Choosing your wedding dress is one of the most exciting and happiest days of your life - here are a few tips to make sure you get the gown of your dreams
Camilla Brides in Norwich specialises in creating bespoke wedding dresses and, says owner Paula Norman, timing is crucial.
“We need at least a year to make a dress – and if you are getting married in what are traditional busy wedding periods – we would even suggest a little longer.
“When a bride has chosen her dress, we begin a countdown, with many fittings throughout the year right up to as close to the big day as possible. We also encourage the bride to come in after her hair rehearsal so she can see whether it works with the dress. Brides often come in wearing their jeans, with their hair up and a tiara in and say they don’t like it – but once they put on the dress it is like magic, a transformation as it all comes together.”
Paula says another key element to consider is when and where the wedding is happening.
“If someone is getting married on a boat with 20 guests, I wouldn’t suggest going for a cathedral train. If we know the setting we can help with ideas. The season is also important. While you wouldn’t necessarily want to wrap a bride up for a winter wedding, you might want to reflect the time of year in terms of colours or added sparkle.
“It is essential a bride feels completely comfortable. Everyone has got a part of their body they aren’t happy about, whether you are a size eight or size 28. You have to address this. A bride might not like to expose the tops of their arms – and even if you think their arms are fine – they are the ones which need to feel 100pc happy, confident and beautiful.
“Finally, keep an open mind. Brides come in determined they only want a plain, understated simple dress, but often, once they are here, trying on different styles, it is like being a child in a sweet shop. But that’s great, it should be fun, it should be a great girly experience and the chance to wear something very special.”
Camilla Brides, 53 North Walsham Rd, Norwich NR6 7QA, 01603 482641, www.camillabrides.co.uk
Jo Ross, who runs Bridal Boutique, King’s Lynn, says the first thing to consider is budget.
“I would say to any bride, have a budget and stick to it. Only try dresses on which are within your price range, don’t be set on a certain designer, and don’t be embarrassed whatever your budget is – you don’t want to ruin your big day by putting yourself under financial pressure.
“Often brides are tempted to try on hugely expensive gowns, but the danger is, if you fall in love with it and can’t find anything to compete, the experience could leave you feeling hugely disappointed. We try and divide our shop roughly into two halves – under £1,000 and over £1,000 which works quite well. There is always a beautiful dress out there, whatever your price range,” she says.
“Trends change quite dramatically in bridal wear. Five years ago, every dress was satin A-line, then it moved to lace, now we are seeing a lot more Mikado-style dresses which are long, sleek, more fitted dresses that are more sexy than traditionally romantic.
“Some girls don’t know what they want until they start trying them on, others have a very clear idea of different trends they have seen in magazines, on sites like Pinterest and Instagram or from wedding blogs.
“It is good to keep an open mind if you can, as not all styles suit all brides. Many are surprised at how their ideas change once they try different dresses on.
“Finally, I would always recommend buying your dress first, before anything else. A lot of brides buy their bridesmaids’ dresses before they have tried a dress on themselves as they think they have a very clear idea of what they want – but then they shop for their dress and fall in love with something completely unexpected which doesn’t match.”
Bridal Boutique, 10 Tower Street, Kings Lynn, PE30 1EJ, 01553 770347, www.bridalboutiquekingslynn.co.uk
