As a retailer, you already know that the more popular the dress is and the more well known the designer is, the more money you can make on it. Age and condition also apply to this rule.

What are some guidelines to follow if you are selling used wedding dresses?

First, any new gowns that have tags should be priced about 25 percent near the original price. New gowns are the ones that were purchased but never actually worn. Some dresses may never have been tried on by someone either.

Second, gowns that are new but have no price tags should be sold around 30 to 50 percent off the original price.

Third, if you have sample gowns, you can sell them for about 100 percent of the price. Of course, this means that there were no alterations made and it’s still a sample piece.

Fourth, if you have used gowns you are trying to sell, mark them about 50 percent off the original price. However, if the dress style is popular, 40 percent is still good.

You should also keep three other guidelines in mind.

First, be mindful of the wedding gown’s age. The above guidelines are for wedding gowns that are less than three years old. If your gown happens to be older than this, make sure you price it accordingly.

Second, discontinued dresses should be marked correctly in price.

Third, dresses that have stains, tears or any other defect should have a price deduction so the imperfection has been duly noted.

Fourth, if there are alterations on the gown, this can increase the value of it. Be sure you place that in the pricing.

If you need help in pricing your wedding gowns, look to other bridal shops or look at auction sites that offer used dresses to get an idea on how to mark your prices.

For older brides, there is no limit to the kinds of wedding dresses you can choose from. You can go with a formal kind of wedding dress to information kind of wedding dress. You can choose a semiformal or a designer wedding dress.

Most brides choose a dress that they can wear on special occasions or a formal evening dress to their wedding. If you need a place to look for older bride’s dresses, take a glance at the “Mother of the Bride” collections found at many bridal shops. These dresses typically have long sleeves and are single pieces. If you want a two-piece “Mother of the Bride” dress, you can go with one.

What are some of the fabrics that make up an older woman’s wedding dress? The most typical dress fabrics are satin and silk. If you want to go a cheaper route, mix and match fabrics. Be sure you speak with a dressmaker before sticking with a particular fabric.

Make sure you choose a fabric color that is appropriate for your age and the occasion. This can be rather difficult to do.  The typical colors that are used at an older woman’s wedding are: mauve, burgundy and blue.

The usual dress worn for an older woman’s wedding is the semiformal dress. However, you can go with a formal ball gown if you would like. These gowns are good for any age because it doesn’t look like an older woman’s typical clothing.

One of the best things an older woman should take advantage of is to custom make their dress. By doing this, they can have a dress designed for their figure and skin tone.

If you are wondering where you can purchase older women wedding dresses, look no further than bridal shops or department stores.

Wedding Dress Colors

For the many decades, white wedding dresses were just not seen. For instance, if you were a bride during the medieval times, any color you wanted to wear was just fine. If you wanted, you could use black (now seen as a funeral color), bright yellow, girly pink, purple, red, blue, etc. Any color that was seen in a rainbow could be used on your wedding dress. If you wanted to mix and match it, no one ever said a word about it.

So who is to blame for the current white bridal gown movement? Look at Queen Victoria of the 19^th century. On Feb. 10, 1840 she married Prince Albert of Saxe. Albert was her first cousin, something many people nowadays see as incest. Queen Victoria wore a pale white off the shoulder gown with orange trimmings. After this time, many people, royals and commoners, have tried to copy her style. No, brides were and are not copying those orange trimmings but the color of her wedding dress.

Wearing white often meant wearing other items as well. Grooms expected brides to use fur, silk, etc. to accentuate their position in society. Wearing any color was fine but brides were often made to wear heavy to light fabrics with their gowns. When you glance at the past wedding pictures of many brides, you often see them with expressions that are not so joyous. Wearing so much on the wedding dress can be overwhelmingly heavy.

Wedding Horrors of the Past - The Shredding of the Dress

Be grateful that you are a bride of today instead of the medieval days. Why? Brides were expected to give up their virginity the night of their wedding day. Most often, they would find a room shortly after the wedding was over.  The wedding guests would also rip her dress to get a piece of it. The ripping of the dress was a symbol of good luck. Imagine the horror she went through, as she got ready to consummate her marriage and guests tore her dress.

