49 Days to Go!

Our Wedding is Right Around the Corner

When I saw that it is only 49 days until our wedding, my heart choked in my stomach a little bit.

I can’t believe it’s so close! Lots of things have been happening on the lead up to the wedding: the first thing is, I went on my hen do!

We went to York, in the snow and the freezing cold and we had the most amazing time!

Finding The One

Falling in Love

This post is not about meeting your h2b, it is about finding your absolute perfect wedding dress!

That feeling when you put on a dress that makes you feel special, that makes you smile, that you don’t want to take off – ever – is a very special feeling and not one easy to describe.

It’s starts in your chest as a warm fuzzy tingle, and spreads straight up to cause the break out of a huge smile across your face.

That special feeling even inspired the name for Love my Dress.com blog!

I famously went to 7 bridal shops and tried on a total of 28 dresses before finding the perfect one. I went to lots of different bridal shops, some were large chains and others were small family run boutiques.

Wedding Dress Fabrics

Which Fabric is Right for You?

Linking to the blog post I made on wedding dress silhouettes, finding the right silhouette is as important as finding the right fabric. Some girls really suit a light, floaty chiffon while others can carry off a luxurious silk.

Some fabrics are best suited to different wedding styles and different seasons. It wouldn’t make a lot of sense to wear thick velvet to a summer beach wedding, for example.

Satin
6813 by Amelie Bridal	Satin looks luxurious, rich and glossy. It makes an amazing impact and looks best on boned and structured dresses. Satin is made from silk or a silk blend. It’s a bit too hot for a summer wedding but it’s good for formal, simple Spring or Autumn weddings. My Opinion I’m not a fan of satin. On an unstructured dress it can crease around the tummy, even on very slim figure.

7 Bridal Shops, 28 Dresses

Down to the Final Three!

On Tuesday, we are going to try on the final three dresses!

I never thought the decision would be this difficult! I’m normally a fairly snappy shopper. I do prefer to try on clothes before buying them but that’s as long as it normally takes me. This five day decision making process is very unlike me!

However, I am very much looking forward to Tuesday because it means I’ll be able to try on my favourite dress again!

The problem is, the shops in which my favourite dresses were found wouldn’t let us take photos! I’m not sure why they wouldn’t let us as the dresses are on their websites but it does mean it’s difficult to for me to compare these dresses to ones I have tried on.

I have printed out some of the pictures from different dresses so that I can compare how I looked in each dress and how much I liked the dress, trying to find which style suits me. When I saw one photo of a dress I don’t want but like the style next to a dress my mum likes, it was easy to see which was more flattering.

My criteria for a wedding dress are as follows:

• Sparkly
• Lace up back
• Floaty
• Skirt coming out from the hip and not from the waist as to accentuate my curves (‘cause I have plenty of curves)
• Sweetheart neckline
• No ruffles, a straight skirt

Lots of dresses meet this criteria but not all of them have everything. And ruffles are really popular at the moment! I have nothing against ruffles, my best friend wore a beautiful taffeta dress with lots of ruffles and she looked stunning! They’re just not me. It’s good to be aware of what suits you but also be open to trying on alternatives just in case you really like them!

I’ve not included photos of any of the three dress, mainly because I only have a photo of one of them, but also because I appear to be fiercely superstitious, and with such a high rate of divorce, I don’t want to risk showing any part of the dresses I’m considering just in case my h2b idly glances at my blog!

But hopefully, by Tuesday, we will have made a decision! Yay! :o)

You Dress

How to Put On Your Dress

While trying on dresses at the bridal shop you will usually be asked to dive into your dress. I imagine it’s a bit like going through the rabbit hole!

However, with your hair done nicely and makeup on, diving through your dress will not be the best of ideas.

Here are my tips on how to safely put your dress on without ruining your look!

1. Ask for any tips or advice from the bridal shop
   They are the experts and will know the best way to get into your dress. Listen to their advice and follow that.
   
2. Pop your dress on, then take it off
   
1. Before you’ve had your hair done or your makeup done, pop the underskirt on (if you have one).
2. Then ask someone to help you dive into your dress. They will need to put the dress, top forwards, into their arms so that you can dive into it.
3. Don’t fasten the dress up, push it down your body to the floor.
4. Push the underskirt down as you push the dress down, so that it falls around your ankles.
5. Then step out.
   Now your dress is ready for you to step into it once your hair and makeup is done.
   
