Destination Wedding Dresses

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So you have decided to have your wedding in an exotic location: maybe a beach wedding in the Caribbean or on an island in the Venice lagoon, or even an atoll in the Pacific.

Choosing such destinations brings its own challenges, not least – what wedding dress or outfit to buy for the destination you have chosen.

Before you choose you have to make sure that your choice of destination wedding dress is suitable for the location of the wedding, so:

  • Decide whether a formal wedding dress or a more informal one is appropriate. For example, if you are having a beach wedding, think about all that sand. Do sandals work with a traditional wedding dress with a train?
  • Climate: do you really want a heavy wedding dress in 100 degree heat? If it’s a winter wedding you don’t want to be shivering as you take your vows.
  • How easy is it to transport the dress and its accessories by air or sea?
  • Will there be any extra expense and will the dress require laundering on arrival?

If you are in an exotic location you may want to consider a colour scheme which reflects the local ambience and culture. You don’t have to have white! Consider some brighter colours for beach or island weddings or even floral prints for dresses and skirts.

Dress Styles

The important principle in choosing a destination wedding dress is commonsense. Think it through carefully.

Maybe think strapless wedding dress! This is a fashionable destination wedding dress style at the moment.

If you are going for the more traditional look then make sure that you don’t have a long and heavy train; this poses the same problem as a heavy wedding dress. There are many styles available that have a just hint of a train which can be very stylish.

Another possibility is the knee-length dress which is more informal, young-looking, easy to carry with you and suitable for hot climates.

A very classy look is the halter neck with plunge neckline, ankle length and either clingy for a more sexy look.

With a bit more fabric and body you can give a hint of the more traditional wedding dress but without the weight and volume.

In hotter climates you may want to avoid clingy dresses but it very much depends on whether you are outdoors or in, the time of day and the season.

Another popular style is the ‘mermaid’ which is a close-fitting style at the top gradually opening out at the bottom and this gives you that little train too. But you have to be confident about your body shape to carry this one off – mainly one for the taller and slimmer bride.

Fabric Choice

You will need to pack the dress so avoid heavy fabrics or dresses that heavy beading, sequins or are jewelled. Not only does this add to the weight but just imagine the job you’ll have at the other end getting the dress ironed!

A much better idea is a lightweight dress that requires little or no maintenance after unpacking.

The factors for fabric choice for your destination wedding dress are: location, wedding style, practicality.

Clearly, if your destination wedding is tropical you will want a light dress and that means a light fabric such as charmeuse or chiffon. Charmeuse is similar to satin and is quite clingy like silk. Also consider rayon, organza, satin or crepe.

Other lightweight wedding dress fabrics can also be considered but always think ‘low maintenance’; silk, organdie and lace can be considered but modern alternatives may be less expensive and also lighter and more crease-resistant.

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