Manolo for the Brides

You hear a lot about post-wedding gown care, but what about pre-wedding gown care? Let’s say you order the fabulous Saison Blanche Couture gown above. The expected shipping date is four months from now but it arrives four weeks after the date of purchase. How do you keep it clean and stunning without going nuts?

FabricLink suggests that all brides “obtain information, if possible in writing, concerning the proper care of the fabric, as well as all of the trims and embellishments attached to the dress…Be sure to look for the care label in all wedding gowns purchased in the United States. Apparel manufacturers are required by the US Federal Trade Commission to attach a care label in all garments, which provides a viable care method for cleaning all component parts of the garment, including trims.”

When you receive your dress, keep the garment bag it came with if it’s a good fit and allows your dress to breathe. There is no guarantee that you’ll find another bag that is large enough to accommodate your gown. Unfold the gown on a flat, clean space if it was shipped to you. Take a moment to inspect your gown, inside and out, before putting it away. Are there loose beads or threads? You’ll want to make a note of everything you suspect is amiss to take to your seamstress.

Don’t worry about the wrinkles – they’ll be pressed out later. If you decide to hang your gown up, be sure you use those little ribbony things (loops, I believe they are called) so you don’t stretch your straps. However you choose to store your dress, however, be sure that it’s kept away from direct light sources, which can cause fading in the fabric and the embellishments, and anything at all that might get it dirty.

And finally, under no circumstances should you ever use garbage bags or similar bags to store something as precious as a wedding gown. A good friend of mine learned that the hard way, unfortunately. Put your gown in something like this, this, or this.

Dear wedding gown designers and manufacturers,

We are not all perfect size two’s. Nor is every woman a Marilyn Monroe-esque size twelve (and pushing the top of your size spectrum). No, it’s time for you needle pushers and thread pullers to realize that brides come in ALL dimensions.

I understand that you ardently believe that the best way to showcase your clothing is by selling it only to skinny-minnies. But are you equally aware that there are scores of ladies who don’t fit your paradigm who want to wear something shapely and sexy during their nuptial celebrations?

Love,
N.t.B.

That sealed and stamped, who else here hates the fact that a lot of bridal lines only go up to a size sixteen? Not to mention that a size sixteen in wedding wear is more like a size twelve in street clothes. What’s up with that? Where did these people get the idea that plus sized brides don’t care about looking fabulous? Because that’s seriously not true. Duh.

So, what’s a big beautiful bride to do? Wear whatever makes her feel gorgeous, of course. But if you are looking for some advice, consider rocking an A-line gown in a medium-weight fabric like silk shantung or satin, which will create a smooth silhouette. A basque waist can lengthen the body and low neckline can accentuate a full bust. Checkout PlusSizeBridal for ideas. Their selection of gowns (like the matte satin number with metallic embroidery, intricate beading, and cathedral length train above) will knock your socks off.