3. When you’re ready, step in
   Once all your makeup and everything is done, step into the space you left when taking off your dress, and pull it up with your underskirt. Make sure everything is comfortable and then ask someone to zip you up, button you in or tie you in.

My main advice would be to follow what the ladies in the shop say, however if you follow these steps you are sure to get into your dress without messing up your hair!

Good luck!

Bridalwear by Francesca

I Went to … Bridalwear by Francesca

A last minute appointment, we made it just in time to try on some dresses at Bridalwear by Francesca. Diane was fantastic and really listened to what I wanted. She gave us heaps of very valuable advice as she could see I was getting a bit over loaded.

Francesca had a wide range different dresses, all different colours and designs.

We pretty much had the room to ourselves and was able to focus on finding a dress that was right for me.

Dianne suggested three different dresses for me, as we had already had a fairly clear idea of what we were after, however we did pick a dress that was slightly different.

Francesca did offer to price match on a different dress that I’d liked from another shop and there was a limited time discount on some dresses on the day we went although to take full advantage of that we’d need to pay the full balance on ordering.

I was advised to visit Francesca by a friend who also bought her dress there, and my advice is also to give them a visit!

Kiss xx

I Went to …Kiss xx in Lichfield

We were driving through Lichfield and decided to pop into a bridal shop. Fantastic idea! I’m really glad I did!

We went to Kiss, a gorgeous bridal shop in Lichfield. We didn’t make an appointment but just popped in and the girl in the shop was really accommodating! 

By this point, we had already looked at quite a few dresses and had a really clear idea of what we wanted. Out of the really fantastic selection they had a the shop we picked out one dress and tried that one out.

The lady in the shop spent a lot of time with us and chatted about loads of things. She let me borrow some shoes for so that I could look in the mirror at almost the right height.

The dress I tried was completely beautiful and I really fell in love with it. They had a fantastic selection.

Well worth a visit!

Mix ‘n’ Match

I Went to… Mix and Match

We went to Mix and Match this morning to look at wedding dresses and some mother-of-the-bride dresses. My friend bought our bridesmaid dresses from Mix ‘n’ Match so I knew the shop and how to get there.

We were a little early so mum began trying on some of their Linea Raffaelli which are some beautiful occasion wear and wedding suits for mothers-of-the-bride.

Mum looked absolutely fantastic in this Linea Raffaelli. Mum was after a purple suit because she would like to have an outfit that matches the wedding colours, however this gorgeous silver suit really complimented her figure and looked fantastic!

I thought we’d found a fantastic dress for mum!

I tried on three different dresses that were absolutely beautiful. I had the upstairs changing room all to myself and I was able to look through their exciting selection of dresses.

Well worth a look!

Debra Jane Bridal

I Went to…Debra Jane Bridal Wear

Debra Jane Bridal wasn’t one of my first choices but when I saw the wide range of different dresses I knew that I’d gone to a good bridal shop.

I’d made an appointment a few weeks ago because I wanted to ensure that I had someone to help us. Both Debra and a nice lady called Tina were able to help us however I was incredibly indecisive!

Tina was very friendly and chatty as I tried on dress after dress after dress. They had a fantastic range and even let me try on a huge dress! I didn’t try on any fish tail or sheath dresses as that style doesn’t suit me, but I experienced a range of their full skirt, A-line dresses. They were beautiful!

In the changing rooms, the information on the wall says that on booking of a dress, a 50% deposit is required with the remainder of the balance to be paid within 7 days of your dress being delivered to the shop. Alterations are done by recommended seamstresses and they will supply you with the phone numbers for them.

I really enjoyed walking out and showing my chief bridesmaid and mum the dresses I tried on, as they sat on super comfortable sofas. Both my mum and chief bridesmaid commented on what a wide selection of dresses they had.

Definitely worth a visit!

Princess Brides

I Went to… Princess Brides

I didn’t realise this until I got home and looked at the photos, one of the dresses I’d tried on at Princess Brides (and really liked) was one I’d picked out from a photo a few weeks ago!

We had a great time at Princess Brides. I booked an appointment a few weeks ago because I wanted to make sure they had time to help me for as long as we needed.

The lady who helped us, Ann, was so helpful and patient with me. I’m normally a very decisive person but choosing a wedding dress is difficult!

