Destination wedding dresses

Are you getting married abroad, somewhere warm, or simply hoping for sunning weather for your summer wedding in the UK? If you’re anticipating hot weather on your wedding day, you might want to look for a destination wedding dress. Destination wedding gowns are specially designed in fabrics and styles that will keep you cool on your big day - after all, no one wants to be a hot, sticky, sweaty bride!

Viva Bride’s destination wedding dress collection is part of one of our most popular vintage style wedding gown ranges, made in light, floaty chiffon, perfect for warm weddings abroad. There are three destination wedding dress styles to choose from, all inspired by iconic actresses from days gone by: Julie Christie, Vivien Leigh, and Shirley Maclaine.

Viva Bride’s Christie destination gown has an empire line style and a sweetheart neckline, with delicate beaded detailing on the straps, neckline and under the bust.

The Leigh wedding dress style is a flowing chiffon gown with a flattering ruched neckline, a beautiful detailed bodice and a floaty skirt to keep you cool.  

Viva’s Maclaine-inspired asymmetric wedding gown mixes elegant Grecian draping with vintage styling, and is available with an extra chiffon layer to add interest to the strap, or a full floor-length layer.

Another option for beach weddings, destination weddings and summer weddings is a short wedding dress, with hemlines anywhere from mini to tea-length. The Viva Bride collection also includes a number of gorgeous shorter wedding gowns with playful full organza skirts, and pretty lace and beaded detailing. These classic 50s style dresses are fun and flirty and allow you to show off your legs and your wedding shoes while allowing you to keep cool and dance the night away on your wedding day.

One of our favourites from this tea length collection was inspired and dedicated to the beautiful style icon Audrey Hepburn and features lace applique detailing across the skirt and bodice with chic vintage style. Channel your inner vintage goddess and enjoy your destination wedding with a light and floaty wedding dress!

Wedding Dress Shopping: 10 Tricks of the Trade

If it’s time to go shopping for your wedding dress you’re probably torn between being super excited and apprehensive about whether you’ll be able to find something you love. Though we think it’s the best part of planning a wedding, we understand that searching for your perfect wedding gown can be overwhelming at times, so here are our top ten tricks of the trade to make things easy for you:

1) Start with a clear idea of what styles you like… but be prepared to have an open mind! You might find that a dress you never would have chosen actually looks fantastic. Bear in mind that dresses often look very different on the hanger than how they look on a body so it’s worth trying on a variety of styles just in case.

2) Wear the right underwear - preferably a nude, strapless bra, or the kind of lingerie you’re planning on wearing on your wedding day. It helps to wear something that makes you feel confident as you’ll be stripping off in front of a mirror repeatedly and seeing yourself in tatty old granny pants isn’t exactly a confidence boost!

3) Bring a few choice companions whose opinion you value. Bringing along a huge entourage can make you feel self-conscious and result in too many conflicting opinions, leaving you confused and flustered rather than excited and clear-headed.

4) Don’t be tempted to look at gowns that are way out of your budget unless you can honestly stretch to that kind of price. Luckily all the wedding dresses at the WDFO are priced under £500 so there’s something for every budget and every bride!

5) Know your body shape and know what looks good on you. It can help to head to the high street before you visit a bridal store to try on some formal dress styles and get a feel for the different necklines, shapes and bodice styles. This way you can take your time finding a cut that really looks great on your body and narrow down your search when you hit the wedding dress shops!

6) Trust the experience of bridal store staff; they really do know their stuff! You don’t always have to agree with them but often staff can make useful suggestions on styles to try on, adjustments that can be made, or accessories that will look great with a specific gown.

7) Think top to toe - you don’t need to be fully made up with a bridal hairstyle but a bit of makeup and a few hair accessories can help you to try out different looks to suit each dress. Similarly, it’s useful to bring along a pair of heels to get a sense of how your dress will look on the big day. Most bridal stores also have podiums to give you some extra height so you can see how the dress falls and so you can spread out your train behind you.

8) Remember that often wedding dresses are handmade and sizing is not the same as high street dress sizes. Many wedding gowns come up smaller than you might expect so don’t be disheartened if you need a size larger than you usually take. Even off-the-peg wedding dresses often need alterations, especially if your upper or lower body are not in proportion (for example if you take a size 14 on top but a size 12 on the bottom).

