Casual wedding dresses – things to consider before buying
There are many reasons why more and more couples opt for a more casual wedding. For some, the economy plays a role in their decision, since a casual wedding is normally much cheaper than a formal one. For most, however, the decision to go in the casual direction is an expression of the general tendency of moving away from formalities and uniformity and going for the creative, free-spirited and natural ways of doing things.
Whether you are considering to tie the famous knot on the beach, in a garden or in an exotic destination such as Hawaii, you still have many decisions and things to consider. One of these is the choice of your casual wedding dress.
Casual - not chaos
While a casual wedding can be relaxing, it still needs careful planning in order not to end in chaos. This also goes for your choice of wedding dress. Although casual weddings normally offer freedom from the normal expectations and conventionalities, there are therefore still a few things for you to consider when making your choice among the ever growing selection of casual wedding dresses.
Which style?
Because casual weddings are so ‘open to interpretation’, you have very free hands in your choice among casual wedding dresses. Which style will you go for? At this point you are allowed to dream. When you decided for the casual wedding, you probably had some ideas in your mind about the sort of wedding that you would like. Do you still remember them? Close your eyes an imagine yourself in the scenario. What are you wearing? As soon as you have a clear image in your mind, take some notes or even make a drawing. Bring these notes when you go out shopping for casual wedding dresses. Also write down some keywords about your dream dress and your personality (romantic, free, bohemian, natural etc. etc.)
The right fit?
Although you might already have a mental picture of your casual dream dress, it could be valuable to consider your body shape, skin tone and best hairstyle in your choice among casual wedding dresses. While many formal wedding dresses are extravagant and enchanting enough to make almost anyone look like a princess, casual wedding dresses – in their modern simplicity – could look too common if the color, shape and style does not bring out your own natural beauty and make you look vibrant and elegant.
How formal?
Casual wedding dresses range from very casual to relatively formal and it takes sound judgment to make the appropriate choice. If you are not sure exactly how casual you would like your wedding to be, you can ask yourself: Are there certain traditions and formalities that I would still like to uphold in my informal setting? Do these influence my choice of wedding dress? How would I like my guests to dress? How do I avoid that my guests are either over- or underdressed compared to my wedding dress? Knowing my friends and family, how would they feel more comfortable? What is most practical for everyone in the setting that I’ve chosen?
Is it practical?
Consider which design of casual wedding dresses would be practical in the setting that you’ve chosen. If your wedding is on the beach, it would involve walking in sand and being exposed to wind, water and sun. Wherever your casual wedding will take place, ask yourself: What will be practical/unpractical in this setting? What would it involve if I chose a large veil, a long dress, a strapless design or a dress that would only look good with high heels? What dress material would be most suitable for the weather conditions and the activities at my wedding? If you choose a design which is not practical for the setting, you might look great in the morning but end up either too hot or too cold, with messy hair, aching feet, burning red shoulders or a dirty hemline. Having chosen a casual wedding, you probably value comfort and freedom.
The selection of casual wedding dresses gives you the freedom to choose a length, design and material which is both elegant, practical and comfortable. So take the time needed to find the dress that satisfies all your needs and at the same time makes you look absolutely smashing!