I chose some dresses with the help of my chief bridesmaid and my mum. My mum is good at saying what suits me and my chief bridesmaid and I have a very similar style, the best people to help me choose a dress!

I think I tried on 6 different dresses, one a fish tail and the rest were A-line dresses. Ann understood the style I liked and was able to find different dresses to suit my personality. She offered loads of advice and really helped us to make some decisions. She was also very kind to let us take photos of the dresses which I did look at when I got home.

Looking at the photos when I got home was brilliant because I think I got a bit confused by all the choices. Looking at the photos at home, when I was relaxed, meant that I could pick out some dresses I’d like to take a second look at.

We had a wonderful time at Princess Brides and I’m looking forward to going back to try on my favourites!

One Year to Go!

This Time Next Year….

This time next year we will be tucking into our four course wedding breakfast, worrying about what the h2b, my dad and the best man are going to say during their speeches and thinking about the first dance.

It is now less than a year to go!

It is strange thinking that in one year from now I will be a married woman. It will almost be over by the time I’m writing this. We’ll have some amazing memories, and hopefully our guests will have had a really fantastic time!

This time next year, our engagement photo shoot will have been done, will will have bought all our gifts for our parents and attendants, the wedding favours will have been done and the invites will have all been replied to. One of my friends will have had her baby, the hen do and stag do will be happy memories.

It’s amazing to think all the things that are going to happen in this year.

Still left to do is:

• finding me a dress (but I have made appointments for that so I might find my dress soon!)
• sending out full day invitations
• sending out evening invitations
• get bridesmaid dresses, fittings and try ons
• buying gifts for parents and attendants
• making the
  • wedding favours
  • seating plan
  • menus
  • table names
  • place labels
• ordering the chair covers (probably from Balloon Expressions)
• engagement photo shoot and letting our photographer know what shots we really really want of The Day
• sending photos of everything to the cake topper making lady so that she can make our cake topper
• gathering all the groomsmen for their fittings (but that doesn’t happen until much closer to The Time)
• confirming the menu and arrangements with the venue and all our suppliers, organising delivery and pick up times

So, all in all, not much left! :-S

And that’s all I can think of at the moment but I’m sure there will be a lot more! Weddings are amazing, there’s so much to do!

Moving Swiftly On…

Dress Appointments

I have made appointments to try on wedding dresses!!! Exciting!! Well, exciting for me anyway.

I’ve been putting off looking at wedding dresses because I’ve not been very happy with my weight. However, now I’ve lost a dress size, I am feeling a bit more confident to try on some dresses!

I have booked appointments at Princess Brides, Simply Brides, Debra Jane Bridal and KT Bridal. I’ve got a few ideas of what I’d like in a wedding dress and I’ve got some pictures of dresses I like so hopefully we will do well to get some dresses short listed.

I am after a princess dress, I don’t want anything too big or too flashy but I want something that will make me feel special. I did really like Honey by Berketex Bride. I’ve not seen one yet that I like more than Honey but I’ve made lots of appointments so we may find something!

I've asked one of my bridesmaids and my mum to come with me to choose dresses. My mum is fantastic at saying which clothes suit me or look nice on me, she’s also fantastic at telling me which clothes look awful on me. My bridesmaid is fantastic at supporting my decisions, plus she and I have a very similar taste in clothes. 

I will let you know how it all goes. I’m really looking forward to it!

Wedding Magazines

There are a sea of wedding magazines out there. I have bought at least one copy of all of them, but I prefer to buy three of them regularly, because I like the ones that fit in your handbag. Most of the smaller magazines also have larger options, but I prefer to buy the smaller ones. 


Below is a quick guide to the magazines as far as I see them. They are fairly similar really but I'm sure everyone will have their favourites.


For buying magazines about wedding flowers, buy the magazine in the same season your wedding will be. My wedding is in spring so I will be buying Wedding Flowers magazine in spring. It will be filled with spring flowers and give me a chance to have a look before talking to my florist. 