Wedding Tokens of the Present - Garters and Bouquets

So what do wedding guests get as a prize for attending? Actually, brides will often toss their wedding bouquet and the groom will toss her garter out to the guests to catch. Those who do are often geared for good luck. This means a bride’s modesty is still intact and she doesn’t have to worry with her dress getting ripped up.

Most brides, if given a choice, would gladly throw out their garters and bouquets, get pelted with rice, pinned with money or deal with the wedding planner hassles that go along with saying “I do” as opposed to medieval bride times.

If looking at centuries past, women wore what would make them look brilliant and alluring on their wedding day. For high societal members who coudl afford it, most brides chose colors of purple, red and black.

The rich elite would wear furs and gems on their dresses so that everyone knew the bride when she made her presence known. Brides of rich families wore velvet and silk. Brides of a lower class would use linen or fine wool for their dress material. Certain colors were considered lucky and unlucky for a wedding dress. For instance, the shades of:

- Pink was unlucky for 11 months of the year except for the month of May

- Green was unlucky because it’s the color that invites fairies and/or rain.

- Blue was lucky because it represented the bride’s fidelity, purity and everlasting love. The color blue was often chosen because many people believed it made a man (groom) faithful to their wives through the entire marriage.

- White was unlucky and lucky depending on where in the world you were. Some countries believed it represented innocence. In other parts, it was concerned the color of bereavement.

- Yellow was seen as lucky because it was such as fashionable color.

- Red was unlucky because the color was used to represent scarlet women.

- Grey was neutral; women used the color on the bridal dress so they could use the dress any other time they saw fit.

- Black was unlucky because it was seen as the color of bereavement just like white was in some cultures.

When looking back through the decades, dresses came in a variety of colors excluding the colors of red and black.

When did white become fashionable for a wedding especially since it was considered taboo and only used for mourning? It would be during the 1800s when Princess Charlotte wore herself a white wedding gown when she married Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg.

Not very much longer after the princess/prince’s union, Queen Victoria chose herself a white silk wedding gown to wear. However, the color was chosen to add extras to the dress including lace she already owned. Her bridesmaids carried the train of her wedding gown. Would she use this wedding gown again? She did. During the Diamond Jubilee celebration she wore the gown over a black silk gown. Thus began the trend for women of today to use the color white on their wedding day.

When you begin looking at today’s wedding dresses, they come in a variety of colors including eggshell, ecru, ivory and the standard white. Wedding gown designs have changed with the times. Most women who wear a white wedding gown see it as a sign that white means purity.

The country of the United Kingdom has some of the most well known wedding dress designers living there. Many of these designers have a collection of antique wedding gowns. Designers will use antique wedding dresses to give a sense of a “fairytale” wedding in a fashionable way.

Wedding Dress Styles of the United Kingdom

If you are looking for a wedding dress with a touch of the United Kingdom style, you will have plenty to choose from. In fact, looking at some weddings, you may notice some wedding gown styles that have a look of the 16^th century to the early 20^th century.

During weddings of the 18^th and 19^th centuries, the bride often wore a colored wedding dress. It wasn’t until the 20^th century that the traditional white color was implemented.

Each generation would be handed the family wedding dress heirloom and continue to preserve it for the next generation to wear. You can see these dresses in museum collections with their lace and satin still in tact and in close to perfect form

Dresses during the Victorian and Edwardian eras have yet to be equaled with anything presently known. Victorian dresses have a style of elegance, spirit and morality attached to it…mainly due to its continuous display.

Many Victorian wedding gowns can be seen in art museums around the world. Want to learn more about the British history and traditions regarding these eras? Take a gander at the Internet.

