Choosing the Best Dress for YOUR Wedding Day

1. Choosing the Best Dress for YOUR Wedding Day

2. What do you feel most beautiful in? Jeans and t-shirt? Personal Style

5. When you meet your designer or bridal consultant • Bring pictures. • Wear something typical of you that you feel good in. • Wear makeup and try for a good hair day.

6. Wedding Location and its Style

7. Hotel Wedding

8. CountryWedding

9. Beach Wedding

12. Body Shape • Your wedding day is a day to forget all those perceived body flaws! • Pinpoint your favourite areas. • Talk to your designer or bridal consultant about how to highlight your best features. • Do not blindly choose a strapless gown unless that really does look best on you!

13. The Inverted Triangle

15. The Lean Column

17. The Rectangle

19. The Apple

21. ThePear

23. The Neat Hourglass

26. Budget • Give your designer or bridal consultant your REAL budget (help them help you!) • Don't forget to include alterations in your budget.

27. Fit • Understand how bridal salon sizing works. • Choose your bridal salon wisely (do they have experienced seamstresses on staff?) • Consider getting a gown custom-made if you have particular difficulty with fit.

28. Season/WeatherYou CAN wear a strapless in winter, but there are other factors to consider!

29. Fabric Terms • Batiste: A lightweight, soft, transparent fabric. • Charmeuse: A lightweight, semi-lustrous soft fabric, that is satin-like to the touch. • Chiffon: Delicate, sheer, and transparent -- made from silk or rayon, with a soft finish; often layered because of its transparency, making it popular for overskirts, sheer sleeves, and wraps. • Crepe: A light, soft, and thin fabric with a crinkled surface. • Damask: Similar to brocade with raised designs, but woven in a much lighter weight. • Duchesse Satin: A lightweight hybrid of silk and rayon (or polyester) woven into a satin finish. • Dupioni: A finish similar to shantung, but with thicker, coarser fibers, and a slight sheen. • Faille: A structured, ribbed finish like grosgrain ribbon; usually quite substantial. • Gabardine: A tightly-woven, firm and durable finish, with single diagonal lines on the face. • Georgette: A sheer, lightweight fabric often made of polyester or silk with a crepe surface. • Illusion: A fine, sheer net fabric, generally used on sleeves or necklines. • Jersey: Elastic knit fabric; the face has lengthwise ribs and the underside has crosswise ribs. • Moire: A heavy silk taffeta with a subtle, wavy design. • Organdy: A stiff transparent fabric. • Organza: Crisp and sheer like chiffon, with a stiffer texture similar in effect to tulle, but more flowing; popular for skirts, sleeves, backs, and overlays.

30. Peau de Soie: A soft satin-faced, high-quality cloth with a dull luster, fine ribs, and a grainy appearance. Pique: A knit fabric with a waffle-weave appearance, pique has distinct sides. The outside resembles a honeycomb or waffle and the underside is flat and smooth. Polyester: An inexpensive man-made fiber that can be woven into just about anything, including duchesse satin Rayon: Similar to silk, but more elastic and affordable. Satin: A heavy, smooth fabric with a high sheen on one side; very common in bridal gowns. Silk: The most sought-after, cherished fiber for wedding dresses (and also the most expensive); there are several types with different textures: raw silk and silk mikado are just two examples. Silk Gazar: A four-ply silk organza. Silk Mikado: A brand of blended silk, usually heavier than 100-percent silk. Silk-faced Satin: A smooth silk satin, with a glossy front and matte back. Shantung: Similar to a raw silk, shantung is characterized by its rubbed texture. Taffeta: Crisp and smooth, with a slight rib. Tulle: Netting made of silk, nylon, or rayon; used primarily for skirts and veils (think tutus). Velvet: A soft, thick fabric with a felted face and plain underside. Source: http://wedding.theknot.com/bridal-fashion/wedding-dress-shopping/articles/wedding-gown-fabric-glossary.aspx