Make It Yourself
Sewing a wedding gown might give the sewing-challenged the jitters. But take a deep breath and keep reading. Some wedding dresses are very simple, and they are indeed doable even if you aren't a seamstress. Do you have a sewing machine? That's essential. Good at reading directions? That's important, too. Willing to try? Even better.
If you're truly nervous, you can try buying a thin cotton material called muslin and sew together a sample of what the gown would look like. Dressmakers in years past often did this to make a custom garment. Do this to see if your achievement will look and fit the way you hope it will before you venture into buying more expensive material or spend more time trying and not being happy with your result.
Alert
Color is a hot trend in wedding dresses. Find a pale, pale pink or blue dress in the prom section. Add a colorful sash to a white dress from a formalwear store. Put some sparkle on a simple inexpensive dress with a fabulous pin or necklace.
Pique Your Interest
A young bride at a recent wedding made her gown of white cotton piqué trimmed with a band of lace at the neckline, sleeves, and hem. She padded a headband, wrapped it in material and sewed on a piece of lace, then attached a gathered length of tulle for a floor-length veil.
It was gorgeous — so simple to sew, according to the bride, yet to us admiring onlookers it was elegant in its simplicity. She put her own wedding ensemble together for around $100.
If you find a simple sheath but want something fuller, add a billowing tulle skirt. Tulle is an ethereal, almost magical fabric, and it's easy to gather and sew. Take your waist measurement and buy several times that; you can decide how gathered you want the skirt to be.
To make a matching veil, gather a shorter length and attach it to a padded headband, which you can then decorate with the same pearls, crystals, or lace as on your dress bodice.
Start Right
Start by taking your measurements to make sure to buy the right sized pattern. Some patterns cover a range of sizes (such as 10/12/14) so you can cut the top bigger or smaller than the bottom or, if you lose weight as you plan your wedding, you're not locked into a larger size. That way if you haven't cut your material and sewed it yet, later you can cut a smaller size and not have to buy another pattern.
Essential
Stop in a fabric store and take a look at the pattern books. You'll be pleasantly surprised to find manufacturers now making patterns for women who don't have a lot of time or who didn't learn a lot of sewing skills in a high school home-economics class.
Trimming Hides a Multitude of Sins
Don't stress if your seam isn't perfectly straight, for instance. Chances are, if you sew on a little lace appliqué here or there or add some beads or pearls, the dress will look wonderful.
People are so impressed with anyone who sews that you'll be pleasantly surprised to find you'll get credit for a better job than you think you've done. You should feel proud of yourself. Making your own wedding gown is one of the most personal touches you can contribute to your day.
Take a look at all the wonderful fabrics and matching trims in the fabric store, and borrow some ideas from your favorite bridal designer. If you have someone in the family who sews, invite her help. It will be a wonderful experience to sew your wedding dress together, and you'll also have someone to help you pin up the hem in the right place.
Alert
It's important to pair the right pattern with the right material. Check on the back of the pattern for suggested materials. Brocade is too stiff and formal for a relaxed style of dress, while a thin silk isn't suitable for a design that needs body.
There are a number of books to guide you in sewing your own dress. Bridal Gowns: How to Make the Wedding Dress of Your Dreams by Susan Andriks is a good one to guide you. About.com Sewing lists handy resources for the beginning sewer. The Home Sewing Association's Web site has a helpful section on bridal sewing.
If you decide to try making your own dress, take it one step at a time and don't invest too much money until you feel comfortable with the project. Ultimately, you need to be honest with yourself and decide whether you have the time and patience for this large undertaking.
Even if all you do is make your headpiece and veil, you'll have fun being creative and will feel like you're doing something special for your wedding.
Custom-Made Gowns
If you don't feel comfortable sewing an entire wedding gown by yourself, enlist the help of a professional seamstress to make a dress to your specifications. A custom-made gown sounds expensive, but it is often less expensive than brand-new dresses from bridal salons, and you will get exactly what you want.
Fact
Your seamstress can work with you to design a dress that is uniquely you, but it helps both of you if you have an idea of what you want even before your first meeting. Bring pictures of wedding gowns you admire and be specific about what you want.
Find a seamstress through your network of friends and associates. Meet with her to discuss your vision. It's important that you feel a connection and are able to communicate with your seamstress so as to avoid any misunderstanding later on.
If you don't feel the seamstress shares your vision for your dress, look elsewhere. Finally, ask for and check references.
