Photo: Cassi Claire
You might know exactly what wedding dress you want — but do you know what to wear with it? Or, better yet, how to bustle it for your wedding reception? To help you properly coordinate your entire bridal look, we pulled together three common wedding dress etiquette questions and found expert answers!
Do I have to wear hosiery? It won't really show, anyway.
Your ankles and legs may indeed show as you waltz around the dance floor, are swept up on a chair during the traditional horah, or when your groom removes your garter to toss it at the reception. However, you should do what is most comfortable and appropriate, given the tone of the wedding, the season, and your style of dress and footwear. If you do choose to wear hosiery, it should complement, not overpower, your gown. Consider ultra-sheer, shimmery hose in white, pearl, or pale pink.
Is there a way to bustle my gown for reception dancing?
Most trains today are designed to "bustle" for the reception and dancing. Many manufacturers and bridal shops automatically sew in special fasteners to draw the fabric up to floor-length in back (ask if this is the case). If yours isn't, have your salon arrange for the alteration department to sew in snaps, hooks, or other methods of securing the train into a bustle. Bring your honor attendant along for the dress fitting so she can learn how to bustle the train for you.
Today, many long and short dresses are made with detachable trains (which are fastened with Velcro, hooks, buttons, or snaps). Sweep trains are short enough to maneuver without bustling. Or, have a loop attached to the train, to slip around your wrist for dancing.
When should I choose my headpiece — when I select the gown or during my first fitting?
If you have the stamina (and are sure about your wedding-day hairstyle) choose it when you choose your gown. Otherwise you can wait until the first fitting.