Have you ever thought about how you will look like as a bride? If you haven’t, you should start thinking about it. Every bride wants to feel and look beautiful on her wedding day. The reason is it is one of her life’s most memorable and precious days.
Choosing the ideal wedding dress is an important but difficult decision a bride has to make. And the Fabric she opts for her gown can make all the difference. The wrong material can take away from the beauty of your dress. But the right one can enhance it for this once-in-a-lifetime event.
Deciding which Fabric will work best for your wedding dress can be challenging. But it’s important to take your time and take a look at all the available options. While choosing the ideal Fabric, you must consider the season and location of the wedding.
The Fabric’s weight, along with its drape, are two important things to take into account. A summer wedding is better with a lighter fabric like chiffon or organza. While a winter wedding will go well with a heavier fabric like satin or taffeta. How the fabric drapes is also crucial because it can change how your dress hangs and moves. Some materials have intricate embellishments like lace, beading, or embroidery. These can give your dress a touch of class and sophistication. But the dress may become heavier and more difficult to move in due to these details.
Let’s take a look at some factors that can help you choose the best fabric for your wedding dress.
Different Types of Fabrics used in Wedding Dresses
One of the most important things to do during the planning process is to select the ideal Fabric. Though it’s not an easy task, your dress’s appearance and comfort level on your big day will depend on the Fabric. You’ll see popular fabric types and examples of wedding dresses made of them in this article.
Silk
Silk is a lightweight, luxurious fabric known for its smooth texture. Because of its beautiful drape and easy flow, it is an automatic choice for wedding dresses. Examples of wedding dresses made of silk include traditional A-line and fitted dresses.
Satin
Satin is a smooth and shiny fabric featured in wedding dresses. It has a lustrous sheen and is heavier than silk. A wedding dress made of satin has timeless elegance and a ballgown silhouette.
Lace
Lace is a delicate, intricate fabric with lovely patterns. It comes from a variety of materials, including cotton, silk, or synthetic fibres. From traditional dresses to elegant styles, lace wedding dresses are available various forms.
Tulle
Tulle is a sheer and lightweight fabric often used with “ballerina-inspired wedding dresses”. It is useful in creating a fuller, more voluminous skirt and has a soft texture. Dresses made of tulle have a whimsical, fantastical appearance.
Chiffon
Chiffon is a flowing fabric renowned for its soft and draping characteristics. Due to its smooth texture, people use it for beach weddings or outdoor ceremonies. Wedding dress made of chiffon is elegant, and ideal for a laid-back, informal ceremony.
Now that you’ve got an idea of choosing the right fabric, let’s move toward choosing the right color.
Color Selection for Your Wedding Dress
The choice of Fabric for your wedding dress is challenging. You have to choose a suitable color also for the apparel as it will affect your appearance to a large extent. The choice of color also depends on your hair color, wedding theme and skin tone. Moreover, you must also understand various shades of white and ivory. This will make the choice of color easier. You can follow the below-mentioned tips to choose the color for your wedding dress.
Determine Your Skin Tone!
The perfect color for your wedding dress depends on your skin tone. Warm, cool, or neutral skin tones are the three basic categories. While cool skin tones have pink or blue undertones, while warm skin tones have golden or yellow ones. Warm and cool tones are part of neutral skin tones.
Warm skin tones look good with colors like ivory and champagne in wedding dress. While cool skin tones look best in stark whites, silver, and icy tones. Any shade of ivory or white looks great against neutral skin tones.
Consider Your Hair Color
Your hair color is paramount in deciding on the ideal wedding dress shade. For example, if you have blonde hair, you might want to think about lighter shades of white. Whereas brunettes look amazing in ivory or champagne tones. Redheads can choose warmer ivory colors that go well with their hair color.
Consider the Wedding Theme
Your wedding’s theme may also influence the color of your wedding dress. For example, light colors like ivory or champagne may be appropriate for a beach wedding. While a winter wedding might need a brighter shade of white to contrast with the background.
Different shades of white and ivory include diamond white, ivory, and champagne. Pure white is the most vibrant shade and looks better on cool skin tones. While Diamond white is more like an off-white shade with a hint of ivory in it. Brides of different skin tones use it the most.
Ivory is a warm shade of white, suited for neutral and warm skin tones and for vintage weddings. Also, champagne is a rich shade of ivory and is a popular choice for winter weddings.
Selecting Fabric based on Season and Venue of Your Wedding
The Fabric you choose will decide how comfortable you will feel on your special day. So, you must consider the venue and season of your wedding also in this regard. Here are some seasonal and other considerations you have to make.
Lightweight fabrics like tulle, organza, and chiffon are ideal for spring weddings. These materials are suitable for an outdoor wedding because they flow in the wind. Moreover, it’s important to pick lightweight and breathable fabrics in the summer.
Choose materials like cotton, silk, and lace to stay cool and comfortable in the heat. You must consider fabrics like satin, silk, and heavier lace as the weather begins to cool off in the Fall season. With these materials, you can stay warm and still look fashionable.
But when it comes to venues, you may have different options for indoor and outdoor weddings. If you’re getting married indoors, you have various fabric options, such as silk, satin, and lace. These materials are soft, breathable, and lightweight. Additionally, they offer a refined appearance that is ideal for indoor weddings.
