Should You Wear Your Mother’s Wedding Gown?
When you become engaged, don’t be surprised to see your mom pulling a big box down from the attic. Inside that box is her wedding gown, saved all these years in the hopes that her daughter would one day wear it down the aisle. Some brides have always shared that same dream since childhood, while for others, nothing could be less appealing than wearing their mom’s gown. These are some things to consider while trying to decide if you should wear your mother’s wedding gown.
The style of your mother’s gown may well be the first thing that gets considered. However, do not put too much stock into the current version of the bridal gown. If your mom is willing and you can find someone who specializes in vintage restoration, an antique gown can often be remade to suit the taste of the next generation of bride. A good quality gown may pass through several generations, with each bride adapting it slightly to fit the style of her era. Updated accessories like a beaded veil and beautiful bridal jewelry can also help to give a vintage gown a fresh new look. Of course, if your mom cannot bear to see her gown changed and you cannot bear to wear it as is, then it may be time to start shopping for a new bridal gown.
Most brides today are larger than their mothers. They are stronger, more muscular, and taller, which can make the mom’s old gown appear impossibly small. Happily, it is the rare gown which cannot be sized up at least a few inches to accommodate a modern frame. So if you are at all interested in wearing your mother’s wedding dress, it is worth taking it to a vintage specialist to see what the possibilities may be. Brides should be aware that if extensive resizing is needed, at some point restoring the family gown might get almost as expensive as purchasing a new dress.
One more factor to take into consideration is the wishes of both the bride and her mom. If it would mean the world to the mother of the bride to see her daughter wear her bridal gown, and she is willing to allow it to be refashioned to suit her daughter’s figure and taste, the bride should definitely think about wearing it. On the other hand, the daughter might feel strongly about getting a brand new gown. In the end, the bride has to feel good about whatever gown she wears on her wedding day, whether it is a family heirloom or a brand new wedding dress.
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Uncategorized, Wedding Planning | Tags: Bridal Jewelry, mother's wedding gown, vintage wedding gown, wedding gowns | Comment (0)Sweet Vintage Inspired Bridal Gowns
How cute are these vintage style wedding gowns? Simple lines, tea length, and just darling, they would be fantastic for a city chic wedding, a country club reception, or a wedding at home. They call to mind the heyday of ladies like Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly, and look just as good today as they did back in the 1950s. 
Wearing Your Mother’s Bridal Gown
Many brides look at the pictures of their mother’s wedding dress and think, “No way!”. But do not be so quick to dismiss the idea. Wearing your mother’s bridal gown is a very special thing to do, and it will add another layer of meaning to your event.
Frequently, it is possible to drastically alter or even remake a new dress from your mother’s gown. Usually moms are willing to allow their daughters to adapt their old gown to make it perfect for the next generation. Don’t let fit discourage you, because there is almost always a creative solution to change the size of a gown. The key is to find a seamstress with experience in restoring and remaking vintage gowns.
Wearing your mother’s bridal gown doesn’t have to mean looking like a vintage bride. There are some great ways to update a gown like that to make it feel fresh and modern. Once you remove the sleeves and re-cut the neckline to make it less conservative, you will find yourself looking at a great updated style.
Once you have recreated the gown to suit your style, it is time to choose your accessories. A long simple veil often looks great with clean lines; if your mom’s dress had a fuller skirt, consider a short, full veil. For bridal jewelry sets, one idea is to choose Swarovski pearls in a warm ivory or bronze tone. Usually an older gown will not be bright white, so it will be prettier to select bridal jewelry sets in richer colors.
There is a lot of history in a wedding gown passed down from mother to daughter. Choosing to wear your mother’s bridal gown on your wedding day is a very special way of showing your mom how much she means to you. The dress will become a treasured family heirloom that you can pass down to your own daughter someday.
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Uncategorized, Wedding Jewelry | Tags: bridal jewelry sets, mother's wedding gown, Swarovski pearls, vintage wedding gown | Comment (0)