Posted on 2 Comments

3 common wedding dress mistakes brides make and how to avoid it

Your wedding dress is one of the most important dresses you will ever wear in your life. So, making the right choice is a tough, but important task. Not all brides enjoy a fantastic experience choosing their wedding dress, and many have regretted their decision at a later time.

Let us look at 3 of the most common mistakes brides make when choosing their wedding dress, and how you can avoid it.

Buying your dress too early, before actually planning your wedding

via Best for Bride

You may be tempted to do wedding shopping the minute you are engaged. However, this isn’t wise. Many factors determine the right choice—the venue, theme of wedding, weather,budget, etc. Shopping without a definite idea of what would be practical based on the time and location of your wedding, could cause you to regret your choice later.

Remember, not all wedding dresses are equally suitable for all situations. So, purchasing a formal wedding gown for an indoor ceremony may be the wrong choice if you finally decide on an outdoor ceremony. Wait till the wedding details are more or less decided, before shopping. You should buy your wedding dress 6-9 months before your wedding, to allow sufficient time for alterations and changes.

Buying a wedding dress that’s in the wrong size

via Best for Bride

You have a whole year till your wedding, and you are determined to lose several pounds before it. So, you might as well get your wedding dress a size or two smaller than you currently measure, right? Wrong! Many brides make this mistake, and later struggle to fit into a dress that is too tight.

Remember that it is easier to take in a gown, than adding additional inches to it. If you live up to your weight-loss plans, you can always have your gown altered to fit your exact measurements at the time. If you can’t, you will be glad you chose a gown that actually fits you.

Not accounting for the extras when you buy your wedding gown

via Best for Bride

When you fix your wedding dress budget, always account for the extra money you will have to pay for fittings, accessories and customization. It is unlikely that you will find a dress off-the-rack, that will perfectly fit you. It may have to be adjusted to fit your measurements or the hemline may have to be moved up to be at the right length. In some cases, you may want to add sleeves or add accessories like a waistband to improve your look.

All these come at an additional cost. Apart from this, you will have to spend money on wedding accessories like jewelry, shoes, tiaras and veils. When all these are finally paid for, many brides find that they have gone over-budget.

When you create your wedding dress budget, divide it into the actual money you can spend on the dress, and the additional amount for the rest. Tell your bridal consultant the actual amount you can afford on the dress, which includes the charges for all the fixes, and she should help you find one that fits your budget, while meeting your other preferences.

Now that you are aware of the common mistakes, you are ready to find the dress of your dreams and be happy with your choice. For more wedding tips and advice, and to find the perfect wedding dress for your big day, visit Best for Bride.

Posted on 2 Comments

Mixed and Matched Bridesmaids Dresses – Different dresses, but a cohesive look

Brides come in all shapes and sizes, so do their bridesmaids. While you definitely want a cohesive look for your bridal party, you should also allow your bridesmaids to show off their best features in dresses that make them feel great. Choosing the same bridesmaid dress for the entire party may not allow this, as each of your bridesmaids has different looks, personalities and preferences.

Fortunately, there is a solution. There is a huge range of bridesmaid dresses available today. This allows you to mix and match styles, fabrics and colors, bringing more fashion and excitement into your wedding. Nevertheless, you should still mix and match right so your party doesn’t look disjointed.

Let us look at how to make this possible.

Different designs but the same colour

One factor that can seamlessly unify the entire party is colour. You can grant your bridesmaids freedom to choose the design and pattern of their choice, as long as they stick to the exact color. Make sure that all the dresses match, as different shades of the same colour can look different depending on the pattern and fabric. This would defeat the purpose.

Different colours but the same design

Here, the common factor would be the design. While your maids can choose any of the colors available in a particular pattern, it is also recommended that you stick to a particular color family or pair complementary colors for the best results. Various tones of the same color that is used throughout your wedding decor would have your brides looking different yet the same. The same dress in a family of colours that matches the wedding palette will have an amazing overall effect.

Same hemline length for all

Even when the colors are the same, the bridesmaids can look disjointed when the hem lengths of each dress is different. So, it is best if you fix a uniform length and vary the other features instead. Your bridesmaids can choose between different necklines and colors, but keep the pattern or fabric similar and the hem length exactly the same.

Multiway dresses

Now, here is a brilliant option that is easy yet innovative. When you find yourself too confused and are unable to obtain a cohesive effect, reduce the chances of error by choosing multiway dresses. These dresses can be worn in various ways, allowing your bridesmaids to find the pattern that suits their body shape. The dresses can be worn in a wide-strap pattern, as the knot halter, draped over one shoulder, with draped sleeves or in the bandeau style. Whichever option they choose to carry, you can be certain that they will look stunning and more importantly, similar.

You do not appear too imposing by allowing your bridesmaids to choose their dress (as long as they stick to the unifying factor). Even so, you ensure that their looks are all tied together. So, not only are your bridesmaids happy, so are you.

At Best for Bride, we have an excellent collection of bridesmaid dresses. Check out our store for dresses that your bridesmaids will love to wear.

Posted on 1 Comment

3 tips to help you choose bridesmaids dresses that your girls will want to wear again

In the past, bridesmaids dresses were notoriously hideous and weird. With the popular designs resembling cotton candy or plastic raincoats, it was no wonder these dresses were banished to a far end of the closet soon after serving its purpose. Fortunately, the options in bridesmaids dresses are much better today.

As the bride, it is your call to decide what kind of dresses your bridesmaids will wear. While your ultimate aim should be to create a cohesive effect that ties with your wedding palette, you can still make allowances so your favorite girls do not look or feel awkward in what you choose. With a little thought, your bridesmaids may even consider wearing this dress on another occasion, which means the money spent on it goes further. Let us look at how you can accomplish this.

1. Go with neutral colors

via Best for Bride

Rather than choose bridesmaids dresses in shades they may not be able to pull off anywhere else, choose neutrals. If your maid of honor tells you that she isn’t a fan of the strawberry ice that you are obsessed with, you should perhaps consider a more flattering tone from the same color family.

Limit the colors in the wedding palette to the rest of the décor, while you choose neutrals for the dresses, and it is likely they will be able to use it again. If you still want that pop of color in what they wear, try adding it to their bouquets, or with accessories like shoes and belts.

2. Choose a neutral style

via Best for Bride

The typical bridesmaids dress design is a strapless knee-length gown. If the dress is also in a vivid color, there is little use for it later on. Think outside the wedding, look at popular styles for not just bridesmaids, and base your choice accordingly.

A scoop or V-neckline is universally flattering, and it will also be perfect for other events. Also pay attention to the silhouette. An A-line dress will fall gently, look great on most body shapes, and your girls wouldn’t mind wearing it again.

3. Go with the mismatched trend and allow them to select their dress based on your guidelines

via Best for Bride

Gone are the days when all the bridesmaids dressed to be boring look-alike’s. The current trend is to mix and match bridesmaids dresses in various styles, designs and colors, and bring them all together with one or two unifying factors. This could be the color, dress length or design.

So, you get to pick these factors and inform your girl friends of your choice.Then, let them find dresses that meet your specifications, but also appeals to them. Pick a color family and allow them to choose the shade that looks best on them, or choose a dress pattern and allow them to pick different colors in the same design. Another option is to fix a specific color and allow them the freedom to choose any dress in this color.

With mismatched bridesmaids dresses, the group looks dynamic and energetic, and you will also find your bridesmaids looking happy in their choice. Visit Best for Bride to find inspiration and choose from hundreds of wonderful Bridesmaids dresses that your favorite girlfriends will love to wear again and again.