Sew-It-Seams

Portrait

The wedding portrait is a southern custom and I was pleasantly surprised by it when I moved here from Arizona. It is also a very important part of your wedding and will bring you joy every time you look at it, so preparation is key! The shoot will also be the first time you get all dressed up, kind of like a dress rehearsal, and it's a lot of fun to pose for the camera. Here are a few tips on preparing for it:

Alterations

Here at Sew It Seams, we prefer to start work on your gown at least four weeks before the portrait date. This gives us time to fit, modify and complete the gown and allows another ten days for any last minute adjustments. We want to make sure your gown is perfect for that special day (these time frames may be adjusted and we are well prepared and willing to accommodate for emergency situations upon request).

Wedding Shoes

It is not necessary for you to wear your wedding shoes to the portrait shoot. You can wear them for certain shots and change into other shoes for walking around. It's a good idea to try and keep them from getting dirty although, we can clean soiled shoes for a small charge and make them look like new again.

Photographer

Most photographers prefer six weeks before the wedding to shoot the portrait. A typical shoot will consist of 200 or more shots and you have to choose just one! Even with today's technology, it still takes time to touch up and finalize the portrait. You will also need time to pick the shot that you want, let friends and family brood over it and make any necessary changes.

Tanning

I think a spray tan is just...ok. I have tried to clean many dresses with spray tan stains and they are extremely difficult to get all the way out. If you want to go this route, spend the extra money and go with a professional and have it done at least two days before the portrait and /or wedding. Whatever you do, DO NOT use over the counter creams or gels because they are semi-permanent and you can end up looking more like a streaky pumpkin than a beautiful bride! Your photographer can only airbrush so much and it could be a risky move.

A tanning bed might be a little bit better, but not by much. I am a two time cancer survivor so these are extremely scary to me. I can only approve of them if you promise to use them very rarely, like for your wedding or portrait. Don't go too often or spend too much time in them. Go to a reputable salon with good equipment but remember, there is nothing wrong with the beautiful skin God gave you.

Keeping Cool

A tall order to do! Try dusting yourself with baby powder that contains corn starch and use a strong deodorant. Bring a small fan with you to your dressing area and take short breaks to fan off while you are getting ready.

Keeping Your Gown Clean

Your dress is going to get soiled, so accept it!! But, here are a few tips on how to minimize the mess:

• Pick your gown up when walking on concrete, asphalt and grass.
• Try not to lean up against walls, pillars, fences, greenery...basically, don't lean on anything!
• Wrap the stems of your bouquet with clear plastic wrap. The stems can leave a stubborn stain right on the front of your gown.

Sew It Seams offers a cleaning service to its brides where we clean, press, store and deodorize your gown after the portrait and arrange pick up, or delivery, before the wedding day.

Inquire more at 281-364-9739

Shoes

 Closed toed shoes are highly recommended for two reasons. First, it?s traditional and second, you don?t want to see toes walking down the aisle! But there is good news, you can wear your ?Jimmy Choos? to the reception, for that saucy look, and the very important pictures. But please, no French pedicures, you can see that a mile away!!

Now, if you want to break tradition (thanks to the movie ?Sex in the City?) you can wear shoes of different colors like baby blue, Texas orange, Aggie burgundy, red etc., just to name of few of the popular ones.

Flip-flops will chew on the inside of your dress and defeat the purpose of a formal wedding, tennis shoes are hard to dance with without squeaking like a basketball player, and boots get heavy throughout the evening, so make sure you take an alternate pair of comfortable shoes that are the same heel height.

Shopping

A little makeup, fixed up hair and a pair of nice shoes can go a long way when shopping for the wedding. You feel more confident in the decision making when you are ?dressed to the nines? and know what you want. This wedding process is full of crucial decisions and the more self-assured you are, the better choices you make about your prodigious day.

Budget

Be prepared! It may seem that it all costs more that you expected, and it usually does. It's a good idea to make sure you spend the extra money where it really counts like the gown, the photography, the venue and/or the church...basically the things that are most memorable to you. The rest is really just fluff. Who remembers a wedding for the food? You want them to remember the beautiful bride and the wonderful time they had. You DON'T want them to remember the poor bride that was tugging on her dress all night, or a bustle that broke or a dress that she kept tripping on.

                                                                               -Ana