Wedding dresses fashioned during the Roaring twenties were very different from those that came about in the thirties. In the twenties, women sought out gowns that de-emphasized their shape, in line with the style of the flappers that was trendy at the time.

During the 30's most women emphasized their shape and wore gowns that highlighted their waists and bosoms. Perhaps the most interesting period of time for the wedding gown was during the 1980s, when big puffy sleeves and extravagant skirts were worn by a majority of women. These gowns, while well suited for trim and petite women, often were not the most flattering choice for the average size woman. Despite this, gowns did not trim down again until the mid to late 1990s.

Wedding Gown Fashion Today

As mentioned at the start, almost anything passes for a wedding dress today. More and more women are buying a wedding dress online, because of the wide variety and selection of unique and custom made gowns available.

Informal wedding dresses, designer wedding dresses and even discount wedding dresses can all be found online thanks to modern technology. More popular than even designer wedding dresses are discount bridal gowns online. Most brides to be can purchase extravagant looking, custom made gowns for a fraction of the cost they would find them in a department store.

Another benefit of buying a wedding dress online is convenience. With so many things to plan for a wedding (location, cake, reception, flowers, invitations, rehearsal dinner etc.etc) most women appreciate having a handy resource for buying their wedding dress. Most women also find a wider selection of sizes and custom features available when they shop online vs. when they shop in a traditional store.

Trends

Trends have changed when it comes to modern wedding attire. No longer do all brides seek out a traditional white gown for their special occasion. In fact, there is a huge selection of vintage and informal wedding dresses available, many of which don't even look like official wedding gowns.

Most dresses today focus on the unique personality of the bride rather than socially accepted "norms" when it comes to buying a wedding dress. In general many brides are looking for wedding gowns that are narrower than they have been in times of old, and those that offer clean silhouettes. These types of dresses usually lengthen the body and provide a slimming effect. Some more popular trends include the following:

• A-line dresses that are long and slimming
• Sheaths with trains built into the silhouette, so that it trails behind the bride
• Bias-cut wedding gowns that follow the natural curves of the body, ending in a small flare at the bottom
• Raised waistline ball-gown styles
• Square necklines that provide a fresh open look
• Off the shoulder dresses providing a full neckline
• Sleeveless or cap sleeve gowns which are especially popular for summer brides
• Empire waists which elongate the figure and shift the focus upward

Trends are also apparent with regard to fabrics. Satin and silk gowns have long been popular, though sheer fabrics are also becoming more trendy, including chiffon and organzas. Embroidery is also replacing lace for many modern gowns, and some brides are opting to accent their dresses with pearls and other quality beads.

No matter what style gown you choose, the most important thing is that you select one that makes you look good, feel good and happy on the most important day of your life. You're sure to find a superb selection when shopping online.

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Wedding Dresses - How to Buy Dreamy Wedding Gowns Online

Wedding dresses are literally the icing on the cake on every bride's wedding day. You can find perfect wedding gowns online, or simply brainstorm which style of wedding dresses to start looking for as you narrow down your search.
First you need to determine which types of wedding dresses are right for you.
Your wedding dress should tell the world exactly who you are. After all, this is YOUR day, and your wedding gown is the key way that you share yourself with your wedding guests -- and, of course, your husband-to-be.
By now, you've likely given some thought as to what kind of wedding you would like to have: traditional, informal or a theme wedding, perhaps.
Here are some general guidelines:
In formal weddings, brides generally wear long white/cream-colored wedding dresses and a veil, perhaps a train and, of course, gloves.
In semi-formal weddings, brides generally wear long white/cream-colored wedding dresses, a veil and gloves if desired.
In informal weddings, brides have more flexibility. They can wear wedding gowns of any color -- short or long -- or even a suit.
What about theme weddings? Here you should decide first on the theme and then on the formality of the wedding you've always wanted to have. Only then is it time to shop for wedding dresses and wedding accessories to determine which ones match your theme!
As you can see, the most important aspect to consider when selecting wedding dresses is your own sense of style.
For specifics on what's appropriate to wear for each type of wedding, I recommend Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette, which devotes an entire chapter to wedding dresses and other fashion dos and don'ts, or Vera Wang on Weddings, in which Wang shares her vast fashion expertise with you as you plan your wedding. Both can be purchased from any major online bookstore and have great tips on buying wedding dresses.
How can you purchase wedding dresses online?
The Internet can be a tremendous help when you're looking for wedding gowns and have a tight wedding budget. And let's face it -- most of us do have to keep the bottom line in mind when we plan the most important day of our romantic lives.
After you have given some thought to the type of wedding you want to have, I recommend that you:

