BM Dress "Jazzed" Up to be Wedding Dress?

[Bunnyfeet]

So I'm on a $2k wedding budget, it is going to be rather laid-back. I didn't really feel like the traditional wedding dress was "me" enough and they also are a) way outside my price range and b) look too formal for an informal wedding.

Anyway, a friend of mine is planning her wedding (on a much larger budget and for something fancier lol) and we were looking at BM dresses. I fell in love with one from Alfred Angelo that is VERY me and would fit the formality of my wedding perfectly. I've called around and many places carry it in white, and can alter it to fit me as well. (All very affordably,too, since it's a BM dress)

http://www.alfredangelo.com/Collections/ProductDisplay.aspx?productID=7df1ccf5-3c61-49ce-80e0-65fc20df9d3f&categoryID=772f03c9-de43-4942-bfa0-da77e21ebd65&pg=1

Only trouble is, I'd like to add some flair to it... like some lace and something different than the spaghetti straps. It looks like it's made of chiffon, so I'm worried that would be hard to work with. Does that look like an impossible dress to work with, or does it look doable? I've ALTERED a lot of clothing but I don't have a ton of experience adding things to a dress. I'm just wondering if someone here has more experience working with dresses that would be able to tell or give any advice on it... if I can't do something on it, FH's mother is a great seamstress who would love to help. I guess I am just trying to get an idea of what I am jumping into lol

Thanks!

[f77g4]

What a beautiful dress! Sorry I'm not much help but just had to say that about that dress.

[amisteratwisterandme]

I'm not much help either, I think it depends on what you would want to do with it.

I think I would take the picture to someone with alteration experience and see what they recommend.

And it is a beautiful dress!

[ChristineLS]

Someone would probably be able to do it. It might be expensive though.

I don't think you need to jazz it up though, if it turns out it wasn't possible. Exactly how were you thinking of adding the lace? As an overlay, it might loose some of the delightful whimsical qualities of the dress. If you use it for sleeves, that would probably be very possible, it looks nice.

I really like that you picked a dress that shows some leg :D It's pretty! The only thing that bothers me about my dress is that it hides mine, and I consider my legs the best feature I've got :P

[Bunnyfeet]

Thank you all :D

I wasn't going to do a lace overlay, partly because I do think it would take out the "shimmer" of the different layers also because the dress has a bunch of asymmetrical layers, so I think an overlay might look funny. I was going to use the lace as kind of "cap sleeves" rather than the spaghetti-straps. (And possibly as a trim along the neckline) I also wanted to add colored satin to the waist-band thing (the two colors I use in my wedding, really light yellow and light peach), maybe one color on top and one color on bottom, and have them meet in the back

I have lots of ideas in my head lol

And I didn't a long dress in part because I am a little clumsy and a long dress was just asking for a photo-op of me tripping lol
And also because FH and I really like dancing (like swing) and it would be much easier in a dress like that

Any and all suggestions are welcome ;) I find ideas super-helpful

[lilmsjess]

i think the cap sleeves would be cute! and also, the sash! i'm not sure how you'd add it to the bottom and make them meet?

also, you can find litle seed beads, in white, and just add them randomly.....that way, you get the random shine, but not an entire pattern to follow:bbeek:

davids bridal has a dress similar to that i wanted to use, but allegedly i can't get it in white? i was using it like a "going away" outfit, like the last hour or so of the reception, so we're not trying to gather up my dress lol....but i'm going to get it anyways, to wear for the rehearsal dinner.....and i'm getting it in champagne since that's the closest i could get to what i wanted....and i'm just going to add random gold beads to it, so it has extra sparkle.....

[Bunnyfeet]

So I was poking around on the David's Bridal website and I happened across these under "accessories"

http://www.davidsbridal.com/images/product/detail/P_6348_2_127503.jpg

They are EXACTLY what I am looking for in sleeves!

But my dress is definitely NOT from David's Bridal.

My assumption is that the sleeves are shown on the site as "these are sleeves that WE could add to your dress that you bought from us" I mean that at least makes sense... (Also because it says it is only available in-store.)
I mean I can't just go into DB without buying a dress and be like, "um, I'd like to buy some SLEEVES, please" right? lol

I feel totally clueless, I'm not really someone who dresses up alot. Would a seamstress/tailor have sleeves like that just, around? My FMIL is a really great seamstress but I'm pretty sure that she doesn't have lace-cap sleeves lying around, so I am just wondering where on earth I would find them.

[ChristineLS]

So I was poking around on the David's Bridal website and I happened across these under "accessories"

http://www.davidsbridal.com/images/product/detail/P_6348_2_127503.jpg

They are EXACTLY what I am looking for in sleeves!

But my dress is definitely NOT from David's Bridal.

My assumption is that the sleeves are shown on the site as "these are sleeves that WE could add to your dress that you bought from us" I mean that at least makes sense... (Also because it says it is only available in-store.)
I mean I can't just go into DB without buying a dress and be like, "um, I'd like to buy some SLEEVES, please" right? lol

I feel totally clueless, I'm not really someone who dresses up alot. Would a seamstress/tailor have sleeves like that just, around? My FMIL is a really great seamstress but I'm pretty sure that she doesn't have lace-cap sleeves lying around, so I am just wondering where on earth I would find them.

Ebay? Fabric websites? Craft stores? As part of something to enhance curtains?

I bet that sort of thing might be outside of the wedding world somewhere.

Oh! I bet if you sent that picture to someone on Etsy who does lace stuff, they might be able to make the sleeves and then your FMIL could sew them on.

[lilmsjess]

ok TMK the sleeves from davids can be sewn in, OR they use clear plastic snap thingies, and the snaps just go together.....so, i'm sure you could add them to any dress.....

looking at those, i think they could easily be added to your dress ;) in fact, i'd imagine you could probably add them on OVER the spagetti straps ;)

[Nekochanpurr]

Just wanted to say.. thats a beautiful dress!!!!

[Bunnyfeet]

I think I am going to visit DB sometime this week and ask (what may end up being) a stupid question lol I'll just ask if I can buy the sleeves by themselves.
They may not let me but, hey, it doesn't hurt to ask lol