thoughts on theme

So you’re finally engaged! After years of stealing glances at wedding magazines and casually throwing out the phrase “well if it was my wedding’ it is finally YOUR wedding. During this exciting time it can be difficult to sift through and narrow down the collection of must-have wedding ideas you’ve had stored in the back of your mind since birth.

But before you get your heart set on an elegant black-tie affair or a rustic country wedding, remember this, the most emotional purchase you will make is the dress.

{photo courtesy of Saleina Marie Photography}

The dress is the one item of your wedding that you should absolutely not have to compromise on. That is why it’s usually a good idea for brides to choose the theme of their wedding before finding the dress.

Often times brides make assumptions about what sort of dress will look best on them, or worse, they completely rule out a certain style because they think it “isn’t them”.

The thing about wedding dresses is that they are unlike anything else you will ever wear. Yes, maybe you aren’t a frilly-lacy-princess-bride kind of girl but wedding dresses have a magical ability to transform even the most stubborn bride. Wouldn’t it be a shame to find absolutely the perfect dress that absolutely doesn’t fit your theme? Yes, a casual beach wedding sounded perfect until you found an antique lace gown with a ten foot train that took your breath away.

To avoid feeling out of place at your own wedding, or worse yet having to forfeit your perfect dress for the sake of theme, always find the dress before making any other decisions.

Budget Tip! Buying the dress first is also beneficial because if the perfect dress ends up being more than you planned you will be able to adjust the budget other places prior to making any decisions. Also, bridal shops are usually one of the only vendors that will allow small payments made over time, which leaves you with more cash on hand to pay off your other vendors.

Check back next Wednesday for more help on navigating themes!

Happy Planning!