• Look through bridal magazines and check out your options by flipping through the pages to see which wedding dresses are available in your area.
• Go to local bridal stores and try on wedding gowns.
• Look online to see what other wedding dresses are available to you. In case you're uncertain about buying wedding gowns from an online vendor, bear in mind that there really are online bridal shops that deliver the same level of service as regular stores.
• Compare the in-store price to the Internet dress stores to find out which is the better deal. Many online stores offer you discount wedding dresses because of their vastly reduced overhead costs!
• Narrow down your search to a handful of wedding dresses that make your final cut.

When you've gone through all these steps, you're certain to have accessed all the wedding dresses available to you -- and you will very likely save your hard-earned money if you end up finding discount wedding dresses available only from an Internet vendor.
Good luck with your search! Though it might seem daunting at first, if you follow these tips, you'll be well on your way to finding a beautiful range of perfectly elegant wedding dresses.

Stacey Martin is the publisher of MarriedBliss.com, where you will find objective reviews of online wedding vendors, tips on wedding planning, advice on where to buy wedding dresses online and much more helpful content for brides-to-be and couples planning their weddings.

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The History of the White Wedding Dress

As a youngster -- or perhaps even as an adult -- have you ever sat dreamily imagining yourself in a fairytale wedding dress, about to marry your very own Prince Charming? And, what colour is the wedding dress? The chances are it's a white one. Millions of girls and women that dream of the perfect marriage have a vision of the perfect white wedding dress in their minds. But why white? Where did this tradition come from?

 

Women Haven't Always Been Marrying in White

In fact, in the grand scheme of things, the tradition isn't even all that old. The white wedding dress of today is deep-seated tradition, and for many is worn to signify virtue as well as uphold tradition. Millions -- in fact billions -- of women all over the world start thinking about the perfect white wedding gown before they have even found the perfect partner.

Britain is a place that is rife with traditions and legends, so it is little wonder that the tradition of the white wedding dress was started by the English Monarchy. It was the wedding of Queen Victoria that spawned the interest and popularity of white wedding dresses as we know them today.

Queen Victoria married Albert of Saxe in 1840, and wore what would then have been considered a flamboyant white gown. Of course, this did not start the tradition immediately; however, many women saw this as a statement of class and style, and copied the Queen by also getting married in white.

The white wedding dress in those days had nothing to do with being virtuous -- it was all about wealth. Getting married in a white, extravagant gown was a sign that you could afford to buy a dress that you would never be able to wear again because of its style and colour (whites were not easy to clean in those days as they are today!).

Of course, women still continued to be married in various colours and styles of dress -- it was only the vain and the wealthy that insisted on white to follow in the footsteps of the wealthy Monarch. However, during Edwardian times, the white wedding dress once more soared to new heights of popularity, as Coco Chanel unveiled its new knee-length white wedding dress, complete with extravagant train.

Even so, with the depression that followed World War I and the approach of World War II, many women continued to make do with whatever type of dress they could afford, and this went on for decades. Some women would marry in a short white informal wedding dress

, which could then be dyed and used as an everyday dress. Again, it was only the fabulously wealthy that could really afford to splurge on an elaborate gown.

However, from the 1950s onwards, as the world watched Hollywood stars, royalty and members of high society get wed in stunning white gowns, the tradition of white became signed and sealed.

Wedding Dresses of Different Colours: A bit of folklore

As with many other things in life, there is much folklore and legend surrounding the various other colours that brides have been known to wed in. One old rhyme seems to sum up these notions:

Married in white, you have chosen all right. Married in green, ashamed to be seen. Married in red, you will wish yourself dead.Married in blue, you will always be true.Married in yellow, ashamed of your fellow.Married in black, you will wish yourself back.Married in pink, your spirits will sink

Of course, most people will think nothing of this poem, apart from the fact that each colour has been coupled with a meaning that just happened to rhyme very well. We all know that there are plenty of people that have married in pinks, blues and every other colour, and have enjoyed a long and happy marriage. And we certainly know that there are plenty of people that have married in white, who have not prospered quite so well.

Ordering Your Wedding Dress Online

Luckily, legend and folklore has given way to individuality in recent years, and brides now enjoy getting married in the colour of their choice. Both celebrities and everyday women have injected their wedding dresses with their own sense of style and personality, and we have seen women marrying in colours ranging from delicate ivory to deepest red and even black.