English Wedding Gown Design - Corsets

Around the 18^th century, a new wedding design was implemented called a corset. What is a corset? It’s dress that’s got a simple shape to wear that doesn’t put pressure on the modern bride’s diaphragm and waist. Going with the British style, the corset is designed to show off some cleavage of the bride’s bust. It’s also designed to give an illusion of a small waist. This illusion is further illustrated by the decorations that are designed on.

These days, corsets are often cut with the use of the original patterns. However, they can be altered to mirror the modern era with waists cut a bit lower and have elastic inserts added so that the bride is comfortable when she wears the dress.

An English wedding corset that’s been property cut will have a soft finish all the way to base of the dress. Corsets can be designed using any kind of fabric and they can be creatively decorated so that not one has to be similar. It also comes with a vast array of sleeve forms.

Medieval-Type Wedding Dresses - Evelyn and Estella

Looking for wedding gowns that have medieval tones? Try Evelyn and Estella. Estella gowns are quite modern with a slim fitting fishtail that has the grace of a Victorian dress. Evelyn is a dress with an arm gauntlet, toning skirt and hanging sleeves.

Most all of the wedding dresses in the English era have undergone some alterations to fit the wedding ceremonies of present. However, these dresses still have that classic English design that’s apparent to guests.

In fact, look at a wedding dress from the Asian culture and then take a gander at one from the western world. Notice any difference? No matter who makes the dress and where the dress is from, it plays a special role in a woman’s big day.

Vital Considerations When Purchasing A Wedding Gown

If you are considering a western world wedding gown, you have to keep some things in mind.

First, pay close attention to the fabric. North American brides typically have crepe or satin fabric for their wedding gown. These fabrics add a classy finish to any kind of wedding theme.

Second, the wedding style should be looked at. When you are getting a dress, think about what kind of wedding you are having. Don’t go with the usual dress and shawl. Go with something that has a bit more class to it such as silver highlights. You may even try crocheted lace, pearls and sequins. Most dress designers/seamstresses will keep abreast of the latest wedding dress trends.

Lastly, color is important. The most common color for a wedding dress is white but it doesn’t always have to be that way. When you choose the color of your dress, you must select a color that will not clash with your wedding theme.

Dresses For Bridesmaids and Flower Girls

Now that the wedding dress’ fabrics, design and color have been taken care of, now it is time to deal with the flower girls’ and bridesmaids’ attire. Much of the same information applies for your bridesmaids and flower girls’ attire. However, you don’t want their dresses to outdo the bride’s wedding gown. The dresses should harmonize the bride’s dress.

Accessorizing Your Wedding Gown

Some western world wedding dresses can be used in conjunction with hocks, hats and spurs. For that reason, designers and retailers are making these available for the brides. These items can give a sense of the Wild West era, something a bride may choose to use as a theme for her wedding day. Just like the dress must, accessories have to fit and harmonize with the wedding setting.

Unfortunately, many people putting together a wedding will keep these items separate.  For example, if you are having a beach wedding you don’t want silver favors accessorizing the event. If you can, keep the “less is more” thought in mind for your wedding. The most important part of designing the wedding is the detail you put into it. Western world weddings even follow this premise. Thus, it is elegant even though it is simple.

Wedding Dress Conclusions

Since weddings were first officiated, the wedding dress has been the highlight of the ceremony so it’s best not to ignore them. Use your Internet connection and bridal magazines to get ideas for your wedding dress. Get information on pricing for your wedding gown.

Find out if a retailer can do alterations or add on accessories to the dress. If you must, go through a wedding dress designer to help you out. While a wedding is just a one-day event, that one day will last for a lifetime through memories. Don’t make any sudden judgments when it comes down to important details.

Chinese Bridal Dress

Many Chinese brides will choose a traditional one-piece frock to wear. This is known as a Qi Pao. It’s embellished with gold and silver designs.  Brides in Southern China will wear two-piece wedding dresses. These are known as Qun Gua Kwa or Cheongsam. They are adorned with phoenix and golden dragon designs. All three wedding dresses are typically red because the color is a symbol of good luck to ward off evil spirits.

