Really Big Wedding Dresses
September 21, 2011
Top 10 Wedding Dress Mistakes
There are many common mistakes brides make when they come wedding dress shopping – often because they are underprepared or unwilling to think beyond the ideal vision that they have in their head. But wedding dress shopping needn’t be stressful, or fruitless, or time-consuming. Here are our top 10 mistakes that brides make when shopping for a wedding dress – try to avoid these and you should be fine!
1. Not knowing their budget
Unless you really do have an unlimited amount to spend, you should have an idea of what you can afford. Obviously your budget will go a lot further if you choose to shop for discount wedding dresses, from a factory outlet or discount designer store, but you still need to know what your limit is.
2. Not considering extra costs
When you budget for your outfit, you need to remember that you will be wearing more than just a dress! You need to consider your shoes, underwear, a veil if you will be wearing one, any jewellery you don’t already own (I’m guessing most of us didn’t have a tiara before we got married!), and even your hair and make up should be included.
3. Bringing too many people
You should definitely bring someone. Many people bring their mum and a sister or a close friend. Whoever you choose, they should be people you trust to give an honest opinion but also not try to influence you to choose a dress they like rather than the one you like! Any more than two people and you’re going to end up with too many different viewpoints, which can get confusing for you. Besides, you want your wedding dress to be a surprise for as many people as possible on the big day!
4. Getting all made up to come wedding dress shopping
Okay, so wedding dress shopping feels more special than normal shopping, but there really is no need to get all dressed up for us! You should make sure that you are wearing a well-fitting bra if you are likely to need extra support under your wedding dress, but apart from that, casual is fine. In fact, we would prefer you didn’t wear any make up that could get smudged off on to the dresses.
5. Shopping too early (or too late!)
Shopping too late is less of a concern for shopping at wedding dress factory outlets, for example, as these dresses don’t need to be made from scratch for you, but you should still aim to leave enough time for any alterations. As for shopping too early, you really need to at least have the wedding date booked, and preferably the venue, as both of these decisions will influence what style of dress you choose. Also, if you aren’t ready to make the purchase, you could fall in love with a dress that isn’t available when you have the money ready.
6. Not having done a bit of research before
It’s all very well having an open mind as to what style of dress you want, but you should have some idea about what you like. Knowing your venue will help (beach weddings have a very different dress code to church weddings!), but take the time to look at some pictures and see what appeals to you. Perhaps you prefer plainer dresses to the more detailed ones, or a detachable train to a built in one. If you have no idea where to start, it can be a bit bewildering to look at all the wedding dresses on the rails!
7. Only trying one style on
Conversely, being adamant you will only try on white strapless ballgowns, may mean you miss out on a dress that would suit you more, as well as restricting your choice somewhat.
8. Trying to buy a smaller size saying “I’ll lose weight before the wedding”
It’s so easy to say, but not as easy to achieve, and while we’re not saying that you won’t lose weight before your big day, it is worth remembering that most dresses can be taken in by as many as four sizes without affecting the style. Letting a dress out is much more difficult, and if it is possible, you will only be able to let it out by one size. So choose a dress that fits now, and have it taken in when you lose that weight!
9. Forgetting they have to spend a whole day in the dress
This sounds obvious, but many people will try a dress on and decide to buy it without even trying to sit down in it. The wedding dress is for more than just the ceremony, so think about how comfortable it will be to wear while sitting down, eating and even dancing in. This is particularly important with corset style bodices that can be restricting, and fishtail dresses, which if too closely fitted can stop you being able to sit down at all!
10. Buying a dress you don’t love
This is YOUR dress. It should be the dress that you keep comparing all other dresses to (I still do this 4 years after my wedding, and so far, I still love my wedding dress more than any other!). Choosing a dress because it made your mother well up, or just because it has a coloured trim that will match the bridesmaid’s dresses is really not advisable. You aren’t planning to do this more than once, so make sure to buy the wedding dress of your dreams.