Royalty and high society still tend to favour the tradition of marrying in white. However, since simply wearing a white wedding gown can no longer mark their stature due to the availability of the white wedding dress, they now do this by infusing the dress with the most expensive silks, pearls and material possible, making it worth a king's ransom by the time it is finished.

Luckily, we don't all have to pay a fortune to look stunning for our wedding day, and there is now so much choice in colour, style, material and design that we can get married looking just the way we want -- and without having to sell all of our worldly possessions to do so!

The Internet is a great source for wedding dresses. You can enjoy excellent value for your money and unrivalled choice, enabling you to achieve just the look and theme that you want for your special day. Whether you want a full-on white gown with all the trimmings, a simple and elegant ivory dress, an informal yet classy wedding dress or something totally unique in a rich, vibrant colour, the Internet will provide you with access to the perfect choice.

You will enjoy access to a wide range of dress styles online, including:

• Traditional wedding gowns
• Informal wedding dresses
• Designer wedding dresses
• Coloured wedding gowns
• Gothic or medieval style wedding gowns
• Short wedding dresses
• Long wedding dresses

You can also select from a wide choice of material, so you can feel and look as stunning as you dare, and with the great quality available online you can cherish your special dress for years to come -- perhaps even pass it down to future generations.

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Modest Wedding Dresses (An Overview)

How to Choose form a selection of Modest Wedding Dresses or a LDS Wedding Gowns the perfect dress

If you've set foot inside of a formalwear department store or a nationwide bridal retailer lately, you know how difficult it is to find wedding and bridesmaids gowns that come anywhere close to satisfying higher standards of modesty. Modest brides need to eliminate a lot of dresses from the running at first glance. So how do they select the best one from the remaining acceptable choices?

Contrary to what a lot of fashion designers seem to think, there are thousands of flattering styles and designs of modest gowns for brides and bridesmaids. It all depends on your budget, your wedding colors and theme, and of course your body type. Learn which modest wedding dresses fit you best and how to find a gown that is both modest and stylish. Then pair them with just the right veil, shoes, and accessories to wrap it all together into your perfect bridal ensemble for you.

Where to Find the Perfect Wedding Dresses

Even in the dead of winter, it's truly difficult to find even one modest dress in the formalwear or bridal section of most retailers. Most women's formalwear is strapless or backless with a plunging neckline. The irony is that dresses with a little more coverage are actually more flattering for the majority of body types out there! Regardless of whether or not it makes sense, the fact is that any bride is going to have a difficult time finding a modest bridal gown - so she might as well know what to do about the situation.

Wedding Dress Specialty Stores

LDS brides who live in areas with a large concentration of other Latter-day Saints usually have an easier time finding LDS Wedding Gowns that suit them for their Mormon wedding. Specialty LDS wedding retailers cater solely to Mormon brides who don't want to bend their standards of modesty for their LDS Temple wedding day. Even brides who don't live in Utah but want to chose from a selection of LDS Wedding Gowns often make a special LDS Wedding dress shopping trip to Provo or Salt Lake City. That extra expense of the travel cost must be added to and incuded in their LDS wedding dress budget.

Non LDS brides seeking to find modest wedding dresses, or modest wedding gowns, will have to search for the Modest Wedding Dress Specialty Stores near them. The modest, non LDS, bride can save themselves time by shopping in dress store catering to the need of LDS brides to find modest bridal gown stores with a good selection of beautiful, yet modest wedding dresses.

Online Formalwear Retailers

Even if you live in an area with little modest selection and don't want to travel, you're not completely out of luck. The Internet can be your best friend in shopping for modest wedding gowns and bridesmaid's dresses. LDS specialty stores may physically reside in Utah and Idaho, but they have an online presence everywhere in the world. Regular formalwear stores also have a larger selection online than you see in the showroom, so you may want to check those out, too to find more LDS Wedding Gowns to choose from for the perfect wedding dress.

Chain Formal and Bridal Stores

Don't discount the possibility of finding a dress at a non-LDS formalwear or bridal store. You may luck out and fall in love with a modest wedding gown that they carry, or you may find a gown that can be altered for modesty by adding sleeves or a chemise underneath. Talk to the salespeople about your needs and see if they can help you. It may be that they carry "less popular" dresses with sleeves in the warehouse and just need to order them in your size.