Going with traditional times, a red veil was used as part of the wedding dress outfit to cover the bride’s face while the ceremony was taking place. Why are the phoenix and dragon designs so important to the wedding dress? It’s a symbol of female to male power. One of the most interesting things to know about Chinese wedding ceremonies regarding the bride’s wedding dress is that she will typically wear up to six different dresses during the event and night as opposed to the American tradition of one, maybe two. Thus, the wedding dress is often the most important feature for the blessed event.

Picking Out a Chinese Wedding Gown

When you decide to have a Chinese wedding, it’s important to choose your wedding dress carefully. Remember that the dress you choose will set the tone of your wedding so it’s imperative that you have a dress that makes you feel special and relaxed. For this reason above, consider looking to a designer who has done this sort of wedding dress before. However, do not commit to any purchase until you set a budget and find out all your options. Consider renting a gown for this occasion if you are looking to save money.

If you are going with a medieval or renaissance wedding dress, you may want to do the entire wedding ceremony in this theme. Some couples will actually do the whole set up as if their romance blossomed in the past to the present. It’s important that the dress you choose will accentuate your wedding as well as yourself. There are all kinds of Chinese wedding dresses that you can choose that will accentuate your features. You can choose a Chinese wedding dress that has a floral pattern and add in some beadwork and embroidery to it.

Be sure that the gown you get is measured just for you. If you are ordering it off the Internet or elsewhere, make sure you give your correct body measurements. If there are problems with it, be sure to correct them before the big day.

Remember that your wedding is a special moment in time and that the gown that you choose is to signify the importance of this ceremony. Choose a Chinese wedding gown you are comfortable in for your special day.

Time-honored Indian Wedding Gowns

There are many wedding gowns that fall into the traditional Indian wedding gown category. Many of these bridal gowns, zari and embroidered sarees and gem embroidered gowns are made in varying styles, making what they can of the traditional fabric that includes: brocade silk, zari, crepes and much more. The bride’s gown is made with elegance and craftsmanship designed to present her with royalty and style. The color red is often used for traditional wedding gowns.

Modern Indian Wedding Gowns

Presently, traditional Indian wedding gowns aren’t so fashionable to use during the bridal event. Most Indian brides consider an array of ideas that happens to include unordinary gowns and ceremonies that have a theme. Modern designers will utilize both the present and traditional look to come up with a bridal design that looks conventional but maintain an air of modernization to it. Most bridal gowns come in a multitude of colors. During the winter or cooler months, the popular colors are: red, maroon and rust. During the summer or warmer months, the colors gold, pink or cream are popular choices.

Popular Indian Wedding Gown Styles

For Indian brides looking at wedding gowns, there are three popular styles to choose from. They are:

- Gaghra choli

- Salwar kameeze

- Saris

When an Indian woman wears a gaghra choli, she’s basically wearing a long shirt on a short blouse called a choli. It exposes some of the bride’s stomach that can, if she wishes, to cover with a dupatta. When a woman chooses to wear a sari, the more popular wedding gown choice, she wears a long fabric over her shirt or a skirt wrapped around her body. Her styles can be simple or elaborate, whatever she feels like going with. Most of the time an Indian bride will choose her dress based on the culture she is from. Most bridal dresses are very exotic and doesn’t take much difficulty to wear nor are they costly.

However, if you are looking for something a bit diverse for your wedding gown, use the traditional style. Traditional dresses have a vast array of styles that helps give the whole ceremony plus other nuptial events a unique but exciting touch. Have you made up your mind to go with an Indian wedding gown? Look to the Internet to find yourself a wedding gown. It’s not impossible to find one in a bridal shop but keep your eyes open.

How To Choose an Indian Wedding Gown

The country of India is vast with a large array of traditions and customs including in the areas of marriage. For women, a wedding is a vital occasion. Her dress will contribute to making the event a memory to remember. When a bride is picking out her dress, her tastes should reflect her personality. She may choose metallic colors for her wedding dress or go with a golden color. She can use rich fabrics to design her dress such as silk or velvet.  An Indian bride may even go with transparent fabrics that are lightweight.

