Plain English. No prices. No affiliate links.
Understand the dress before you choose it.
Most of what is written about wedding dresses is written to sell one. The Gown Journal exists to explain: what a silhouette actually does to a body, why two lace dresses look nothing alike, how many fittings to expect, and what to ask before you sign.
Latest guides
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Style
Vintage vs classic wedding dresses: what each term means, how they differ, and which one to choose
Vintage means a dress that revives a specific era; classic means a dress built to look right in any era. The differences in lace, silhouette, fabric and photographs, with a comparison table.
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Silhouettes
Wedding dress silhouettes explained: A-line, mermaid, trumpet, ball gown, sheath and empire
What each silhouette actually does to the body, where the skirt starts to flare, how much you can move, and how to walk into a first appointment knowing what to ask for.
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Fabrics & Lace
Wedding dress fabrics: tulle, satin, mikado, chiffon, crepe, organza and lace compared
How each fabric drapes, breathes, creases, weighs and photographs, which silhouettes it suits, and the questions that tell you what you are actually buying.
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Silhouettes
Which wedding dress suits my body shape? A guide without the fruit
Forget apple and pear. Three relationships decide which silhouettes suit you: shoulders against hips, waist definition and waist height, then height and pregnancy.
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Planning
When to start looking for a wedding dress: a timeline from engagement to the aisle
How far ahead to begin for made to measure, ordered from a maker, or bought off the rack, what happens at each stage, and what to do if you have eight weeks left.
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Fabrics & Lace
Types of lace in wedding dresses: Chantilly, Alençon, guipure, corded and embroidered tulle
What each lace looks and feels like, how it changes a dress, why two lace gowns can look nothing alike, and the questions to ask about samples, swatches and care.
By topic
- Silhouettes A-line, mermaid, trumpet, ball gown, sheath and empire: what each shape does, who it flatters, and how to choose between them. 2 guides
- Fabrics & Lace Tulle, satin, mikado, chiffon, crepe, and the many types of lace. How each one drapes, breathes, creases and photographs. 2 guides
- Style Boho, minimalist, classic, modern. Understanding the aesthetic families and the details that define them. 3 guides
- Planning Timelines, fittings, buying online versus in a salon, made to measure versus off the rack, and the questions to ask before you sign. 4 guides
- Accessories Veil lengths, jewellery by neckline, shoes, undergarments, and how to finish a look without overloading it. 2 guides
- Care Steaming, stain emergencies, cleaning and preservation after the wedding. 1 guide
How we work
One studio behind it, and we say so
The Journal is published by the team behind Lace & Love, a made-to-measure bridal studio. Where a guide points to the studio's own pages, it says so. We take no affiliate commissions and no third-party sponsorship, and we do not rank other businesses. About us.
No prices
Prices vary by country, by designer, by fabric and by year. Any number we printed would be wrong for someone. Instead, each guide tells you what to ask so you understand what is included.
Checked by people who cut patterns
Guides are reviewed with input from designers, pattern cutters and seamstresses. Where opinion differs, we say so. Editorial policy.