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A couture dress is the alternative to off-the-rack dresses. With couture dresses, a master seamstress will make a pattern for your dress out of muslin. It is at this stage that you can begin to modify the dress to your tastes, your size and your needs. You can raise the neckline, lengthen or shorten the train and even add or take away sleeves. This muslin pattern will be sewn together and fitted to your exact dimensions. The muslin dress will be created, allowing you to find out how your wedding dress will look - and how it will look on you - even before a single cut is made in the lace, organza or toile of your final couture gown. And speaking of fabric, you will have your choice in the fabrics used. Often times, fabrics for a couture gown are richer than those used in standard dresses. It's not unusual to find French lace and Italian silk in a couture gown. Here are some tips to help you decide if a couture wedding gowns is right for you - and some help understanding what goes into a couture gown: Leave Adequate Time Getting a couture wedding gowns made is not an overnight process. Expect it to take four to six weeks at the very least. Add to that shipping time, so two months is probably the minimum. Some design houses will tell you it can take up to six months, depending on the availability of the special fabrics and the talented seamstresses and master tailors. To ensure there is enough time to get the fabric you want - and the skilled laborers you need - allot as much time as possible to get your gown made, fitted and delivered. For a rush fee, you can sometimes move up the timetable, but that will cost dearly. No Price Listed Some Web sites will not list the price of couture wedding gowns. This is because there are so many customizable aspects of a couture gown. Fabrics, fittings and trims can all affect the price. It's best just to assume that a couture gown will be more expensive than a gown that's purchased off the rack. Beware of Discounts If you see a couture gown for a discounted price, beware. It may be a genuine couture gown, but don't forget that part of what you're paying for is a dress designed to your specific needs. You also will not have the guarantee offered by the couture salon. Fittings are Mandatory You may well be a perfect size six, eight or 10, but that doesn't mean a couture dress in that size will fit you. Gowns often run small. If it is an off-the-rack dress, it may fit you, thanks to the use of spandex and other materials with "give" to them. But with couture gowns, the fabrics are woven and need to be tailored to your body. Also, the tailor or seamstress can also help you identify the undergarments you'll need to look the best in your one-of-a-kind dress. Should I Spend the Money for a Couture Gown? There's no doubt that you will spend more on a couture gown than on one that was designed for the masses. Only you know what your budget can afford, but remember that your dress is one of the most visible and remembered parts of a wedding. One year, 10 years or 50 years after your wedding, no one will remember if you served chicken or beef. No one will know what brand of champagne you used to toast your marriage. But you and others who were on hand will remember the bride and her wedding dress. Not only is it preserved in their minds, but it also appears in nearly every photograph taken that day! The bottom line is that the choice is yours. You can be a beautiful bride in an off-the-rack dress - or you can feel like the bell of the ball, queen for the day and even Cinderella in a couture gown. And if you have any kind of variation to the standard size, a couture gown may be the only way you're going to get the style and fit you need.
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