A Perfectly-fitted Dress Helps a Bride to Feel Confident on Her Special Day

Copyright (c) 2011 Alison Withers

Preparation for a wedding always involves a million details to be organised and one of the most important to most brides is looking and feeling beautiful.

Choosing the dress for the bride as well as the bridesmaids is influenced by many factors including budget, family traditions and the bride's own wishes and style.

This decision will come partly from whether the wedding is to be traditional or modern, a sophisticated evening event with a civil ceremony, a simple church wedding or perhaps a beach wedding in the tropics.

There may be a theme for the wedding and also the time of year when it is to be held may dictate the style and fabrics that will be used in the bride's and bridesmaids' dresses.

As with any other type of clothing, wedding dresses are subject to fashion, but to feel truly comfortable means that the bride should choose is the right one for her. There are no absolute rules and while many brides want to wear the traditional white there is nothing wrong with choosing to wear a colour instead.

Every bride wants to feel unique and beautiful and this may influence the decision about whether to have a specially-made dress or whether to choose one ready-made. There is a tradition in some families of handing a dress down the generations and some brides-to-be actually like the idea of having an antique dress.

Whatever the decision it is likely that alterationswill be necessary to ensure that the dress fits perfectly so that a bride can feel comfortable, confident and relaxed on the day.

If it is a family heirloom that is the dress choice, it may be that, in addition to alterations for it to fit, the bride will also want more subtle re-modelling and perhaps adding a new sash, a bolero or stole or a different veil to feel that it is truly hers.

Regardless of how carefully an antique or heirloom dress has been stored it is likely that small details of trimming could have suffered damage, such as missing beads or sequins or a tear in lace or a bid of embroidery that needs to be refurbished.

A professional dressmaker will be able to make the necessary alterations. They will need to be able to do fine and invisible work and know where to source trimmings to match any that may have been lost.

Remodelling an antique dress to subtly refresh its look and ensuring that it will fit its latest wearer perfectly is an art that depends not only on skill with needle and thread but also in the dressmaker being able to advise its wearer tactfully and sympathetically about what is possible and what will best suit her body shape.

There may be a need for additional minor alterations as the big day gets closer and perhaps the bride-to-be has either lost or gained weight.

A skillful dressmaker who pays attention to the small details will be able to achieve the look that makes every bride feel truly special.


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A skilful dressmaker who can do bridal alterations is crucial for every bride who wants her wedding dress to be unique, special and perfectly fitted whether it is traditional, antique or modern. By Ali Withers.