By Xochitl Gonzalez
Weddings Expert
Anyone who has seen Say Yes to the Dress
knows that the hottest trend for bridal fashion isn’t strapless or
sleeves, it’s both! More and more brides are buying two wedding dresses
for the big day to change up their look from ceremony to reception. But
is this trend about fashion versatility or is it just a case of
indecision? And isn't this trend a bit expensive for the average bride?
We're exploring all about the Two Wedding Dress trend to help you decide
if a dual bridal look is right for you.
The History of Two Wedding Dresses
Changing
wedding ensembles may seem like a recent trend, but it actually has a
long history in the modern American Wedding. As early as the 1930’s,
brides would change at the close of their reception into a “Going Away Dress”
for their grand exit, where guests would wish them well as they headed
off to their honeymoon. Typically their Going Away Dress would be some
sort of chich bridal-inspired skirt and jacket suit set.
For a modern take on this concept, many bridal designers today are creating “Cake Cutting Dresses”
for brides who want to switch things up. Cake Cutting Dresses tend to
be fun, shorter frocks which are meant to be worn towards the close of
the reception when you cut the cake and dance until the end of the
night. The typical Cake Cutting Dress is often much less expensive than a
second wedding gown and could even be something you consider actually
wearing again!
The bonus of the Cake Cutting Dress or the Going
Away Dress is that the names themselves clue you in to when you should
change from your formal wedding dress to the other. Otherwise, it could
be less obvious, leaving brides uncertain of the best time to switch
looks. A good rule of thumb for when to change from your wedding dress
to your second dress is during the cocktail hour, assuming you’ve had some time for portraits
in your ceremony gown. While your guests are mixing and mingling, you
can take time to change, touch up your makeup, and possibly even get
your hair restyled before reappearing at the reception. Taking this time
to refresh and change into your second dress gives you a second
opportunity to WOW your guests when you reemerge to have your first
dance at the reception. It's your moment, might as well make it count,
right?
Why Choose Two Wedding Dresses?
We asked Beth Chapman, founder of the legendary White Dress by the Shore her
thoughts on the trend and her answer: a little bit of both! “Often
brides can’t decide on the specific look that they want for the wedding
day, so they select two dresses so that they can have the best of both
worlds! A bride may love the idea of a romantic ball skirt for her
ceremony so that she can feel like a princess. Then, she may opt to
change into either a sophisticated sheath or a flirty short dress for
the reception.”
Of course, there can be practical reasons as well.
For some brides, the dress they imagine walking down the aisle in may
have a grand train,
heavy beading or some other element that might make it too awkward or
uncomfortable to wear all night. If you can't imagine wearing your full
ball gown that you wore in your cathedral ceremony to bust a move on the
dance floor at your reception, a second dress seems like a sensible
idea.
Of course, choosing to wear two dresses means you're paying
for two dresses, so if budget is a factor for you, you'll need to plan
accordingly. It would be best to know from the beginning of your search
that you want two wedding dresses. When shopping for your wedding dress,
let your consultant know that you have two totally different looks in
mind that will require two totally different gowns. Shopping for both
looks at the same time will not only help you stick to your overall wedding dress budget, but it will also ensure that you have two fabulous but unique and different looks.
A Modern Alternative to the Two Wedding Dress Trend
The
two-dress trend has become so popular, many modern designers are also
creating two-for-one bridal looks. Says Beth Chapman, “There is
currently a trend toward convertible dresses. One of my favorite looks
in our boutique is from Modern Trousseau. They offer a lace sheath silhouette
with a separate tulle ball skirt over it. This allows the bride to have
a fairy tale look for her ceremony and then remove the tulle skirt and
have a sophisticated lace sheath for the reception!” Convertible wedding
dresses are perfect for the bride who only wants to buy one gown, but
enjoys the drama of two distinct looks.
Other ideas to create a
convertible two-in-one look for your wedding day include adding on
accessories. Perhaps you want to remain a little more conservative for
the ceremony but be able to let loose for the reception. You could wear a
sweetheart strapless gown and layer it with a lace topper, fur bolero
or beaded capelet to add a little more cover to your arms and
decolletage. These add-ons can easily be removed (or added) between the
ceremony and reception to switch up your look, and are generally less
expensive than purchasing two separate gowns.
So whether
you want two completely different bridal looks that include two separate
wedding dresses, or if you just want to add on or remove layers between
your wedding and reception, there are options to switch up your wedding
day look that suit any size budget.
Happy Wedding Dress Shopping!
source: about.com
