Authored by Kate Beswick in Wedding
Published on 06-22-2009
Many brides dream of their wedding dress from the time they are little girls. So it’s probably no surprise that you know exactly what you want your dress to look like. But if you’re having a problem finding the dress of your dreams or you simply want to make your dress even more special, you can design it yourself! Designing your own wedding dress is an incredibly special way to mark your big day because you’ll have the fruits of your labor and your love for a lifetime to come! Before you take out your sewing box and begin stitching away though, there are a few things about designing your own wedding dress that you should know.
The first thing you need to do when designing your own wedding dress is to establish your level of know-how. If you have never sewn before or you’re not very good at it, you may need to hire a seamstress. A professional will be able to deliver the same physical dress as the mental picture you had in your head without you having to worry about pricks and thimbles. You’ll still have a dress you designed but it will be professionally done. But by all means, if you have the desire and the knowledge to sew the entire thing yourself, go ahead! You’ll not only feel great about the work you’ve done but you’ll have so much fun pointing out details that you sewed yourself to your guests!
Of course you’ve most likely been dreaming about the design of your dress rather than the actual patterns so this part will be the most fun! Decide whether you want long sleeves or sleeveless, a high neck or a scoop neck, and all the other details of your dress. When designing your dress, draw some sketches or write down your ideas so you get everything you want. This is also so that you’ll have hard ideas for a seamstress to look at.
Once you’ve decided what your wedding dress will look like, it’s time to buy the fabric! This is another very fun step and one that you can do even if you’re not sewing the actual dress yourself. It’s important to know that wedding dress fabric is very expensive. Because of this, you may want to choose pretty fabric that isn’t labeled ‘wedding’ and make sure that the fabric will fit into the budget you have for your dress.
Once you know what you want your dress to look like and you know what fabric you will use, it’s time to pick a pattern. Most major pattern companies, such as McCall’s or Simplicity, have wedding gown patterns that are quite easy to follow. Remember that the more fabric and pieces a wedding dress has, the harder it will be to sew. Be sure to give yourself enough time and a pattern that you can follow easily!
Designing your own wedding dress is without a doubt one of the most wonderful ways that you can personalize your wedding. And think about how special it will be to one day pass on a dress that you made yourself to your daughter or granddaughter!
