Your wedding dress is a dress like no other. It will be probably be bigger, heavier and tighter than any other dress you’ve ever worn. That’s why we’ve come up with these top tips to teach you how to move, sit and walk properly in your gown, so on the wedding day it will be like second nature!
A bride should walk with confidence on her wedding day. Therefore, try to keep your shoulders back, your chin up, and your back straight. By keeping this perfect posture, your wedding dress will hang perfectly and look amazing in your photographs.
Practice, practice, practice
When you’re walking upstairs, you may have to lift your skirt. Practice doing this in an elegant way and make sure you don’t hitch the skirt up too high.
Choose a wedding dress that bustles the train up and out of the way so you can walk safely and elegantly during the reception. Many dresses have detachable trains so this would not be an issue. Just make sure you can still move around comfortably if the length of the skirt meets the floor.
Oh sit down…
Sitting down in your wedding dress is definitely something you should do, even before you leave the bridal boutique. A dress that is tight around the ribs when you’re standing up may become unbearable when you’re sitting down. In the worse case scenario the buttons could pop off or your zip could break. As royal bridal designer Sassi Holford says: “Your dress should feel like a hug, not a squeeze!”
One small word about going to the toilet! The best way to sit on the loo in a large wedding gown is front first! Like you’re sitting on a horse, with the cistern facing you.
We asked some of our 10,000 Facebook likers to tell us how they felt in their wedding dresses on their big day…
- “I loved my dress. It felt very easy to move around in, my biggest tip is that before the meal my maid of honour took me to the loo and re-hooked my corset on the loosest set of hooks so that it was comfortable to sit in.” – Julia Eastwood
- “My dress was wonderful and fitted perfectly, but I wish I’d practiced walking in my underskirt with my husband! We had a couple of issues where he nearly stepped on me and where we couldn’t ‘keep pace’ with each other when we were being introduced into the wedding breakfast.” – Emma Smith
- “Biggest mistake ever – beading all round the top of a strapless dress. The chafing under the arms was unbearable.” – Anna Retief
“I felt amazing in my dress, so much so that I did not want to take it off. I wore the Justin Alexander 8465, it’s ballerina length but still has 10 layers of tulle, I had the full princess effect but could still go wild on the dance floor.
- The bridal shop where I got my dress from made sure it was fitted to perfection. They even made me sit down in the shop to check that everything felt right.” – Carolann Brophy
- “My dress just fitted perfectly when I found ‘the one’. Some dresses cling to your legs and make you really hot, but sometimes a hoop can help!” – Rachel Nundy
- “I had a zip-up dress, and the warmer I got the warmer the fabric became thus making the dress loose. I wish I had of asked for it to be made into a lace-up back, as I spent most of the evening pulling it up.” – Tanya Atwell
- “I forgot to bustle my dress after the ceremony so I stepped on it during our first dance. I wore a ball gown and a regular chair was not big enough at the top table, so getting in and out was hard.” – Cheryl McCormick
“My wedding dress did me proud on my big day earlier this year, it pulled me in where it should and the lovely long train flowed round my feet beautifully.
- It was a bit tight and uncomfortable sitting at the dinner table but other than that a joy to wear. I also wore a 3/4 length veil – ladies if you’re wearing a veil my advice would be tell your hubby-2-b that when he hugs and puts his arms round you, go under the veil and not over it! And be aware of your guests hugging you and tugging on the veil!” – Gemma Kerr
Expert tips for moving in your wedding dress
Chenka Williams, a former prima ballerina, and daughter of top bridal designer Ritva Westenius shares tips and tricks for moving properly in your gown…
