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Designer Wedding Dresses The Couture Details Every Bride Wants Author Brandon Kamins

There are three things that every bride-to-be should consider before she goes shopping for her wedding dress. The first is her budget, the second is the season, and the third is the wedding theme. In this article we will discuss a few simple tips that will help you select the right designer dress.

Where to Begin?

Believe it or not, one of the most difficult decisions every bride-to-be must make is where to shop for her new dress. Almost without exception, she will be besieged by suggestions from friends and family about where she should shop. There are bridal boutiques, online boutiques, designer showrooms, department stores and virtual auctions to choose from.

The fastidious bride-to-be can find the perfect dress at any of the aforementioned. However, it may not be a great idea to purchase a dress before seeing it in person, i.e., on the Internet. There are simply too many unknowns, and even if the price is right, alterations are almost always required when you buy a dress online.

Most women who have never shopped for a wedding dress before have no idea how expensive it is to hire a seamstress to make even minor alterations. So, that deal that looked so good on your computer screen might end up costing you lots of extra money.

What a good alternative? Department and discount stores often offer a nice selection, but they are not specialists. The business that can cover all of your wedding day needs is a bridal boutique. Also known as bridal salons, they are the closest thing to a one-stop option the industry has to offer. Not only do they sell a full range of designer wedding dresses, but they also offer dresses and accessories for the entire bridal party, including the bridesmaids, the flower girls and the mothers of the bride and groom.

Designer Wedding Dresses

Most women that want a more formal wedding order a designer dress. The cost of these gowns depends, of course, upon the reputation of the designer and the number alterations that must be made to the basic design. One reason that designer dresses are far more popular for formal weddings is because they take several months to complete. On average, it takes between four and nine months to deliver a designer wedding dress. That is why most shotgun and Vegas brides buy off the rack.

So, if you have always wanted a designer dress, you must plan ahead. Most recently engaged women begin by taking a trip to their local bridal store with a few of their friends/future bridesmaids. It may take several visits to finally decide on a design, especially if you don know what you want. Consider a few of these helpful suggestions.

Fabric

As you may be aware, most designer wedding dresses are quite heavy, even without a train. Now, this might be perfectly appropriate for a formal indoor wedding in the fall or the winter, but what if you have planned an outdoor wedding in the middle of August? Obviously, that heavy dress could begin to get a bit uncomfortable after a few hours.

Since summer is the most popular season for nuptials, it is often important to pay close attention to the fabric and materials. For a summer wedding, especially if it is being held outdoors, your best options include lighter, cooler fabrics like crepe and chiffon over velvet or satin.

Cut

As with any full gown, different body shapes and types are flattered by different cuts. Again, this is one of the main reasons bridal shops are preferable to a department or discount store. The experienced wedding consultants at these establishments will be able to tell you at first glance which cut will flatter your figure. Trying to do this on your own may result in a major fashion faux pas.

Motif or Theme

The motif or theme is almost always dictated by the setting, which is often dictated by the season. For example, if you have planned an outdoor wedding, then you will want a dress that is not too heavy or hot under the summer sun.

But the motif can affect more than just the fabric of your designer wedding dress. It may also influence the style. Sticking with the beach wedding example, a long flowing gown with a train would not work on sand, for obvious reasons. Therefore, the bride might opt for a much shorter hemline and maybe even a backless or strapless number.

Budget

The average designer dress costs between one and two thousand dollars, depending on the designer, of course. Another important consideration is the accessories. Many brides-to-be like to shine on their special day, and this may require special additions that must be hand-applied to the dress. Crystals, sequins and even pearls may be added to a designer wedding dress. As you might expect, this will also add a few hundred dollars to the final bill.

Finding the perfect dress for your wedding ceremony depends on many variables and any choice would be well served by plenty of diligent research.

How To Run A Fashion Show For Prom Dresses

A fashion show intended to showcase prom dresses is different from an ordinary high street fashion show. Not only will it take much longer for models to get into their outfits (which rules out quick changes) but the value and delicacy of the items means that a great deal of care needs to be taken.

Timing your show

You need to allow around two minutes per model. This is enough time to walk down the catwalk, pose and walk back down the catwalk.

In terms of back stage timing you need to allow ten minutes for a girl to get a dress on for which she will need at least one helper.

Boys

If you can, its great to have male models accompany your female models down the catwalk. A local hire company may be willing to lend you suits black white evening dresses if you give them a call.

Announcer

Ask someone with good presenting skills to compere the show. Their role will be to announce the name of the model and give a commentary about the dress that they are wearing. For example 'This is Amy, she is wearing Bella, black flower girl dresses one of our pink prom dresses. This dress features stunning genuine crystal beading with a flowing tulle skirt'.

You should provide your compere with a script for each model/dress. This script should be organised in the same running order as the show.

Music

You should choose music which is both popular with the students in the show and appropriate for the occasion. Pay attention to the bpm (beats per minute) of the music. Your models will walk in time to the music and if the beat's too fast they may end up half jogging down the catwalk (ruining your timings!).

Vet all music before hand to ensure that it doesn contain expletives.

Walk Through

It a good idea to have a walk though of your fashion show. While it is common to do a full dress rehearsal (wearing all the outfits), you should think carefully about long cocktail dress doing this. Every time a prom dress is handled it runs the risk of being damaged. It is therefore not advisable to do a full dress rehearsal.

Backstage help

You will need at least one person to help when a girl is trying to get into her dress. If you can stagger the girls putting on their dresses then you won't need as many helpers.

You also need a stage manager and an assistant stage manager. Both of these people should have a clipboard with details of the order in which the girls will go down the catwalk.

The stage manager stands in the wings and is responsible for ensuring that the right people go on stage at the right time.

It is there responsibility to make sure the girl starts putting the dress on in time and to make sure she is down in time. They need to be female so they can go into changing rooms.

Changing rooms

Ideally you need two rooms close to the stage. At least one needs to modest bridesmaids dresses ensure privacy.

As prom dresses are worth hundreds of pounds each it is important to ensure they will not get damaged in the course of a fashion show.

One way to ensure that this doesn't happen is by ensuring that no food, drink or make up is allowed into the changing rooms. Only the girls themselves and people helping them to get ready should be allowed in the changing room.

Ask girls to take responsibility for dresses

Begin by explaining to the girls involved that they will be personally responsible for taking care of their dresses. Each girl should formally 'sign out' the dress when she takes it off the rack. At the end of the show, someone needs to be appointed to check the dresses back on to the rail. A girl's name should only be checked off the list when they have brought their dress back.

Enjoy it!

Running a fashion show can be great fun so finally, have a great time!