Believe it or not, there is some serious prep work involved before you start trying on the Wedding Gowns. So, we spoke with Personalised Weddings Couture’s proprietor and designer Virginia McGregor on what Brides need to know before they head to a boutique or designer showroom and say yes to the dress.
We recommend having two budgets – your ‘ideal’ price and your ‘top’ price. The ideal price is what you’ll pay in a perfect world and the ‘top’ price is the absolute most that you can stretch your budget to. Having these two figures will mean that you have more room to move if you happen to find a dream gown that’s just a little over your ‘ideal’ price.
Do some research and have an idea of the type of materials and textures you love. Even if you choose an uber exxy fabric, if you’re clear with your budget, your designer should be able to make alternative suggestions that are of a similar look, but less costly.
Virginia believes another important part of choosing a gown is knowing what ‘vibe’ you’re aiming for. If you’ve told a designer you want a strapless princess-cut gown that’s ‘classic, it’s obviously going to be a lot different to a strapless princess-cut gown that has a ‘sexy’ vibe. Know whether you want to be traditional, boho, contemporary, edgy or cute and bring this information along to your appointment.
Use Pinterest or screenshot photos of gowns that you love and understand WHY you love them (ie. silhouette, fabric, fit). This way your designer can combine the elements that you love and remove the elements that you don’t; leaving you with your perfect dress!
Although the designer can help identify which tones will suit your skin colouring, you should have an idea about whether you prefer true whites, or whether you’re happy to venture into neutrals and champagnes.
If you’re visiting a designer or couturier to get your own custom-made Wedding gown (yes, please!), you should really head to a ready-to-wear boutique beforehand to try on a few options so that you can figure out what suits you.
Personalised Weddings Couture is a Sydney-based multi-award winning, haute couture bridal house specialising in bespoke wedding dresses. With more than 25 years of experience, Personalised Weddings Couture offer their brides a unique and holistic wedding gown creation experience from conception to completion.
Main image of Bride, Marie. Photography by Eclipse Studios.