About the Author
The Wedding Dress Factory Outlet offers over 700 designer wedding dresses at a fraction of their retail price. For high quality discount wedding gowns, visit us at our Leicestershire store and find your perfect wedding dress.
Taeyang – Wedding Dress (Viola Cover)
|
|
Winter Wedding Cake Topper $27.99 Add style and beauty to your wedding cake with our Winter Wedding Cake Topper. While your marriage is sure to be filled with all sorts of ingredients, this cake topper will easily be the sweet cherry on top of your wedding day celebration. Crafted of thick acrylic and fashioned in your choice of colors, this winter wedding accessory really comes to life when you personalize it with your first names and wedding date…a truly cool treat!Clear, square acrylic wedding cake topper with snowflakes designWinter design and personalization applied with static-cling vinylTopper measures 4″” h x 4″” w x 1/2″” dMay be personalized with two block first names (maximum of 12 characters per name) and numeric date in your choice of a blueberry or ice-blue background at no additional costPersonalization ink varies with background color |
|
|
Blue Diamond Glass Photo Coaster Favor Set $2.25 Bluebirds of happiness are a long-known omen of good luck; spread your own good luck with these stunning Blue Diamond glass photo coaster sets — they really are a brighter shade of blue than the brightest blue skies. These blue diamond glass photo coaster favor sets make a thoughtful keepsake from your big day, so send your worn out friends home after the fleeting wedding bash with a reminder of your perfect day. Exclusive to the Knot, these are sold in sets of 2, each measuring 3 5/8" square. |
|
|
B is for Baby Lettered Baby Block Candle (Set of 4) $9.6 So often, life’s best things come in small packages–like babies, of course, and beautiful baby shower favors, too. One of Kate Aspen’s best and brightest is our “”B is for Baby”" Lettered Baby Block Candle. Sweetly designed and presented, the only thing really big about this favor is the lasting impression it will make on your guests. Features and facts:Beautifully lettered baby block candle with pastel blue, green, pink, yellow and lilac accentsBaby-powder scentBaby block measures 1 1/4″” squareGift presentation includes clear display box with a white-satin ribbon and bow and a coordinating baby block-themed “”For You”" tagGift box measures 1 1/2″” h x 1 3/4″” w x 1 3/4″” dSold in a set of four |
|
|
Fall Wedding Aisle Runner $110 Bring the warmth of autumn’s finest colors into your wedding celebration with our fall wedding aisle runner. With its fanciful, fall leaf design and exclusive personalization, each runner creates the perfect canvas for the DIY bride to really get creative. Features and facts:Stunning wedding aisle runner features your names and wedding date surrounded by beautiful fall leavesMade of non-woven rayonDesign features two block first names (maximum of 12 characters per name) and numeric date with your choice of burnt sienna or cinnamon accentsPattern is placed 8 ft. down from the top of the runnerAisle runner comes with adhesive-strip backing for placement and easy pull cord for extensionRunner measures 36″” w x 100 ft. long |
|
|
Fall Wedding Cake Topper $27.99 Let your guests delight in more than the taste of your wedding cake when you place our Fall Wedding Cake Topper on it! Adding one more definition of personalized style to your big day, this autumnal cake decoration can be customized with your names, wedding date and fall color scheme of your choice! So, go ahead and let this must-have be your ideal finishing touch, and cheers to many years of blissful goodness!Clear, square acrylic wedding cake topper with autumn-leaves designFall design and personalization applied with static-cling vinylTopper measures 4″” h x 4″” w x 1/2″” dMay be personalized with two block first names (maximum of 12 characters per name) and numeric date in your choice of a burnt sienna or cinnamon background at no additional costPersonalization ink varies with background colorPermanent botanicals not included |
|
|
