Your Wedding Dress: The Importance of Perfect Tailoring
There’s an old saying that the two things everyone remembers from a wedding is the dress and the cake. Whether or not that’s an accurate statement, one thing is true – the moment you step down the aisle in your wedding dress, you are setting the tone for the rest of the ceremony and the reception.
Walking down the aisle is one of those “once-in-a-lifetime” moments, and all eyes will be on you and your dress. Of course, most brides know the basics when it comes to dress shopping: Choose a style that represents your personality and makes you feel beautiful. It’s almost surprising, however, how many brides overlook one of the most important aspects of her wedding dress – the tailoring.
A poorly-fitting dress (or even a gown that looks just a bit large here and a tad too small there) can cheat a bride of looking as amazing as she potentially could on her special day. Having a bridal gown tailored is a standard part of dress shopping. Why not pay extra close attention to the little details so you can look your absolute best during your wedding? Here are some important tips when it comes to having your dress tailored.
Overall Fit
Many brides will dive into a vigorous diet and exercise routine once they’re engaged, in an effort to lose weight by their wedding day. When buying a dress, don’t choose a smaller size hoping to be able to fit into it later on. Choose what fits you the day you walk into the bridal salon. It is much easier to take a dress in than it is to let it out, and the last thing you want is the pressure of fitting into a too-small gown during the weeks leading up to your wedding (you’ll have enough stress as it is!).
Waistline
Tailoring a dress around the waist, of course, all depends on the cut and style of the dress. If your dress is fitted around the torso, you want to make sure that any fabric, zippers, buttons, or embellishments are lying flat. Puckering, creasing, and stretched button holes are all signs that the dress is too small. On the other hand, you don’t want any unflattering gaping or sagging around your waistline either, which is a sign that the dress is too large and needs to be taken in some more.
Bust Line
This is probably the most common area that brides tend to get wrong when it comes to the fit of their dress. Keep in mind that even if you can zip or button it up, doesn’t mean that it’s the correct size. There should be absolutely no spillage in the front of the dress (a lot of photographers have to spend extra time airbrushing certain “slips”), on the sizes, or in the back. One way to test the sizing is by holding your arms above your head and jumping up and down a few times. If, after jumping, you need to pull your dress up or adjust the bust area, then you need to have it tailored better. Even if you have a low-cut dress, the fit should be secure enough so that everything stays in place no matter how much you move. The last thing you want to be doing is adjusting the top of your dress while you’re dancing at your own reception.
Length
The length of your dress all depends on the shoes you plan on wearing. For a Cancun wedding, brides may want to wear flat sandals or even go barefoot, as high heels and sand don’t go well together. Either way, make sure to take the shoes you plan on wearing to your dress fitting. Provided your dress is a full-length gown, the front of your dress should just barely skim the ground. If it’s too short, there tends to be an awkward looking gap between the ground and the hem, and the skirt won’t flow as well when you’re walking. If the dress is too long, however, the hem will get worn and dirty throughout the day and night – plus, you’ll risk tripping on it.
Bustle
Bustles are made in order to take the back of the dress (the train) up after the ceremony, so you can move around freely for the rest of your wedding. If your tailor creates bustle that is taken up on the outside of your dress, make sure they make one that perfectly blends the fabric of your train and back of the dress together. If the bustle is on the underside of your dress, you also want to make sure that there is no sign of puckering on the outside of the skirt. A poorly-done bustle may show a slight dent in the back of the dress, where the bustle is attached underneath. Another common mistake is an outer bustle with a completely visible pin or button with a loophole. Not only is this tacky, but it also takes attention away from the dress itself.
Your wedding photos are going to be with you for the rest of your life. When you look back, you don’t want to be reminded of any tailoring mistakes or a dress that didn’t fit you properly. So take the time to ensure your dress is perfectly fitted to you and your exact measurements before your wedding day arrives.