I Made My Own Wedding Dress
My husband’s and my biggest hobby is creating things, furniture, costumes, props, smaller decorations, …. We are makers and we liked to incorporate this theme in our wedding.
I decided to sew my own wedding dress. This was a challenging project, since I didnt have much sewing experience. I never followed a course or anything and have only sewn some small projects like pillow casings, and only two serious pieces of clothing: a pirate corset and waistcoat. However, since a wedding dress is actually just a corset with a skirt attached to it, and after watching tons of YouTube video’s on sewing wedding dresses and on general sewing techniques that I would need, I was confident that I could do it.
In this Instructable I’d like to share with you the process of making the dress. For the wedding day I made a photo book on the dress creation, so that the wedding guests could see it, and some of the images used in this Instructable are directly from that photo book, which explains the backgrounds and photoshopped items ).
I was really happy with the result and I am proud of my creation :). I hope you enjoy my Instructable!
Sticking With One Style
Ninety percent of our brides leave with something completely different than what they had in mind when they walked in, said DeMarco. Bringing in pictures of dresses you like is a good start, but if your consultant recommends something different, give it a try. Its impossible to tell what a dress will look like on your body just from seeing it on a hanger. If a bride is fuller in the hip area, she might have a mind set that she cant wear a fitted dress, says DeMarco. However, what she may not know is that a more fitted dress would show off her curves, fit beautifully, and make her appear more slender as opposed to covering up.
Need advice on which shape is most flattering? Get some recommendations here.
Other Tips For Hanging A Wedding Dress
Want one more crucial tip?
- Make sure you frequently check the temperature in the room! Generally, keep your dress in a room thats between 60-75 degrees.
- Avoid storing it in damp rooms, like your attic or cellar. Also, dont place it right by a window, as doing so can cause discoloration from the sunlight.
- Finally, if youre too nervous to hang a wedding dress in your own home, ask a local bridal shop or dry cleaners if they would be willing to store the dress for you, for a fee.
- Another item that should be properly hung is your veil! Make sure to have a veil storage clip on hand.
Oh, and after the wedding is over? Take your dress straight to the dry cleaners so you dont have to worry that any stains set!
Now that you know how to properly hang a wedding dress, maybe you have other wedding concerns on your mind.
Check out our blog for ideas and inspiration about gorgeous venues, how to find the perfect wedding day shoes, and even cocktail recipes so your guests can sip a drink named after you and your new husband at the reception.
No matter what youre looking for, were here to answer questions about your big day!
Meredith
Despite her dreamy wedding blogger lifestyle, Meredith’s day job is running ClassicVeils.com and a full-time mom to an active toddler. If she could, Meredith would spend her days taking cruises, helping animals in need, and watching Big Brother!
- Meredith
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Your Wedding Dress Probably Needs To Be Altered No Matter What
Most wedding dresses are made in generic sizes, so very rarely does a brides body match a designers dress perfectly . After you find your wedding dress, the bridal salon compares your measurements to the designers size chart and orders the closest size of gown. Once it arrives, the dress must then be tailored precisely to fit your figure.
What Is A Trunk Show
Trunk shows are events during which a designers most recent collection is previewed. They feature the latest styles not yet in stores as well as gowns not offered in stores due to the price or complexity of the design. If you find a wedding gown at a trunk show, be prepared to purchase it before the event ends, as it may no longer be available at the store once the event is over. .
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When To Start Dress Shopping
You should ideally start your wedding dress shopping at least one year before your wedding date. This will give you enough time for every dress option that you could have for your big day. A custom-made dress, order, or off-the-rack purchase are all achievable within a one year timeframe.
If you do start earlier try not to order anything before the one year mark, as exciting as it can be! This will give you more leeway down the track.
So what if you lose or gain weight? We know that body image can be a major stress for couples and brides leading up to their big day. We would love for everyone to be the happiest they can be in their body on their wedding day. But we also know that this isnt always the case.
You should still look for your wedding dress 12 months in advance even if you are expecting to drastically lose weight, or gain weight from a pregnancy etc. If you are drastically going to change weight you should factor this into what size you purchase.
If you only lose a bit of weight throughout the year its usually only one or two sizes which can be altered before the big day. So in those cases, you can purchase the dress that fits you now.
Remember that its easier to take material out of a dress to size it down than it is to size it up. If you do fall pregnant its usually easier to simply purchase a new maternal fitting gown rather than trying to alter the one that you already have.
Months Before Your Wedding
- Purchase your gown.
Around the nine-month mark you should make a final decision on a gown and put down a deposit. It can take up to six months for your dress to be built and then shipped to your salon. So, give yourself enough time putting a down payment on your dress as soon as you know its the one.
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Changes In The Timeline
The general wedding-dress alteration schedule may shift depending on what youd like done to your gown. For major alterations, such as changing a silhouette, adding beading or embroidery, or other large-scale changes, speak with the tailor or salon youre working with in order to get a more accurate idea of what will be happening when. If you’re doing typical alterations, such as hemming the gown, taking in certain areas, shortening straps, inserting a bustle, etc., the general timeline should hold true.
What Is Wedding Dress Preservation
Preservation refers to the special cleaning and packaging techniques used to ensure your gown retains its beauty. A professional preservationist will survey your gownthe materials, embellishments and various stains, and will then formulate a specialized cleaning procedure. “Cleaning your gown is the single most important part of the preservation process and all the stains, including the hidden ones containing sugar that turn brown over time, must be removed,” says Sally Lorensen Conant, the executive director of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists. After cleaning, your gown is wrapped in acid-free tissue paper and placed in a museum-quality archival box.