Wedding Personalized Take Out Pails $5.25 These adorable take out boxes will add joy and good fortune to any wedding celebration! The translucent vinyl takeout box is filled with two delicious hand-dipped wedding fortune cookies that are dipped in Belgian chocolate and/or caramel and decorated for the special occasion. The label features your names and date to really make it your own. Features and facts:Individually wrapped in clear cellophane bags and heat-sealed at both ends for freshness Box available in a variety of colors and features a personalized label with matching ribbon Two fortune cookies are decorated with hand-crafted royal icing and yummy sprinkles Icing decorations may vary Select chocolate/caramel mix, caramel, dark chocolate, milk chocolate or white chocolate Choose a standard wedding fortune or create your own message Minimum 6 |
|
|
Wedding Cocktail Mixes – Beach Theme Designs $1.8 Blended or shaken, you can cause a stir with these festive cocktail mixes! Bridal couples that want a really fun and festive wedding favor for their guests can now turn to the new Wedding Cocktail Collection. Personalized packages of cocktail drink mix make a wedding favor idea that’s in step with the latest trends. The Wedding Cocktail Collection offers several flavor varieties for the discerning bride and groom to choose from. The Margarita is the No. 1 selling cocktail in the world and evokes a sense of paradise, the laid-back lifestyle and a tropical retreat. What more could a happy couple want? Perhaps your taste is more for the sophistication of the Cosmopolitan, the best-selling martini variety – if so, try the Cosmo, the smooth-sipping libation that is both a sexy and sweet treat! Whether your bridal tastes sway to the beaches of the Caribbean or the nightclubs of New York City, we have both the cocktail mix and the packaging to meet your wedding favor needs. A wide range of exciting package designs is available to suit every couples’ personality and wedding theme. Each single serving of drink mix comes sealed in a beautiful white gloss pouch (3.75″”w x 5″”h) that contains 11 grams of the powdered drink mixture. Instructions on how to mix the pouch contents with other ingredients to form the perfect cocktail can be found on the back of the package. All designs can be personalized with the name of the bride and groom and the wedding date; due to personalization, there is a minimum order of 50. |
|
|
Wedding Cocktail Mixes – Fall Theme Designs $1.8 Blended or shaken, you can cause a stir with these festive cocktail mixes! Bridal couples that want a really fun and festive wedding favor for their guests can now turn to the new Wedding Cocktail Collection. Personalized packages of cocktail drink mix make a wedding favor idea that’s in step with the latest trends. The Wedding Cocktail Collection offers several flavor varieties for the discerning bride and groom to choose from. The Margarita is the No. 1 selling cocktail in the world and evokes a sense of paradise, the laid-back lifestyle and a tropical retreat. What more could a happy couple want? Perhaps your taste is more for the sophistication of the Cosmopolitan, the best-selling martini variety – if so, try the Cosmo, the smooth-sipping libation that is both a sexy and sweet treat! Whether your bridal tastes sway to the beaches of the Caribbean or the nightclubs of New York City, we have both the cocktail mix and the packaging to meet your wedding favor needs. A wide range of exciting package designs is available to suit every couples’ personality and wedding theme. Each single serving of drink mix comes sealed in a beautiful white gloss pouch (3.75″”w x 5″”h) that contains 11 grams of the powdered drink mixture. Instructions on how to mix the pouch contents with other ingredients to form the perfect cocktail can be found on the back of the package. All designs can be personalized with the name of the bride and groom and the wedding date; due to personalization, there is a minimum order of 50. |
|
|
Wedding Cocktail Mix – Many DESIGNS to Choose From $1.8 Blended or shaken, you can cause a stir with these festive cocktail mixes! Bridal couples that want a really fun and festive wedding favor for their guests can now turn to the new Wedding Cocktail Collection. Personalized packages of cocktail drink mix make a wedding favor idea that’s in step with the latest trends. The Wedding Cocktail Collection offers several flavor varieties for the discerning bride and groom to choose from. The Margarita is the No. 1 selling cocktail in the world and evokes a sense of paradise, the laid-back lifestyle and a tropical retreat. What more could a happy couple want? Perhaps your taste is more for the sophistication of the Cosmopolitan, the best-selling martini variety – if so, try the Cosmo, the smooth-sipping libation that is both a sexy and sweet treat! Whether your bridal tastes