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Top 5 Tips for Wedding Dress Styles | Spanish Weddings

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Top 5 Tips for Wedding Dress Styles: How to Find The Bridal Gown of Your Dreams for Your Spanish Wedding…

Wedding dress styles are an infinite and glorious subject, something we love to talk about here at Sunshine Weddings Spain. A dress should tell a story, being as unique to a bride as the romance between the happy couple themselves. But where to even start in the quest to track down the perfect bridal gown for a Spanish wedding, when there are so many finer details to ponder? Luckily, Sunshine Weddings Spain also has that covered…

Without further ado, here are our Top 5 Tips for Wedding Dress Styles when you are getting married on the Costa del Sol:

Villa wedding, Marbella
Bridal couple at their Villa wedding in Marbella.

1: Plan a research trip to Malaga or Marbella
Malaga city and province (and specifically Marbella) offer so many beautiful bridal boutiques full of breathtakingly stunning couture – you really will be spoiled for choice! – and many of them will have at least one member of staff who speaks English. Of course many of these shops will have websites or Facebook pages, but there is no substitute for browsing a boutique at leisure and in person to get a true feel for the wonderful array of attire and possibilities.

Beach wedding, Marbella
The newlyweds embrace. Beach wedding, Marbella

Whilst we certainly wouldn’t dissuade any bride from dress shopping in her own country, there are so many benefits to purchasing a gown in the area where the wedding itself will be held – not least because the majority of the designs will be lighter and airier, specifically created with the hot summer temperatures of southern Spain in mind, yet also cleverly able to incorporate elements of lace and intricate embroidery in many styles, should a bride be looking for a more detailed look.

Lace wedding gown
Lace wedding gown.

Malaga and Marbella‘s wedding dress shops are also brimming with gorgeous bridesmaids dresses, page boy and ring bearer outfits, as well as tuxedos and suits for the significant grown-up males. In short, they are a veritable treasure trove of high quality finds at prices that are equally competitive.

Purchasing from a Costa del Sol boutique is also a convenient way to keep one of the biggest aspects and details of the wedding day local to the venue, like most of the other celebration suppliers such as photography, catering, and decor will be – meaning you have help at hand very nearby in the event of any last minute (and unexpected) hitches.

wedding dress
Mermaid wedding dress.

A research trip can also easily be combined with a visit to venues with a wedding planner, turning dress shopping into the perfect mini-break opportunity!

2: Make a vision board
This is a great way to collate a collage of the styles and cuts of gown that best reflect the time of year of your destination wedding venue – as well as your personality, the all-important measurements, and the general theme of your wedding. This helps to narrow down your ideas to a core selection of styles and fabrics, no matter where you decide to purchase your dress. It’s always good to have a solid starting point.

Bride and bridesmaids
The bride and her girl gang.

3: Think about transportation
If you have found the dress of your dreams in the country you reside in, then let the shop know that you are a destination bride. They should be able to provide you with a box or breathable bag that is suitable for airline travel. Next, make sure you inform the airline you are travelling with in plenty of time. Normally brides-to-be are allowed to transport their gown as ‘extra luggage’, negating the need for creasing any precious material in a suitcase. The other super important point to mention here is insurance! Do ensure your dress is insured. Buying your gown from a destination wedding boutique, of course, makes this side of things a whole lot simpler…

Bride
A bride in her lovely white dress, by the beach in Spain.

4: Venue and Terrain
It is amazing how often these crucial elements of the up-coming marriage are overlooked. Once again though, it pays to be practical – this time considering the ease with which your gown will allow you to move! In the same way that long trains and veils may not be the best idea for a rural Finca style wedding, if you are planning to say ‘I do’ on a sandy golden beach beneath the literal heat of the sun, you will not be wanting to put your best foot forward in a pair of towering heels – no matter how exquisite the design… which, in turn, would have a major bearing on your choice of dress – floaty chiffon and tulle here work best. One way around this is to gain inspiration from looking at examples of gowns worn at Spanish hotel/villa/beach club/Hacienda weddings in magazines/on wedding planning websites for an idea of style versus practicality. This way you can be sure to hone your ideas down to specifics and find the perfect compromise.

Finca wedding, Marbella
Finca wedding, Marbella.

5: Consider Local Customs and Incorporate Traditions
If you are getting married in a Catholic church in Spain, it is understandably advisable to opt for a more modest-styled gown. Often this style of dress will contain slightly heaver, more traditional fabrics, particularly in its skirts. Likewise, read up on the area of Spain you are travelling to for your destination wedding and try to honour something of the local culture or history there if you can. This could be the use of a little traditional lace or a piece of jewellery that reflects something touching about the area. It’s just a lovely way to weave something of the destination or venue into the final look of your bridal dress, as well as the theme of your day.

church wedding
Traditional church wedding ceremony in Spain.

As ever, we cannot wait to be captivated by all of our beautiful brides and their breathtaking gowns in the new season…