The McConaughey Wedding: Camila Goes Modest

 Camila Alves and Matthew McConaughey exchanged "I Do's" only a few days ago, and it was a pleasant surprise to see the beautiful Brazilian-born Camila sporting a modest long-sleeved lace wedding gown designed by Ducarmo Catelo Branco.  She might have spent a pretty penny for her customized gown, but you don't have to spend a lot to get the look.  Since it is more common to find wedding gowns without sleeves, one of the more affordable options is to "build up" the dress from an otherwise non-modest gown.

Here are some things to consider if you decide to build up your gown:

• Pro's: You can feel free to shop at any secular bridal store and fall in love with almost any style, which includes designer wedding dresses at sample sale prices (the price for a couture secular dress plus the cost of a build up can be significantly lower than a couture modest dress without the build-up). NY Magazine has provided a Summer 2010 bridal gown directory of stores: http://nymag.com/weddings/listings/gowns/  
• Con's: The time spent on going to several fittings, and the money spent for the build-up can be excruciating. If you do not hire a seamstress or designer with experience in making build-ups then you are taking a huge risk. Even if you do hire the right seamstress, you must still know some of the terminology used in designing the build-up. Further, the final product of having a build-up added to the wedding gown may not provide the ultimate desired look, and the material used may be uncomfortable.
• Resources: For my wedding, I found the perfect Kleinfeld sample sale designer dress that needed a build-up, which deserves a separate blog (it is no wonder that Kleinfeld’s has a TV Show on buying a wedding gown with the kind of drama that can happen there). The biggest tip I can offer is to go to a highly recommended tailor that will provide solid guidance and experience to ensure the build-up looks natural, comfortable, and enhances the look of the original wedding gown. I recommend Designer Loft: http://www.designerloftnyc.com/  
• They are a bit pricey, but the seamstresses are supervised by a designer that offers quality advice on ensuring a successful build-up.

Get inspired by Camila's look and check out Brides.com's recently published slideshow of similar modest wedding dresses by other designers.  Here are some favorites:

The Custom of Breaking Glass Under the Chuppah

Why is there a custom of breaking glass under the chuppah at a Jewish Wedding?

The quick answer is that the breaking of glass commemorates the destruction of the Temple / Bet Hamikdash.  The tradition is for the groom to break glass by stomping on it with his foot, and this happens upon the completion of the seven blessings / sheva brachot that are recited under the chuppah.  The glass is typically some sort of whole glass object such as a glass cup, but it is also typical to use a light bulb since it is made of glass and can easily be broken when stepped on.  The glass object is wrapped in cloth or paper and placed on the ground near the groom.  The groom steps on the glass until it is broken and this concludes the chuppah ceremony.

It seems ironic to leave the chuppah, the place where two souls are united as one, with the sound of broken glass and the shattering of something that was once whole into lots of tiny sharp pieces.  But just like glass, marriage is fragile and can shatter.  The chuppah is a place to recognize G-d's presence both in our union as husband and wife and in the covenant between G-d and the Jewish people.  This spiritual connection provides strength for us, even in our most fragile moments and when things could shatter.

An interesting way to capture the moment is to save the broken pieces of glass and then have them "frozen" in a Lucite cube as a keepsake.  Here's a picture of a Rectangular Wedding Glass Lucite Cube by Treasured Collection:

Feel free to add comments or questions about this post.

Looking for Stylish Modest Wedding Gowns?

Well hello J.Crew!  J.Crew's 2012 wedding collection is offering up two stylish modest wedding gowns that require few alterations.  Are wedding gowns with long-sleeves finally making a come back?  You tell me...

New York Weddings Event

New York Weddings magazine is throwing an event that will be sure to inspire any bride's wedding vision...and tickets are affordable (online tickets are only $40 for 1 ticket or $60 for 2 tickets).  If you're looking for fresh wedding ideas, access to top wedding vendors, or you'd like any particular wedding questions answered, I highly recommend attending this event.
When:  March 28th, 2012 5-8pm
Where:  Metropolitan Pavilion (125 West 18th Street, NYC)
Cost: online tickets are $40 for 1 ticket or $60 for 2 tickets

Buy tickets before they're sold out!

More Stylish Modest Bridesmaid’s Dresses

Bloomingdale's latest wedding lookbook offers up some stylish modest bridal dresses.  And for those winter brides out there, check out the faux fur wrap... a great solution to making your wedding dress more modest!