General Magazines

Wedding Ideas This is my favourite magazine. It doesn't have many articles but I like it because of the way it shows the real life weddings, all the products and ideas it displays and because of the bright colours and friendly layout. I think it's the most accessible of all the wedding magazines and it comes in a handy, handbag size.
Perfect Weddings Very similar to Wedding Ideas, this magazine is again packed full of fantastic wedding ideas with articles to give you tips on anything from booking your photographer to dealing with difficult bridesmaids. The photos are clear and easy to look at. They also have articles about real weddings, but where Wedding Ideas titles the real weddings with the couple’s name, Perfect Weddings titles them with a phrase relating to that wedding.
You&Your Wedding I see this wedding magazine for a more sophisticated bride. The articles aren’t as bright and colourful and the way they present the real weddings are a bit less accessible than in Wedding Ideas. It’s a very good magazine with a lot of good information and helpful tips.
Wedding Magazine Not handbag sized, but still packed full of fab ideas for your weddings. It’s good to have a look at all the different styles of wedding dresses that they have. Wedding is dissimilar to the other magazines, coming from a different angle.
Cosmo Bride From the popular magazine, Cosmopolitan, comes Cosmopolitan Bride. With the same tone and mood of Cosmo, Cosmo Bride covers similar issues as featured in the other magazines but it’s a full size magazine and packed full of useful information.
Brides Another magazine filled with ideas that a new bride-to-be could cut out and start building ideas from. Some articles with tips for dealing with suppliers and looking for venues, Brides is another good place to get some good ideas.

A lot of the magazines are the same but they all have different material in them and are all worth a look. Some are released weekly, some come out monthly. Either way, you will have a lot of opportunities to get lots of ideas.

The Dress - Some Tips

If there was only one thing that would be the focus of your wedding, one thing that stands out above all others, it will be your dress. People will gush and coo over it, talk about how it suits you and how well it fits you, it will be the centre of attention as much as you are.
More importantly, it's how the dress makes you feel. Do you feel comfortable and a princess in your dress? Here are some tips that I've put together to help choose a dress: 

Dress by Benjamin Roberts

• Start looking early, but not too early. If you start looking a year to nine months before your wedding you will have lots of time to enjoy the fun of trying on dresses, relaxing and having your pick of dresses. If you're having a bespoke wedding dress made, try not to leave wedding dress hunting any later than six month

• Collect pictures from magazines and the internet of the dresses however it's important to be aware that dresses look one way posed on a model in a magazine but very different in the real world. I tried on a dress that I loved and I later saw in a magazine - I wouldn't have chosen that dress from looking in the picture in the magazine but it looked fabulous on. 

• Make sure the gown you're going for suits the ceremony you're having. More 

  

  Dress by VEROMIA 

  importantly, have the dress you want, but also be mindful of your venue. Church or religious weddings tend to have the bigger dresses with a train, civil ceremonies tend to have the more slinky dresses. But saying that, my sister-in-law had a gorgeous slinky dress for her church wedding to my brother and she looked amazing so I think it's more important to have the dress you want. 

• Work out a rough budget for your dress. There's no point falling in love with a £2000+ dress if you only have £500 in your budget. If you're like me, once you've fallen for a dress, no other will compare. And if it cost £20 or £2000, you will work hard to have it. 

• Make an appointment. Some dress shops will let you walk off the street but it's best 

  

  Dress by Tia by Benjamin Roberts

  to make an appointment so that you can be sure you'll have all their attention and you won't be sharing the mirror with another bride. Some shops such as Princess Brides, Staffordshire dedicate a whole floor of the shop to you and give you a glass of bubbly! 

• When choosing someone to take to your first try on, take someone who will give you an honest and frank appraisal of how you look. We don't want brutal honesty, but a clear, decisive opinion will help you get an idea of what suits you. I'm taking my mum. She has a keen eye on clothes that suit me, but she also has her own very definite ideas of what my dress should look like. While I value mum's opinions, I will be firm over what I want.

• If you're aiming to lose weight for your wedding, remember to let the lady in the shop know. Maybe a lace up back would be the way to go? That would cut down on the need for adjustments.

• It might be a good idea to go with a strapless or a flesh coloured bra and underwear when trying on your dress, just to give you a more accurate idea of what you'll look like on the day.

• Things to ask the shop include payment plans, can you pay in instalments? Will you need to pay a deposit? Are alterations extra? Will they keep the dress at the shop for you or will you need to take it home? How long will the dress take to come in? 

• Don't keep looking after you've chosen your dress. Once you've picked it and put down the deposit or paid for it, don't look at or try on another dress. You will only torture yourself.

Choosing a dress is one of the most enjoyable parts of planning your special day. Make the most of it.