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Hang The Dress The Right Way
Once youve taken your wedding dress out of a plastic bag, its time to hang it!
Doing this is important because it will help the dress resume its original shape. It will also give any wrinkles that may have formed plenty of time to fall out before you walk down the aisle.
When you hang a wedding dress, you first need to take the weight of the dress into consideration. While all wedding dresses should be hung up, if you have a heavier dress with lots of layers and beadwork, listen up.
Hanging a Heavier Bridal Gown
Unlike a slip or light-weight dress, which can safely be stored in a closet, brides wearing a heavier dress will need to dedicate a room in their home to storing their dress.
You will also need a heavy-duty hanger so that your dress doesnt lose its shape. We also suggest going with a hanger that has high-quality silk padding, to prevent any damage from happening to the sleeves and straps.
Youll have to get a little innovative when it comes to hanging a wedding dress thats heavier.
Additional Tips:
Bonus Tip: If your wedding dress did end up getting a little wrinkled while in transit, dont try to steam it yourself. Always take it to a professional steamer, then hang it right back up to prevent new wrinkles from forming.
After You Get Engaged
It’s safe to assume you’ve had a rotation of dream wedding dresses saved to your wedding Pinterest board long before your partner popped the question . If you don’t already have a vision of your ideal gown, though, now’s the time to do your homework. Start by ripping pages out of bridal magazines, scoping out top trends, pinpointing your favorite designers, or gaining inspiration from real brides. Then, make note of commonalities within your favorite finds: Do open backs continue to catch your eye? Embellishments? Lace? Fitted silhouettes? Whatever the theme, hold onto it and bring visuals for your first bridal salon appointment. Ultimately, though, maintain an open mindyou may fall in love with something that was never even on your radar.
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Ten Tips For Steaming Your Wedding Dress
Many of our brides get nervous when we suggest they steam their gown the morning of the wedding, but unless you have a wrinkle-free fabric or the dress won’t need to be transported very far from the shop, , you will be so grateful to have taken the time to ensure your gown looks as fresh and smooth as possible! Really, there’s no need to worrywith a little preparation you’ll feel totally confident in getting your gown ready.
1. Check your fabricdo you really need a steamer? Shantung, dupioni, and taffeta can actually look more wrinkly after steaming, so check the fabric of your gown and ask your tailor if you have any questions. These types of materials aren’t very prominent in todays styles, but they can be very striking when done well. For gowns made with these fabrics, its best to use a dry iron and a CLEAN white press clothideally a thin weave, like a new dish towel. Rememberthese fabrics will wrinkle pretty easily throughout the day, so embrace their organic nature!
6. Cover steamer head with fabric. A clean white t-shirt you don’t care about, or a thin white towel should work just fine. This is to catch any drops of water that could leave marks on the dress, and to prevent any drops from burning your arm as you steam! Do remember that the steam itself can burn as well, so be sure to never put any body part in the direct path of the steam.
What Should I Wear To My Wedding Dress Fittings
“The most common alteration is a length adjustment so its essential you bring your wedding shoes to all your fittings,” says Kate.
“Its also really important to bring underwear options suitable for the style of dress youve chosen. For example, if youve chosen a backless dress you may prefer to wear a clever invisible bra solution, or perhaps nipple covers. Your fitter would be happy to discuss these options with you and offer advice if needed.”
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When To Order A Wedding Dress From A Bridal Store
A popular option for wedding dress shopping is to head into a bridal store and try on dresses to find the one that you love. This is a great way to get your mum or mother-in-law involved and can also be something that you do with your bridesmaids.
Bridal store attendants will be able to give you advice on what style of wedding dresses could suit you. They can even help with your budget, seasonality, what is in fashion, and the different shades that suit your colouring. This is definitely an experience that we advise most brides to go through during their planning to get an idea of how it all works.
Once youve found your dress there is usually a wait until it actually comes into the store. Wedding dresses can take up to 6 months to arrive in store once youve found the design you like and order it specially. You should allow between 8 and 12 months to buy your wedding dress if youre going to be ordering it in.
What I’ve Learned From 10 Years Of Selling Wedding Dresses
Caroline Burstein, the creative director of Browns, reflects on a decade’s experience of bridalwear and offers her advice for choosing the right wedding dress
Browns had been considering opening a bridal shop for some time when, in early 2004, a space on Brook Street became available, and the opportunity presented itself. This concentrated the mind: what did we want the shop to be? We consulted editors, friends, and brides, of course it was clear that there was a gap in the market for the kind of boutique design-and-style service that brides get in America, so that’s what we wanted to create with Browns Bride.
The experience of shopping for a gown can be stressful. You suddenly enter a world you may have no experience of, being asked questions about cut, materials and design that you don’t know the answer to. It can be disconcerting. There are high emotions at stake. Every woman, whether spending £500 or £10,000, feels that this is the most important dress of her life. Here are a few pointers to help you find the perfect dress.
Don’t build the wedding around the dress
Think about the occasion first. Is it a country church wedding with 50 guests? Or is it for 500 people in central London? Start with which kind of wedding it will be and work backwards to the dress.
Don’t build the marriage around the dress
When it comes to accessories, less is more
Find out which designers do bridal really well
Be realistic about what you can afford
Listen to your heart, not your mother
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