If your wedding takes place outside, you should pick a fabric that is light, breathable, and cool to wear. Chiffon, tulle, and organza are some materials ideal for outdoor weddings. These flowing, lightweight fabrics are perfect for an outdoor setting. Apart from that, luxurious and elegant fabrics are best for formal weddings. While for informal ones, you may go for cotton and linen which are best suited for a casual look.
Choosing Embellishments for your Fabric Choice
Now that you have an idea about the choice of fabric, it’s time to choose embellishments. Here’s how you can select embellishments that complement your fabric choice.
Consider the Texture and Weight of Fabric
You must consider the texture and weight of your Fabric while selecting embellishments. For example, if you’ve a dress made of light chiffon, you should choose delicate accents. This includes embroidery, small pearls or soft lace appliques. You can select more embellishments like crystal beading, lace appliques, or 3D flowers. But these options are better for dresses made of satin or taffeta.
Style of Your Fabric
The embellishments you select will also depend on the design of your dress. If your dress is simple and elegant, choose delicate accents. They add a hint of glitz, like a scattering of rhinestones or tiny pearls.
A dress with too many embellishments may become overwhelming and look cheap. Instead, pick a few positioned decorations that provide the ideal amount of glitz. Some examples of embellishments used on wedding dresses include beading, lace and embroidery. Any wedding dress can have the sparkle and elegance that beading brings. A few sparse beads can be simple and understated. Or more intricate beadwork may also work.
A wedding dress can also look elegant with lace appliques to add dimension and texture. Lace can be bold and dramatic or delicate and feminine. Another traditional embellishment to add fine detail to a wedding dress is embroidery. Depending on the dress’s style, the embroidery can be soft, bold or dramatic.
How to care for your Wedding Dress?
After selecting a fabric, you must know how to take good care of it before and after your wedding. Before the wedding, Keep it out of the sun and moisture in a cool, dry location. To avoid stretching, avoid hanging it by the straps or sleeves. Get a garment bag to keep it clean and free of dirt. When handling your wedding dress, use clean hands to prevent oil or dirt stains. Remember to schedule fittings and alterations in advance.
Stains or dirt may accumulate throughout the wedding day on your dress. To get rid of them, clean your wedding dress as soon as possible after the wedding. Wrap your dress in acid-free tissue paper before putting it away. To avoid fading, store your wedding dress in a cool, dry, and dark location. Also, keep it away from harsh lighting sources like sunlight or fluorescents. Check to make sure your wedding dress is still in good shape.
The cleaning and preservation of different types of fabrics need other ways. For example, you can ask a professional to hand-wash Chiffon and Lace. With this, you can avoid any damage to the wedding dress, while silk and satin must be dry-cleaned.
How to Balance your desired Fabric Choice with Your Budget?
Maintaining a balance between your preferred fabric choice and your budget is difficult. To do this, look into different fabrics to see which ones are the most cost-effective. You might also consider buying wholesale fabrics or choosing less expensive off-season fabrics.
Considering the quantity of Fabric needed for your dress is also important. It is a way to strike a balance between your preferred fabric choice and your spending limit. Using less material to get the same effect is possible, which can help you save money. Additionally, consider combining different types of fabrics.
You must consider the fabric supplier’s reputation when looking for inexpensive fabric options. Reading reviews and requesting samples are effective ways to do this. Additionally, you might want to consider hiring a tailor who is familiar with your Fabric. Because they might have ideas for getting the look you want while staying within your budget.
Pros and Cons of Choosing a Custom-made vs Off-the-Rack Wedding Dress
Once you get an idea about the type of dress you want, you’ll have to decide certain things. One of them is whether you want a custom-made or off-the-rack wedding dress. Here are the pros and cons of both.
You must ensure that your wedding dress is unique and suits your style. The reason is that custom-made gowns have designs based on your specifications. The cost of a custom-made wedding dress can vary. It depends on the designer, the Fabric, and the demand of the design. If the material you want is out of stock or too expensive, you might also have to make some design concessions.
But in case of off-the-rack Fabric, wedding dresses are less expensive. A wide selection of wedding dresses is available in various designs and colors. This gives you more options to choose from. Bridal shops usually carry off-the-rack wedding dresses that can you can try and buy. Most off-the-rack dresses come in standard sizes. So, you may not alter them to your preferences. Depending on the brand and price range, the quality of wedding dresses can also differ.
How can Alterations Impact the Look of Your Wedding Dress?
Alterations can impact the way your wedding dress feels and looks. It’s possible that even the most exquisite and expensive wedding gowns don’t fit well. So, alterations are often required to get the perfect fit.
The right changes can help you draw attention to your best qualities and cover up any flaws. For example, you can make changes to emphasize your waistline. This will help balance your hips if you have a pear-shaped body type. Moreover, alterations also change the length of the dress, add or remove sleeves. Making a custom neckline that features your face and body type is also possible.
It’s crucial to remember that changing the Fabric of your wedding dress can change how it looks. If you shorten your dress, the silhouette may vary due to how the Fabric falls and drapes. Adding sleeves may alter how the top or blouse fits and appears. So, be careful before thinking of alterations for your wedding dress.
Conclusion
Picking the ideal Fabric for your wedding dress is an important step in the planning process. With the enormous variety of options available, it can be overwhelming. So, you must consider elements like the season, location, style, and personal preferences. With this, you can reduce your options and find the Fabric that is ideal for you.
Remember that your wedding dress reflects your individual style and personality. Take the time to find the ideal fit. Because the right Fabric can make a huge difference in how you feel on your special day.
