image source, photography by Bellagala
As brides aim to make their weddings more personal (and perhaps extravagant) there’s a growing trend for them to have not just one, but two big day looks.
While some are keeping the changes from wedding ceremony to evening reception fairly subtle with a quick switch of accessories or shoes, others are going all out with a complete dress change and even a second hair and makeup look.
So for today’s big debate we discuss if the ‘it’s just one day’ line entitles brides to blow a hefty proportion of the budget on her wedding day attire or not.
image source, photograph by Milk Photography
rachel says: shop ‘til you drop
So it’s said that there’s that one perfect dress out there for each and every bride, but what if that’s not the case, what if there’s two?
With so many beautiful wedding dresses to choose from it’s incredibly tricky to find a single gown that ticks all of the boxes. But having two dresses gives brides the opportunity to rock differing looks on their big day. Personally I’m quite taken with the idea of a gorgeous classic gown for the day and something more fashion-forward, personal and easy-to-move-in for the evening party.
Surely if a girl ever had a license to spend it’s for her wedding day? So although some might say it’s a waste of money, or the cash could be spent better elsewhere, I understand why a bride that cares deeply about her style might want to go all out to ensure maximum confidence and clout during her moment in the spotlight.
Those that do choose to go down the two dress route will want to look at their budget early on and decide how they will split it between the day and evening look, whether they require different accessories for each and at what point in the day they intend to make their change as not to disrupt the proceedings.
Also, if a bride is going to the extravagance of a second gown I say it needs to be a totally different dress from day to night. So go volume to slim line or hitch up the hemline and go from long to short for the evening. Recent examples of such dress changes have been flaunted by celebrity brides Nicky Hilton and Michelle Keegan. Miss Hilton nailed two totally different looks by opting for a high-neck, A-line lace gown for the day and a short sparking slim-fit dress for the evening. Meanwhile a Strictly Come Dancing style first dance to Dirty Dancing’s The Time Of My Life meant Corrie-star Michelle had to switch from her elegant fishtail dress to short frock with ruffled skirt at the reception to make for a convincing ‘Baby’.
Meanwhile if a bride is wanting to mix up their look and wow their guests but is worried about the dent it would make in their budget, there’s always the option to just change accessories and shoes to something more glam in the evening. Some clever designers have also created two-in-one dresses that provide varied looks with the simple addition or removal of certain elements, such as a jacket, belt or train.
So what are you waiting for, shop, shop, shop!
image source, photography by Joseba Sandoval Photography
julia says: commit to ‘the one’
Commitment. Isn’t that what a wedding day is supposed to be all about?
Look. The “choosing your dream dress thing” is supposed to be tricky. That’s all part of the fun. If brides to be go dress shopping knowing they can pick up two (or more?) frocks it takes all the drama, emotion and fun out of it… “Oooh it’s the one… er, except that other one I like almost as much…”
Your Mum cries at ‘the one’… you dream of the day you can finally wear ‘the one’… you never want to take her off, much less wear her for half a day then swap into the ‘other one’.
Imagine if we applied the same level of restraint when picking a husband?
Let’s use Kim Kardashian as Exhibit A. She had no less than three, admittedly fabulous, dresses at her wedding to Kris Humpries… and a divorce after 62 days. Is this a girl who has commitment issues or what?!
Don’t even get me started on the cost of this trend. The bill for an average priced off-the-peg designer wedding dress – plus all the necessary alterations that come with it – already runs into the thousands. That’s a lot of savings spent on one frock. If you want a designer dress and then another gown for the evening do then either some huge compromises are going to have to be made or you’ll have to borrow from the honeymoon fund. And trust me, a week away in that newlywed bubble is far better than a second dress! Your wedding day goes fast enough as it is. There’s no time for extra time lacing corsets.
My advice? Spend your wedding dress pennies on one knockout gown. Go as fabulous as you can afford, and after you slip it on to walk down that aisle, refuse to take it off again until someone gives you a very good reason (which hopefully he will).
image source, photography by Mark Van Der Voort
what you said on our social channels:
Hayley says: “Just the one for me – but I haven’t found it yet!”
Rebecca says: “I’ve chosen my dress, but I’m still not sure if it’s ‘the one’. I quite like the idea of choosing a second dress for our night time party.”
Cat says: “I’ll take any excuse to shop!”
Tiffany says: “I’ve already blown the budget. I don’t think my partner would be too happy if I get another [dress].”
Photography by Ryan Ray Photography
We’d love to hear from you – will you be working multiple style options on your big day?
