As the star of the show, every bride deserves to look and feel amazing on her big day. That stunning, carefully selected gown is a vital part of the bridal ensemble, but it can also be the root of many wedding day mishaps.
Unfortunately, wedding dress disasters are more common than most people think. With a bit of know-how and the right supplies however you can avoid or fix every problem and keep wedding stress at bay. Discover the wedding dress disasters so many brides face and find out how to solve them.
1. Help, my wedding dress doesn’t fit!
Despite the many wedding dress alterations undertaken in the run up to your big day to achieve a fit that’s just right, poorly fitting gowns are still a common occurrence. Having your final fitting as close to your wedding day as possible (at least two weeks before) will leave virtually no room for error. But should you put on your gown on the morning of your wedding to find the fit is off, don’t stress.
Keeping your seamstress on speed dial is the best way to sort this difficult to fix issue. If your seamstress is unavailable however, there are a few things you can do to ensure a perfect fit even if your dress is too big or too small.
Too big at the bust? Wear additional padding in your bridal bra to fill out your gown. Too big at the waist? Improvise with a sash. If your wedding dress is too tight, keep calm, and cool down, bloating may have made it extra difficult to fit into your gown. If bloating isn’t the problem, a bolero or chic cover-up will be your best friend.
2. Help, my wedding dress is stained!
Whether you notice a stain before you don your gown or spill some of the delicious food or drink you spent so long selecting on it, stains can be remedied rather easily.
A stain remover pen or stain wipes are must-haves in your emergency wedding day kit. They lift and erase a wide range of common stains without washing. Even coffee, wine, tomato ketchup, and other notoriously difficult to remove stains will vanish in a flash.
When removing stains, you have to act fast. Fresh stains are less stubborn than dried stains and are therefore much easier to remove.
3. Help, my dress straps have snapped!
Strappy numbers look great at weddings but make sure you have a needle and some white thread to hand to quickly fix snapped straps back into place. Keep stitches small to ensure they’re not on show.
4. Help, the zip on my dress has bust!
The dreaded zip break is a common disaster, which can also strike on your wedding day. Wonky or misaligned teeth are usually the culprit. Straighten these out and test the zip a few times to ensure the problem gets solved.
A stuck zip is another issue that can affect your bridal ensemble. The trusty pencil or soap trick will usually do the job. Simply rub the pencil or soap on the teeth to lubricate the zip.
If your zip still doesn’t close, safety pins can be used to fix a malfunctioning zip as boutique event organiser Jessica Harris details:
“Just before she walked down the aisle… a dainty little grandmother approached me and motioned to the back of her dress where the full-length zipper was broken from neck to tailbone! We delayed the beginning of the ceremony so I could use large safety pins to secure her dress from the inside. No one could see the safety pins, and she walked down the aisle without giving the other guests a show.”
Remember, prevention is better than cure so be sure to take note of zip function at your final fitting. You should also choose a dress in your size from a reputable bridal designer that’s known for quality.
5. Help, I stepped on my hem and it ripped!
A ripped hem can be easily patched up, which means you can continue to dance the night away. Make sure your emergency wedding day kit contains all the essentials. You’ll need a needle, thread and fabric glue or tape to repair hem damage.