The Pakistani Wedding Dress Features

Wedding Dress Colors

When you first look upon the Pakistani wedding dress, you’ll notice that it’s quite simple. However, it’s dotted with customary symbols that symbolize the Pakistani way of life. While minute, these symbols have cultural relevance. Brides are welcome to choose wedding dress colors but many often wear the color red.

Wedding Dress Fabrics

There isn’t just one fabric for a Pakistani wedding dress. It can range from jamawar to chiffon to silk. Silk can either be used alone or with other materials like katan.

Wedding Dress Fabric Designs

A Pakistani wedding dress often has a vast array of designs including the kora, resham, gotta and dabka. They often have sequins, flowers and neckline sleeves.

Choosing a Pakistani Wedding Dress Design

There are tons of wedding dress designs for Pakistani brides to choose from. Some Pakistani brides will choose to go with the Artemesia. The Artemesia has a silk crepe top with an embroidered strap. Other Pakistani brides may choose to go with the mermaid lehenga, which has a sweetheart neckline with a body rapper, and zip closure. Some may choose to go with the gala lehenga.

This is a long shirt that has a keyhole at its neckline. This happens to be the more popular wedding dress design for many Pakistani brides. However, the artemesia, lehenga and gharara are rapidly encroaching on the design. Still, there are more traditional fashions that are still being used. They are the lengha choli and chorida pajamas. Any one of these

Kinds of Hawaiian Wedding/Bridal Gowns

There are all kinds of floral prints used on Hawaiian bridals gowns. Some of these designs include:

- Alii,

- Beach,

- Ginger shadow,

- Tangerine kealia,

- Moon halekala, and

- Cloud pele.

There are other kids of Hawaiian floral wedding gowns that put together color and the island chain charm. These include:

- Honeymoon,

- Milk,

- Ivory paradise,

- Calla kahanu, and

- Cream Waikoloa.

Native Hawaiian Bridal Gown - Holoku

The holoku is a native Hawaiian bridal gown that is floral in nature, fused together with eternal silhouettes and is made up of uncomplicated fabrics. Those brides that wish to hold a wedding that is a not so traditional but want the feeling of a traditional wedding will often choose the holoku wedding gown for their dress.

Most brides will often go with the traditional wedding dress: white, flowing gown with a bonnet, train, veil and much more.

Remember that the holoku is a native Hawaiian dress. Thus, it is a dress that goes wonderfully with any color including white or black. It’s a dress that does well with any bride’s body type because it can be worn loosely or tightly. If a bride chooses the loose fitting side and has a beach wedding, the wind will sway the gown… a perfect beach wedding sight.

Styles of Hawaiian Wedding Gowns

Many women who decide to hold a beach wedding and wear the holoku with a ruffled bottom look obsequious. However, there are other styles of wedding gowns that many brides to be will choose to use. One such dress is the mermaid style dress. The mermaid style is made to show off the bride’s curves with a wider edge and figure-hugging silhouette.

What are the other kinds of wedding gowns that Hawaiian brides often choose to wear on a beach wedding? They include:

- Strapless,

- Spaghetti straps, and

- Halter.

Hawaiian Wedding Gowns and Colors

It’s important that the wedding gown the bride chooses to wear accents the island’s passionate and tropical personality. Thus colors of the wedding gown must be chosen delicately. If a bride chooses to use a black gown, using colors of green, yellow and red is a must for the surrounding. If pale colors for the dress are chosen, then pale shades of green, pink, blue and/or yellow with flowers in the setting do well.

Hawaiian Wedding Gowns Accessories

It’s important that your Hawaiian wedding dress is finished off with some kind accessory. You can do all kinds of things including silk flowers, fragile shells and lei shells. You can also make your own jewelry out of shell strands, pearls, freshwater pearls, mango wood, etc. There are all kinds of accessories that can go with your dress. It’s up to you to decide what accessory will accent your wedding dress.