Claire Pettibone’s bridal gown designs are inspired by “vintage romance with an enchanted bohemian spirit.” TPS sat down with this top international couture wedding gown designer to gain her expert advice on what you should know before buying your wedding dress.
What are your three best pieces of advice for someone looking to buy a wedding dress?
– Do some research before you shop. Look at designers and bridal salon websites to get a sense of the styles and vibe they carry before your visit. Do they have anything that you could see yourself wearing? If not, then maybe cross that one off your list. You don’t HAVE to visit every single salon and, if you do, chances are you’ll end up feeling overwhelmed.
– DO have an open mind. Since most of us don’t wear fancy dresses on a regular basis, you might be surprised with what looks good and what you end up choosing for your big day.
– Be selective with the photo taking. Only take photos of yourself in gowns that you might actually choose for your wedding dress! (see mistake #1).
What are some common mistakes you see people make?
– They take photos of themselves in every single dress they try on. If you visit five bridal salons, and try on an average of seven gowns per store (with multiple angles of each dress), this can very quickly add up to A LOT of photos and, ultimately, confusion!
– They visit too many salons on one day. This is not an endurance test and you don’t have to cram it all into one day! By the end, you’re what I call “dress drunk” and it all blurs together. Two appointments on a Saturday will be much more productive, and you’ll end the day happy instead of stressed and overwhelmed.
– Don’t bring too many people when you are ready to make your decision. Everyone has an opinion, but this is a time when you really need to trust your heart and you just can’t hear it when there are too many voices pulling you outside of your own thoughts and feelings.
What are some general wedding dress stereotypes and can you debunk them?
– You have to be skinny to wear a fitted dress.
Curvy girls can look great in a fitted gown. It’s all a matter of flattering each woman’s individual shape, and working with an expert on fit.
– Wedding dresses (and weddings in general) are expensive because shop owners are greedy.
Purchasing a wedding dress, and having a gown made to order is different from buying any other clothing off the rack. Before a bride chooses “the one” we may have spent a few hours on multiple days, helping her try on gowns, to reach that final decision. In our salon, we take a bride’s measurements and each dress is cut by hand for that particular bride. In most cases, we make a pattern just for her, which results in a very flattering, and beautiful final look. It takes a very skilled team many hours of work to create our dresses, never mind the custom French embroideries and fine silks that are used. So basically a lot of time, care and skill goes into making a wedding gown and, while there are cheaper options, the old saying “you get what you pay for” is especially true in a wedding dress.
– It has to be white to be a wedding dress.
This is one I have been rebelling against since the beginning of my career. Don’t get me wrong, I love a beautiful white gown (I actually recommend ivory, as it is much more flattering, and looks white in photos), but I also love incorporating color. It could be subtle shades of champagne or blush, or as bold as black! It’s really a matter of each bride finding what makes her look and feel beautiful.
What kind of timeline do you recommend as far as how long to start the process before your wedding date? (ideal timing, of course)
12 to 9 months before the wedding is a perfect time to start shopping. Your dress should be decided on and ordered at least 6 months prior to the wedding; and we like your first try-on of your actual dress to be 3 months before the wedding, to allow plenty of time for final alterations.
Who are the best kind of bridal dress customers for you? (as far as coming in prepared, etc.)
Brides who have looked at my website, know the collection, and like my aesthetic are ideal! I love it when clients have already tried on gowns elsewhere, so they have a sense of what is out there…they tend to really appreciate what we offer! Our gowns are made of couture fabrics from around the world, but the dresses are cut and sewn by hand here in our in-house atelier, so we can offer customizations and service that they might not find elsewhere.
Is it best to come in with photos and ideas, or come in with a blank slate?
Either can work. Sometimes a bride knows exactly what she wants, and if the reality measures up to her vision, it’s very easy for her to say yes. On the other spectrum, we do have brides who have not grown up fantasizing about this day, and don’t really have a clue…and that’s ok too! With our years of experience dressing brides, we quickly get a sense of who she is, and once she starts seeing herself in dresses, a direction begins to form.
Do you recommend bringing your friend/friends with you?
I think bringing friends is a fun part of the process, and if that feels like something you want to include, then yes, bring them to a salon or two in the very early stages. But once you have narrowed it down and are ready to decide, I recommend choosing one friend and/or mom to come along. Generally speaking, having just one to three people with you is plenty, and bigger crowds can be overwhelming for the bride.
Is it bad if you end up wanting to buy the very first dress you try on? Or should you keep looking?
It actually happens quite often in our salon. Especially if a bride has been stalking a dress online, and knows that is the style she loves. If the first one is it, count yourself lucky! I would say, go with it…if you continue the search, you’ll just end up questioning your own instinct, which never ends well, does it?!
Anything else to add?
Sometimes brides get a little too much in their heads, and overthink it. I know it’s a big decision, and a lot of elements come in to play, from venue, to your future mother-in-law, to our own body issues…it can get a bit overwhelming. But at the heart of this whole wedding is love, so when choosing your gown, think more about how you feel, rather than what silhouette you’re wearing; more about the beauty of you as a whole person that is only being enhanced by a gorgeous dress. You WILL be a beautiful bride, so be kind to yourself.
Happy Planning!
xx The Planning Society
Photography Credits: Claire Pettibone at Her Desk: Jeremy Chou // Floral Installation: Sophie Kaye // Mural Wall: Kelle Sauer // Stone Wall: Feather and Stone