Wedding Dresses with Sleeves are Popular (Again)

Glamour magazine has published their top choices for wedding dresses in 2011, and I am excited to say several of these dresses have sleeves!!!  Could it be that secular fashion is turning its back on exposed skin in favor of the modest looks from the past?  According to Glamour's taste for 2011, the answer is a resounding YES.  As fashion moves forward and we enter 2012, there is more than a glimmer of hope that modesty is making a come back, and the new modest fashion trends seen on the catwalk will make their way to your local stores.  Finally!  Here are some of Glamour's top wedding dresses of 2011:

How to Build up Bridesmaid Dresses

I have to admit that I went a little insane when trying to figure out the best choice for bridesmaid dresses that were modest yet stylish and unique (and inexpensive!).  If you already haven’t noticed, it’s hard to find off-the-rack bridesmaids dresses with sleeves.  One common approach to resolve this issue is to select a fabric and color to be used for building the dress and have your bridesmaids figure out the seamstress situation...the design, cut and cost of the dress.  I chose not to take that approach, mainly to ensure that the dresses were not too expensive.  So, what did I do?

1. The Look:  Find pictures of the perfect modest bridesmaid dress:  I used the internet to find inspiring long-sleeve styles. Check out these ideas.
2. Where to Purchase:  Determine whether the dresses that you found inspiring are accessible, reasonably priced, and can be purchased online or at a local store. 
• I couldn't access the dresses I wanted.  I found a great dress online that I would have purchased but it would take too long to arrive with enough allotted time for alterations.  Instead, I got the brand of the dress and the style number so I could refer to the dress when inquiring whether a seamstress could make it or order it and make alterations in time.
3. Reasonably Priced Seamstresses:  Assuming the dresses cannot be purchased online or at a store, find reasonably priced tailors or seamstresses that make custom gowns in your area.  This can be tricky since most seamstresses may not want to give price estimates over the phone.  They will say they need specifics such as the style and material of the dress.  Ideally, you should be prepared to email or refer them online to pictures of dresses that include the style number and designer’s name.  If they still won’t provide estimates, DO NOT give up –some seamstresses may be reluctant to provide estimates but trust me, there are seamstresses willing to work something out.  Find a seamstress willing to give an estimate, but don’t hang up until you have negotiated the best offer. 
4. Negotiating with the Seamstress:  You’ve already found the look you want and can refer to the brand and style number of the dress.  Have the seamstress go online and view the dress to determine if s/he can make the dress or order it and make alterations in time.  Show that the dress online costs x amount and state that you cannot spend over y amount per dress.  If there are at least a handful of bridesmaids, you can also sell the fact that you are buying in bulk.        
• After calling four seamstresses that were unwilling to provide estimates over the phone or were unwilling to try to work something out I was about to give up and give in to pulling out my hair.  I hung in there and called the fifth seamstress on my list.  She was amazing – right from the start it was obvious she was the one.  Why?  When I asked her if she had any Landa long-sleeve dresses and she said no, she immediately followed up with “but I can customize a dress just like that”.  I responded that a customized dress sounds expensive and her response was “what is your price range”.  I said the Landa dress was $150 and I wanted to pay somewhere in that ballpark.  We negotiated to $163 per dress… an amazing deal for tailored long-sleeve bridesmaid dresses that had the look and feel I envisioned.
• Who was this amazing seamstress?  Jacqueline from Staten Island (718.370.3936; jkline46@aol.com ), and yes it was 110% worth driving from Manhattan to Staten Island to get fabulous long-sleeve bridesmaid dresses at a discounted price. 
5. The Pseudo Bridesmaid Fitting (a fitting without having to go to the seamstress):  Now that you’ve negotiated a reasonable price, you need to have your bridesmaids fitted.  But this could be a problem if they live far from the seamstress.  No worries!  My seamstress was willing to have each bridesmaid fax over or email specified dimensions.  My seamstress provided the bridesmaids with a form that had a picture of a woman and all of the measurements needed for each part of the body.  This is a list of measurements she needed with sample inches per part:        
• Bust: 32"
• Waist: 27.5"
• Abdomen: 32" 
• Hip: 39" 
• Shoulder to Shoulder: 12.5" 
• Shoulder to Shoulder Back: 13.5" 
• Center Back Length: 15" 
• Arm Around: 10" 
•  Dress Length: 54"
• Sleeve Length: 15"
6. Since my seamstress was inconveniently located for my bridesmaids, I picked up all bridesmaids dresses and gave them to my bridesmaids at my bridal shower.  End of story!  It’s that easy :)