Temple Ready LDS Wedding Gowns

Even if the wedding gown you ultimately select is modest, it still might not be "temple ready." A wedding dress that can be appropriately worn inside the temple for the sealing ceremony is:

White
Long-sleeved
Floor-length
High necked (no collarbone showing)
No train

If you don't want to wear a long-sleeved wedding dress, don't panic. You can always wear a dickie or faux sleeve inserts provided by the Temple underneath your dress for the sealing, or you might opt to change into a plain white temple dress for the sealing. Brides without a temple ready dress can still get married in the temple, and have lots of options for what to wear during the sealing ceremony.

LDS Temple ready rules only apply to the bride's dress. The wedding party is not a part of the temple sealing ceremony. If the bridesmaids will be attending the sealing, they will be attending only as guests, wearing either their bridesmaid's dress or changing into their "Sunday best" for the ceremony.

Setting a Bridal Gown Budget

On average, brides who shop retail stores and buy an off-the-rack dress can expect to spend between $500 and $1,000. Wedding gowns of all different styles and cuts have an enormous variation in pricing, though: brides could get lucky and find a dress for less than $100, but you can easily spend as much as $4,700 or more!

It's normal to feel overwhelmed by sticker shock the first time you browse a selection of wedding dresses and check the price tags. It can be hard to part with so much hard-earned money for a dress that you'll probably only wear for 8 hours of your life! But remember that you will only have one wedding dress, and you will be seeing it in your wedding pictures for the rest of your life. If finances allow, you shouldn't feel guilty about splurging on this special once-of-a-lifetime expense.

If you've gone over your finances and still feel nervous about taking on the cost of a wedding dress, seriously consider money-saving wedding dress tips like renting a gown or buying a pre-owned dress. Traditionally, the bridesmaids pay for their own dress, shoes, and hair.

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Wedding Dress Tips - What You Should Consider

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Are you about to get married? For most women, this is the day that they've been planning for since they were young girls. If you feel the same, then it's understandable why you're out seeking advice, help and support to make your dream wedding a reality.

Let's face it. When it comes to wedding dress, most men just can't seem to understand the importance of picking the perfect wedding dress. True, you're only going to be wearing that gown once in your life, and your groom may still feel the inclination to tie the knot even if you showed up dressed in a potato sack, but you very well know that one of the most important days of your life merits an exceptionally special dress.

Top Tips to Choose the Perfect Wedding Dress

There are so many wedding details that you need to take care of, but it's equally important that you take the time to find the perfect wedding gown for you. To help you out, we've come up with a list of wedding dress tips for how you can look your best on your wedding day.

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Tip 1: Is constantly going to your groom for tips getting you down? Find a female friend or relative who will gladly accompany you on your trips to the bridal shop.

Unless your groom is female fashion-savvy, he's not going to be much help when you ask him about the perfect wedding dress collar or neckline for you. Find a female companion or companions that you trust enough for second and third opinions.

Tip 2: Set a budget, and try to follow it.

Wedding dress budgets are hardly ever exact. You may need to spend more or you might end up spending less than you expected. The point is having a budget in mind can help you control the urge to splurge on your very special dress. Try your hardest to follow your dress budget, and pray that you find a great wedding dress bargain that will make your groom proud.

Tip 3: Consider the color of your gown.

You can stick with tradition and go for white, but if you want to add some color to your gown, then by all means, find the perfect color for you. Today, a number of modern brides are choosing colored wedding dresses instead of plain white ones. Stand out in the sea of white-clad brides by going for an eye-popping color.

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You may want to take the season into consideration when picking out your wedding dress color, or you can simply go for what flatters your complexion best. Also be prepared for possible adverse reactions from your traditional guests. Console yourself with the thought that it's your wedding, and you can wear blue or even black if you want to.

Tip 4: Find the right wedding dress length.

Yes, wedding gowns can be short or long depending on the type of ceremony you're having and where you're planning on having it. There's a very basic rule when it comes to choosing the perfect wedding dress length, and it's to base your dress length on how formal the ceremony is.

If you're having a formal ceremony, then floor-length is the way to go. If it's an ultra-formal wedding, then you may want to add a cathedral train to your dress. For informal weddings, you can choose the hemline that flatters you best.

Short, or at least shorter wedding dresses are advised for casual and outdoor weddings for practical reasons. You don't want to get mud, twigs, leaves or sand on your floor-length designer wedding dress, right?