sway to the beaches of the Caribbean or the nightclubs of New York City, we have both the cocktail mix and the packaging to meet your wedding favor needs. A wide range of exciting package designs is available to suit every couples’ personality and wedding theme. Each single serving of drink mix comes sealed in a beautiful white gloss pouch (3.75″”w x 5″”h) that contains 11 grams of the powdered drink mixture. Instructions on how to mix the pouch contents with other ingredients to form the perfect cocktail can be found on the back of the package. All designs can be personalized with the name of the bride and groom and the wedding date; due to personalization, there is a minimum order of 50. |
|
|
Polka-Dot Mini Wedding Favor Candle $2.5 Give your guests a big “”Thank You”" with a small and sophisticated favor delightfully decorated with polka-dots. Each candle is hand-brushed in beeswax and hand-painted with polka dots. You choose the color and the personalization-include your first names, last initial and wedding date or create your own two-line message. The candles come in clear wrapping and color-coordinated ribbon, and they measure 1 ¼â€? tall by 1 ½â€? wide. |
|
|
Mini Kissing Wedding Bell Favors $4.95 Silver bells, silver bells, it's Wedding Time in your city! If you'd love your wedding to include bells a' ringin', consider getting these adorable 1" tall (small!) little silver bells. Each one comes with a pretty twine attached to it so that after you use them as a decorative element you can give them away as a favor. They'll hang from anyone's holiday tree for years to come, reminding them of your special day long after those bridesmaids dresses cease to fit. Plus, each comes with an adorable poem card on it! These come in sets of 24. |
|
|
Emily Post's Wedding Planner $27.95 It's time to plan your wedding! Peggy Post is ready to help youin this new edition of <i>Emily Post's Wedding Planner</i>. Combining appealing design with streamlined practicality, this book helps you organize the wedding of your dreams, from the beginning of your engagement until you start your new married life. What kind of wedding is right for the two of you? Peggy walks you through the decisionsboth big and small. Her straightforward advice is sure to give you a confidence boost and peace of mind. Every page of the book is designed with busy couples in mind, including: <br><br></b> |
|
|
Wedding Reception Table Runners (8 Designs Available) $110 If you want your reception hall to make a statement without saying a word, you’ll surely want to decorate it with one of our exclusively designed Table Runners. Personalized free of charge and available in today’s hottest wedding colors, these one of a kind table decorations easily create and capture the “”Wow”" factor every couple longs for… giving brides, grooms and their wedding guests one more reason to celebrate their big day! Features and facts:Table runner easily drapes over any table transforming it into the focal point of your wedding reception decorMeasures 54″” x 72″”Made of 100% printable polyesterChoose from a variety of accent colors: cloud, aqua, sage, wisteria, petal pink, raspberry, wineberry, plum, claret, tangerine, chocolate, gray, black, burnt sienna, cinnamon, blueberry or ice blueInstructions for use includedThe Vintage Scroll Table Runner may be personalized with a written out date printed in black and either a single block initial or block monogram in your choice of accent colorThe Timeless Table Runner may be personalized with two script first names (max of 12 characters per name) and numeric date printed in black and a block last name (max of 12 characters) in your choice of accent color The Flourish Table Runner may be personalized with two block first names (max of 12 characters per name) and numeric date printed in black with your choice of accent color The Regal Table Runner may be personalized with a single block initial and numeric date printed in black and two script first names (max of 12 characters per name) in your choice of accent color The Elegance Table Runner may be personalized with two block first names separated by an ampersand (max of 12 characters per name), a numeric date printed in black and a single script initial, which will be placed largely in the background in your choice of accent colorThe Embracing Hearts Table Runner may be personalized with two block first names (max of 12 characters per name) and numeric date printed in black with your choice of accent colorThe Fall Wedding Table Runner may be personalized with two block first names (max of 12 characters per name) and numeric date with your choice of burnt sienna or cinnamon accents The Winter Wedding Table Runner may be personalized with two block first names (max of 12 characters per name) and numeric date printed in black with your choice of blueberry or ice blue accents |
