Choosing a Custom Gown: Pros, Cons and How-To

Most girls are dreaming about their wedding day before they even hit puberty. And what is usually the fixture of that fantasy (aside from the groom, of course)? The wedding dress. Everyone wants to be especially exquisite on their big day and the gown plays a huge part in making the bride look like a princess. Searching for your perfect dress can be a little more stressful than what the fairytale implies. Experts agree that brides should begin their search about six months before the wedding day since it will not only take some time to pick out their dress but it is also time consuming to have it fitted and altered. Maybe you’ve already been looking for months and know exactly what you want by now but simply can’t seem to find what you have in mind. Or maybe you don’t want to shop for a dress that’s already made – you want something more special, a little more unique. This is the point where you want some advice on having a custom gown made because you’re unsure of where to begin and if this is the right choice for you. Here are some pros and cons of having a dress made especially for you…

Pros
~ If you already know what style looks best on you, or how you want your dress to look, you can take your design and ideas to a seamstress and have the gown you’ve always dreamed of instead of settling for something that’s close to what you want.
~ You know no one else is wearing your exact dress and that what you’ll be wearing on your wedding day is totally unique.
~ Your gown is created not just for your body “type” but for your actual body. For example, women with larger busts may have difficulty finding a dress that fits them just right because most ready-made dresses are made for B, sometimes C, cup bust lines.
~ You will have an heirloom for generations to come.
~ You are involved in every detail of the design of your dress – you have total control! (Yes, bridezillas, this means you)

Cons
~ You won’t be able to see your dream gown in reality until it is finished.
~ Custom gowns can be more costly than ready-made dresses – however, this depends on how much you have allotted for your wedding dress budget. Expect to pay anywhere between $500 to $5,000 for a custom dress.

Tips
~ Even if you know you want your dress custom made, if you haven’t already, go to a few local bridal shops and try on different dress styles to see which is most flattering for your body. This will give you a better idea of what you want to be asking of the seamstress.
~ Ask friends and family for seamstress references – using someone who has already been “tested” by someone you know and trust can put your mind at ease.
~ To make everything a little simpler, decide on the payment plan and scheduling ahead of time.
~ Allow at least six months for this entire process as the dress not only has to be created, but there are multiple fittings involved which are spread out over a few months.
~ Most importantly, no matter how stressful this whole process may be, remember to relax and enjoy all of it. This is supposed to be fun, too!