Tip 5: Pick the appropriate and the most flattering sleeve-length and style for your dress.

By appropriate, we're merely reminding you that a winter wedding may not be the best time to go for a halter, plunging and backless number unless you're planning on wearing over clothes.

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If you're feeling conscious about your arms or your shoulders, then you might want to keep those problem areas covered. There are numerous sleeve styles and sleeve lengths to choose from; simply pick the one that fits the occasion best while making you feel pretty and comfortable in your dress.

Tip 6: Know the importance of finding the right skirt style and dress shape for your body.

Much like wedding dresses, brides come in different shapes and sizes. Take into consideration your physical assets, your overall body shape and your problem areas when making your choice of skirt style and dress shape.

For example, if you're shaped like an inverted triangle, with prominent shoulders and small hips, then a ball gown would balance your proportions creating the perfect silhouette and hourglass figure.

Tip 7: Determining the best neckline for you.

Your wedding gown's neckline can definitely affect your gown's overall appearance. You have numerous neckline options, but it's all a matter of finding the most suitable and flattering neckline for your frame.

Remember, in the same way that you need to take your assets, body shape and problem areas into consideration when picking out dress shapes and skirt styles, you also need to look at these factors when choosing your wedding dress neckline.

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If you're planning on showing off your arms, your beautiful shoulders and pronounced collar bones, and you have an ample bosom to pull off the look, then the strapless gown is an excellent neckline choice. If you tend towards the flat side, then you can enhance your bust area with a bateau neckline.

Tip 8: Look for the right fabric.

A pure satin ball gown would not stand on its own without layers of tulle under it or hoops built into the dress. Your choice of fabric could directly affect your gown's overall look. If you tend to be uncomfortable or if you tend to feel itchy when you're wearing crisp and net-like fabrics, then go for the breezy and lightweight ones.

There are so many different fabrics to choose from. A way to familiarize yourself with these fabrics is to ask your wedding planner or the bridal boutique owner to help you distinguish between the different fabric types available.

Tip 9: Decide on whether or not you want or need a wedding train.

A wedding train means extra-fabric and detailing, which translates to paying more for your wedding dress. Unless your wedding is ultra-formal, you're not going to need a train.

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If your heart is set on having a train that trails gracefully behind you, then pick your train length based on practicality. Your wedding train can decrease your mobility, making it difficult to maneuver between chairs and tables during the reception. A detachable wedding train is most advisable if you're planning on doing a lot of dancing and walking after the actual wedding ceremony.

Tip 10: Be Wary of wedding gown sizing and necessary alterations.

You'll find out more about this when you actually head to the bridal boutique to be measured.

You may already know your actual size, but don't be too surprised if they tell you that you're a size or two bigger than you thought.

This is not to say that they have faulty sizing charts; it only means that wedding dress boutiques and high street shops have a different way of determining your dress size. Your dress size is based on your body's largest dimension.

If you have prominent hips and a smaller bust area, then your wedding dress size will be based on your hip size.

Once you get your wedding gown, you need to check if alterations need to be made for a perfect fit. Most brides find that alterations are necessary to get the size right. Ask the boutique or shop owner for estimates on how much you're going to have to pay for dress alterations to determine if you're getting a great bargain or a rotten deal.

Tip 11: If you think your dress needs that extra sparkle and glam then go for some decorations and embellishments.

Wedding dress embellishments and decorations have one special purpose, and that's to bring something extra to your gown.

Additional decorations and embellishments are a great way of making your dress even more unique and fashionable.

A basic gown would look great with additional beading and perhaps some embroidery. If you want a more feminine gown, then adding a bow, some ribbons or three-dimensional flowers can give your dress the boost needed to make it an amazing and personalized wedding dress.

Find a great seamstress or wedding dress designer to help you pick out the right detailing for your gown.

Tip 12: Decide if you need over clothes for your wedding gown.

If you're having a winter wedding, and your heart is set on a strapless, A-Line, princess dress, then a great coat or bolero will help you keep warm during the wedding ceremony.Keep in mind that there are also some churches that require brides to wear modest attire for the ceremony. Rayon fringed shawls and floor-length feathered coats are excellent ways of keeping covered during the actual ceremony.On your way to your reception, simply slip out of these over clothes to show the full beauty of your wedding gown.Follow these helpful tips and keep these reminders in mind when dress-shopping, to make your hunt for the perfect wedding dress a more enjoyable and less stressful experience.

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