9) Wedding dresses look completely different on different body shapes! What looks fantastic on an hourglass figure looks shapeless on a woman with very few curves, while a sheath dress will look great on boyish figures while making shapely women feel self-conscious… The shape of the neckline, the height of the waist, the cut of the bodice and the drape of the skirt all give different looks to your body and some will complement your shape better than others. Some make you look slimmer and taller, while some will accentuate the parts of you you’d rather keep hidden!

10) Stay true to your personal style. Part of what makes a wedding dress The One is feeling that it suits your personality. Your partner will be expecting to see you in a way they’ve never seen before on your wedding day but that doesn’t mean they want to see you wearing something that is totally out of your comfort zone. To feel great in your wedding gown you need to be comfortable as well as looking stunning!

And as always, for advice and help finding your ideal wedding dress that is within your budget, come and chat to us on our Facebook page, email us at info@weddingdress-factoryoutlet.co.uk or visit us at one of our outlets in Burbage, Bromley and Bolton.

Five Steps to Planning a Vintage Wedding

Planning a vintage wedding can be so much fun - you have a huge scope of styles, eras and designs to choose from, and can tailor your decoration, vintage bridalwear and accessories to match your personal style. Venturing into the world of vintage can sometimes be daunting, but there’s no need to be scared! With more and more vendors offering a range of retro-style goods and services, and plenty of advice and tutorials for vintage DIY online, you have everything you need for a unique and affordable vintage style wedding. And of course, if you’re looking for a vintage wedding dress that won’t cost you an arm and a leg, the Viva Bride collection at the Wedding Dress Factory outlet offers gorgeous vintage style from just £399. So, where should you start when planning a vintage wedding? Here’s our five-step guide to making your retro wedding extra special!

 1) Pick your era: Decide which time period and style you like the best. You don’t have to be completely true to the historical era you choose, just pick the elements that match your personal style and desired theme and go from there. You might even want to pick several aspects from different eras, it’s up to you!

 2) Focus on a theme: Try to centre your wedding theme around one or two main ideas. These might be colours, patterns, styles or images. Popular examples include polka dots, feathers, flowers, birds, music, classic movies and books and a crossover of vintage and hipster style! Once you’ve decided on a central theme you’ll find that finding all the little details of your wedding will be much easier.

3) Prioritise your budget: Genuine vintage items can be pricey so decide where your budget should be prioritised: on your wedding dress and your groom’s outfit, your venue, your decorations, food and drink, cake, flowers…? Work out what is most important to you and find ways to cut costs on other details. Many vintage accessories and decorations can be easily made at home, or sourced cheaply from charity shops, boot sales and vintage outlets. You might even find some family heirlooms that you can incorporate into your wedding!  

4) Look at the big picture: Think about the overall appearance of your wedding: your venue, entertainment and the wedding photographs that you’ll treasure forever. Does the overview of your wedding match your vintage vision? Sometimes it’s hard to see the big picture when you’re focusing on the details but it’s good to take a step back and look at the whole thing to make sure you’re on track for the wedding you want. 

 5) Mix and match: It’s fine to have a modern style wedding with a few vintage elements, or a retro wedding with a few contemporary twists - it’s your wedding, and should suit your personality as a couple. Try not to bring in too many different styles and ideas though - eclectic doesn’t mean chaotic! Remember that a few key themes work much better than lots of random elements.

Good luck planning your vintage wedding, and check out Viva Bride’s beautiful range of vintage-inspired wedding gowns and destination wedding dresses for retro styling from the 20s to the 70s!

Rainy Wedding Days

Ok, so summer is finding it hard to let go in some parts of the country but let’s face it, autumn is here at last and the threat of rainy wedding days is looming! If you’re getting married in the autumn or winter (or, let’s face it, any time in the UK!) then it’s pretty sensible to expect a bit of bad weather on your wedding day. So what’s a bride (and groom!) to do if it rains?

Well, it all depends on your venue, your plans and your attitude! Obviously a wedding that includes outdoor celebrations is going to be more problematic in the rain than an indoor reception but it’s a good idea to consider the weather when planning your transport and photos whatever your plans. Here are our top tips for rainy wedding days:

• If part or all of your wedding is outside then no matter the season, a marquee or covered area is essential to keep your festivities safe and dry if the heavens open on your special day.
• Think accessories! Welly boots, umbrellas and matching macs can make for seamless transportation between venues to protect your hair, makeup and wedding dress, and you can even get some funny photos out of your getup too!
• Trust the experience of your vendors - ask for advice and think of ways to adapt your day if the weather turns wet.
• Don’t panic! Hair and makeup can be redone - if it looks like rain, bring a towel, a hairdryer and some emergency makeup to sort yourself out if you do get wet.
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  Atmospheric storm clouds look fantastically romantic in wedding pictures and colour saturation of photos looks much better on overcast days than in bright sunshine so be brave and take a few shots outside.
• Remember - rain on your wedding day is lucky!
  