|
|
Wedding Notes – So little time… $7 <br><font color=red>Clearance prices are good only while supplies last.</font><br><br>Planning your wedding is a big, big job! Keep track of your many to-dos with this sweet little notebook. Adorned with "busy bride" illustrations, the lined sheets are perfect for jotting down cute ideas and creating checklists. Comes tied with a pink grosgrain ribbon and cellophane wrapping; 9" h x 3 3/4" w. |
|
|
Square Wedding Cake Stand $100 This square wedding cake stand is so pretty it looks like it should find a nice home in a Versailles hutch after your big day. The ornate etched design on the top is so intricate that it's almost a shame it will be covered by sugar, flour, butter and eggs. The ornate feet of the stand give it a Rococo vibe. Let them eat cake! <br><br>Available in two sizes:<br>14" square stand — $100.00 <br>18" square stand — $150.00<br><br> |
|
|
Wedding Bubbles – Light Blue $4.95 You'll always hope for blue skies for your wedding, but in case the weatherman doesn't have your day marked with a big sun on his chart, why not pick up sky blue bubble bottles to offer your guests? Blowing bubbles at the newlyweds as they emerge with their pristine new ball and/or chain is a lovely tradition, made even lovelier by this pretty light blue color. Bubbles come in boxes of 24, measure 2" high x 1 1/4" w, and hold 0.6 ounces of bubble solution. |
|
|
The Knot Wedding Planner in a Box $14.99 <br>Portable, sort-able, and indispensable cards for planning every aspect of your wedding! <br><br>With so many stylistic, logistic, and financial decisions to make, planning the perfect wedding can be overwhelming. In this deck, the ultimate authority on weddings, The Knot, breaks down each step into tabbed and categorized cards, making the process more manageable — and more fun! You'll find big-picture questions for refining your vision down to specific to-do lists and check-lists for every detail. The vendor interview question cards are especially convenient; you can tuck these cards into your notebook or wedding planner and carry them with you to various appointments — you'll sound like a pro and get all of the information you need, including: <li>What information to include in your contracts and business agreements <li>A list of must-have photographs to give to the photographer <li>How much to tip your caterers, musicians, drivers, and so on <li>When to schedule your various dress fittings (and what to bring) <li>A complete list of bridesmaid and groomsmen duties <li>What to pack in your day-of emergency kit <br><br> |
|
|
Wedding Dress Bubbles $6.95 <br><font color=red>Clearance prices are good only while supplies last.</font><br><br> Adorable white plastic bubble bottles, all dressed up in pearls and white dresses, are ready to shower the new bride and groom in a cascade of bubbles. Each measures 2 1/2 high and includes a screw top wand. |
|
|
Flower Girl Wedding Camera $8.25 It’s easy for your flower girl to feel like a big part of the ceremony when she walks down the aisle–but she’ll feel like she has a big part in the reception, too, with her very own camera for candid shots. Made with kid-safe, brightly–colored pink plastic with a flower lens, it also has a clip to attach to a neck strap or purse. It’s easy-to-use design, which includes a flash, allows for indoor and outdoor shots. The reloadable camera can be used again and again. Preloaded with 400-speed film; 24 exposures. Battery included. Not recommended for children under 3 years old. |
|
|
Ring Bearer Wedding Camera $8.25 It’s easy for your ring bearer to feel like a big part of the ceremony–after all he’s carrying an important part–but he’ll feel like he has a big part in the reception, too, with his very own camera for candid shots. It’s made with kid-safe, brightly-colored blue plastic with amphibious-looking, easy-to-use features (including a flash) and it has a clip to attach to a neck strap or belt. The reloadable camera can be used again and again. Preloaded with 400-speed film; 24 exposures. Battery included. Not recommended for children under 3 years old. |
