Time and Space: Two things you need to consider

I think it's very interesting when I see brides who are gown shopping before they have a venue chosen. Nothing is more key in helping you decide what you want then knowing when and where your wedding will be. Now, you may have a place in mind and a certain feel that you want to go for, but there's nothing like KNOWING the space you'll be in so you can imagine yourself on the day.

For time, worry less about season and more about time of day. If you are getting married in August outside, you may make different choices than if you are getting married inside in December. That's just part of the comfort of the dress, and how heavy you are ok with it being. The overall shape and style will be determined by the time of day ( which often has a big influence in how formal the event is) and the location.

I'm not saying don't buy a dress if you don't know where your wedding is. Some people manage to do this and make a great choice. But if you are thinking that you should dress shop as early as possible, I would say, if you have time, wait until the venue is set. It will help you narrow down the overwhelming options out there!

What's the deal with Dye Lots?

In bridal land, the model has always been that bridesmaids will order the same dress in the same color. So that's the way designers are set up to operate and make the dresses. All the dresses ordered at the same time, same color, same style.

Nowadays, many people no longer order this way. Even if all the bridesmaids are wearing the same style, it may be easier for everyone to order separately based on location. Or, more often than not, people are mixing styles in the same color, or a few colors and styles.

But the way dresses are made hasn't changed. Many designers have multiple locations where dresses are made overseas, and while they make every effort to standardize color, some dye lot variation is inevitable. There just isn't any way to control it absolutely.

What does this mean for you? Basically, it means that if you are ordering different styles, even if you order them all together, you could still get some variation of the color of fabric. Different styles can be made at different times and in different places. The variation is usually pretty slight, but just be aware of the possiblity. Personally, I think if the styles are varied, if you have a little variation of the shade of the fabric in one or more of the dresses, it's not a huge deal. But I know some people want it all spot on, and so if that's you, then get everyone in the same style and order them all together. And that's the deal : )

Why Kate's Dress Ruled ( In my opinion)

Everyone has something to say about The Dress. Some think it was perfect, some think Kate played it too safe. Some think it was dowdy, some timelessly elegant. Some think Kate has set the trend for years to come, others think that Pippa's dress was far more noteworthy. Well, I'm one of the fans, but what made the dress for me was not just the lines and the lace, but reading about the special details incorporated into both the dress and her accesories.

I won't go into extreme detail, if you're interested, you can read more at the official royal wedding site, see link:

http://www.officialroyalwedding2011.org/blog/2011/April/29/The-Wedding-Dress--Bridesmaids--Dresses-and-Pages--Uniforms

Some highlights:
Her earrings were comissioned by her parents and were inspired by her family's coat of arms. Her bouquet contains stems from a myrtle planted by Queen Victoria in 1845, and a sprig from a plant grown from the myrtle used in The Queen’s wedding bouquet of 1947. Crazy!
And, all the lace on her dress was hand appliqued by The Royal School of Needlework. The lace motifs contain roses, thistles, shamrocks and daffodils, the four different national floral badges of the United Kingdom.

Why this rules:
Kate's dress was simply beatiful, down to the tiniest detail. It wasn't over the top, but the crafstmanship that went into it... holy smokes. Also her choice of accesories and even flowers was full of thought and meaning. All weddings are about more than just putting on a show and making a statement, but I think sometimes we can lose sight of that. Kate's ensemble shows just how gorgeous and special blending modern and traditional elements can be.