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Off the Shoulder Wedding Dresses

The off the shoulder look is a timeless style of wedding dress that conjures up the glamour of movie stars and the red carpet. Off the shoulder wedding gowns come in all shapes and sizes, from fishtail wedding dresses to traditional ballgowns. Somewhere between a sleeved dress and a strapless dress, off the shoulder wedding dresses never seem to go out of fashion, and are proving popular during 2013 with brides and celebrities alike.

Just look at the latest red carpet event and you’ll find numerous examples of gorgeous off the shoulder gowns in sophisticated styles. Anne Hathaway and Katie Holmes both chose off the shoulder wedding dresses for their special day, looking beautiful and demure.

Whether you’re after a modern style or a classic wedding dress design, you should be able to find an off the shoulder gown to suit you. Strapless gowns are still the bestselling wedding dress style but adding off the shoulder straps can elevate your dress to a whole new height of glamour. Here are our favourite off the shoulder styles:

• Fishtail - combine the elegance of off the shoulder straps with a tailored bodice and a subtle flared skirt.
• Ballgown - a corset bodice with short and simple off the shoulder sleeves and a full, voluminous taffeta skirt.
• Sheath - sleek lines with lace off the shoulder sleeves for a sexy vintage look.
• A-line - a sweetheart neckline and a flowing full skirt with thin off the shoulder straps to give a unique twist to this classic gown.
• Grecian - a beautiful draped gown made even more gorgeous by thick off the shoulder straps.
• Full-sleeved - add something special to your bridal look by choosing a sheer off the shoulder sleeve to any style of wedding gown.

With or without sleeves, in lace, taffeta or chiffon, off the shoulder wedding dresses are a wonderful way to feel sexy and stylish while showing off your shoulders. You can even opt for a one-shouldered asymmetric wedding dress if you prefer!

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How to Coordinate Bridesmaid Dresses with Your Wedding Gown

Many brides want their bridesmaids’ dresses to somehow coordinate with their own wedding gown, and this can give a lovely theme to your wedding, especially if this coordination is also reflected in the groom and groomsmen’s outfits. So how do you coordinate a white or ivory gown with coloured bridesmaid dresses? Well, there are a few ways to achieve a matching look to suit your bridesmaids and complement your gown.

First off, it’s best to go wedding dress shopping before you even think about looking for bridesmaid dresses. Once you’ve found your perfect wedding gown you’ll have a much better idea about other aspects of your wedding style, from accessories to flowers. Knowing your wedding theme will help you to pick out all the other elements of your wedding, including bridesmaid outfits.

Next, think about the overall style and location of your wedding - is it a large, traditional event in a historical building, or are you going carefree in an outdoor marquee, or sleek and modern at a trendy bar? No doubt your wedding dress will reflect the style of your special day accordingly, and your bridesmaid dresses should too. Full-length ballgowns or A-line dresses offer a classic look for a traditional wedding while flirty knee-length summer dresses would be great at a countryside or beach event.

Your bridesmaid dresses can also echo the cut and style of your wedding dress, incorporating the style of dress or perhaps a particular detail or element such as ruching, layers, beading or lace. Pick one part of your dress such as the bodice, neckline, detailing, or the shape of the skirt and look for bridesmaid gowns that have similarities. If your wedding dress has a particular colour to it, or if you’re using a colour theme for your wedding then you can focus on finding bridesmaid dresses that match. If your gown is white or ivory then you might want to also incorporate a splash of colour to link you to your bridesmaids - either as jewellery, hair accessories, a satin sash, shoes, or the colour of your bouquet.

Lastly, think about the fabric you choose for your bridesmaid dresses. They don’t have to be exactly the same type of material but it’s a good idea to complement the weight and feel of the fabric of your wedding dress. For example a lacy vintage wedding gown would look lovely with lace-detailed tea length bridesmaid dresses, whereas a full-skirted taffeta ballgown style wedding gown would match well with traditional satin bridesmaid dresses.

As well as over 700 designer, plus size and vintage style wedding gowns at the WDFO, we also stock a small selection of prom dresses and bridesmaid dresses and can give you advice on how to coordinate your bridal outfits. Visit our social channels at;