Why your venue needs to be a factor in your wedding dress choice

When it comes to weddings, most brides dream about a wearing a once-in-a-lifetime luxurious white gown. Whether you’re searching for something slinky, a princess style ball gown or something short and sweet, the options are endless.

However, we’ve seen far too often that brides forget to consider their venue choice when heading out dress shopping.

As experienced wedding planners, we’ve worked with couples to create the day of their dreams. For some, it’s about picking an intimate elopement – for others, it’s a formal ceremony before a lavish reception. But whatever you choose, it’s essential to keep it in mind when searching for a wedding dress.

Picking out a wedding dress is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s a time of pure joy, and time and time again, we’ve seen brides select a dress which may have been completely different to what they may have expected to choose.

To help brides figure out what they are looking for, we’ve pulled together a short checklist for you to take with you when shopping for your wedding dress.

Does your wedding dress and theme complement each other?

When we work with clients to help plan their wedding, we always tell them to think about how their bridal dress and bridesmaid dresses will fit into their overall wedding theme.

– For instance, if you are planning a sustainable, environmentally-friendly wedding, then you might be more inclined to search for a second-hand dress or reuse or upcycle a vintage or heirloom gown.

– Your theming inspiration isn’t just about colour schemes or style, it could be about seasonality, fabric choice and even transportability.

– You might find that certain wedding venues have specific dress codes that you need to follow – for example, it may be inappropriate for plunging necklines in a formal church ceremony.

– Similarly, a cathedral length veil may look great, but if your ceremony is taking place in a small room, the overall look may be ruined.

Research is key to help you prepare for your wedding dress shopping experience

We believe that wedding dress shopping begins with extensive research. This way, you will have a clearer idea of what you’re looking for before you enter the first shop.

Pinterest can help organise your thoughts

Pulling together a Pinterest board of wedding looks isn’t just about exploring wedding dresses. It’s about looking at red carpet dresses, celebrity inspiration, and wedding theme inspiration.

We recommend creating additional mini-boards which may explore different necklines, sleeves and dress lengths. You’ll naturally start to notice a distinct pattern which may help to narrow your focus.

Make sure you’re aware of any dress codes or restrictions

If you’ve already selected your venue, you may need to ask them if they have any specific dress codes that you need to adhere to. Church weddings may require brides to wear sleeves or high necklines, while some religious ceremonies may have their own requirements.

Being aware of any specific restrictions before you start searching for your ideal gown is the best way to minimise any last-minute stress as your big day arrives.

Does your dress match your venue?

To have the perfect insta-worthy wedding, you need to feel confident that your choice of dress matches the aesthetic of your wedding venue. Big ball gowns will be much more suited to formal church weddings or swanky hotels, while shorter, tea length wedding dresses may be ideally suited to the more relaxed nature of a registry office or an outside wedding.

If you’re planning a destination wedding, your dress style may depend on how formal or informal your wedding will likely be. A beach wedding may suit sheer, lightweight fabrics while a spontaneous Las Vegas wedding may open you up to a fashion forward jumpsuit or bright colour scheme.

The weather may need to play a part in your decision making

You also need to think about what type of weather you may need to contend with.

Winter brides may be searching for fabric choices which prioritise warmth and comfort (such as long sleeves, or matching coverups) while summer brides may be looking for lighter fabrics that can keep them cool despite a heat wave.

There’s nothing worse than overheating in a heavy ballgown when the weather forecast is likely to be 30+ degrees or having a sleeveless gown and being covered in goosepimples because you’re cold. It may sound like a minor thing, but the weather really can impact on your enjoyment of your big day. Thinking carefully about what weather you might expect can help you to feel much more comfortable on your wedding day.

– For summer brides, we suggest fabrics such as batiste, charmeuse, or Chantilly lace.

– For winter weddings, you may prefer to opt for heavier silk taffetas, brocade gowns or luxurious velvet.

Narrowing down your options is about thinking through the logistics

Here at Inspired Occasions, we advocate for brides to think carefully about the specific logistics of their wedding day before shelling out on a deposit for an expensive wedding dress.

We’ve seen instances where brides have travelled to their wedding in a vintage car but struggled to fit their ball gowns and long veils without creasing the fabric. If your wedding venue is a long distance from where you are getting married, you may need to think about how that could effect your pristine dress.

For example, chiffon dresses may snag or pull, while silk fabrics can crease or stain very easily.

Brides planning a destination wedding also need to think carefully about how they plan to transport their gown – especially if you are travelling by plane where luggage space becomes a consideration.

If you’re travelling on a plane you will be limited in size. There are boxes you can use to transport your dress which can adhere to cabin size requirements, or if its bigger, you may need to store it in the hold. If you’ve placed your dress into a small box for ease of transportation, you may then need to think about getting your dress steamed or hanging it safe for a few days once you arrive.

Planning a wedding? Why not let us help?

If you’re getting started with your wedding planning, why don’t you give us a call? We love to help turn your dreams into reality. Our role as wedding planners is to negotiate better rates with suppliers, bring your vision to life and help you to manage the on-the-day logistics.

We work across the UK providing extensive wedding planning and event management support.. To find out how we can help you, please get in touch.

Alternatively, if you need any inspiration, why not head over to our Instagram or Facebook page.