Making this wedding dress more suitable for the church

[GinGeum]

This is my wedding dress. I love it and it works well with the relaxed garden party reception, but do you think I need to add sleeves or some sort of cover up to it for the church ceremony? I keep being told the bare shoulders thing isn’t an issue anymore, but I’m not sure.

I get married in 4 weeks so either way, time is not on my side!

I think it's very pretty and doesn't need anything adding to it. Much more elegant than some of the dresses I've seen in church. Enjoy your day.

I would wear something over it in church - a pretty cardie or glittery bolero? I think that's just quite a lot of flesh to show in a church

Have you thought about a veil? It won’t cover your beautiful dress but will make you feel more covered iyswim

What denomination is it?

I saw photos on Facebook of an Irish Catholic wedding and the bride was wearing a dress plunging almost to her belly button. she wasn’t flat chested either! Also know someone who got married in an Anglican Church recently and had quite a lot cut dress.

I think the dress is beautiful. unless you’re large of bossum I don’t think you absolutely need to cover up. I agree a veil could help - I got mine from Blossom and Bluebird on Etsy, she’s fantastic.

I think a veil would be enough too. Lovely dress by the way.

It’s beautiful. The veil idea is a good one if you want to feel more covered for church, although I wouldn’t add a cardigan or anything I think it will ruin the dress. Many women go into church in a strapless wedding dress that pushes their breasts up, I think this looks more classy. I love it, do whatever you feel comfortable with.

Cute cardi bolero would look lovely and when the sun goes down you might want it on anyway to keep the chill off.

Lovely dress.

Wow beautiful dress. I agree with PPs- although it's strappy you're more covered than brides wearing the common strapless dresses. I don't think anyone would bat an eyelid at not having a cover on your shoulders.

Thank you

I did consider a veil, but I want to wear my hair down (just touching my shoulders) and I can’t work out how to add a veil to my hair like that - I don’t suit the half up styles I’ve seen with veils.

It’s an Anglican Church.

I’ve seen a few little cover ups that look nice, but I think they will look odd over the design of the dress - I don’t want to hide the detailing on the bodice!

Oh pretty !
If the pictures are you wearing it you arent showing too much flash for church these days. However a veil would complete the look and once abandoned the dress is still lovely for the garden party reception.

you should be able to get a veil that clips into your hair or attaches to a flower crown and still wear your hair down.

It'a a beautiful dress but I think covering your shoulders for the ceremony with a little beaded piece of something would be fitting. I am 50 if that has any bearing (and a church goer)

The dress is beautiful. Is it you wearing it?
You look gorgeous
What about a thin wrap just for the church part?

I think it's the combination of the shoulders and the fact that the top half of the dress makes you look naked underneath the lace - or are you? Does it have a lining?

How about a white silk jacket without buttons?

It's beautiful wear it as it is , any church or vicar worth their salt shouldn't bat an eyelid. It's not what you're wearing that's important to them at all ( or shouldn't be !)

A plain veil like this?

You can attach a veil to the top of your head without having to do half up. Some back combing and a few pins will hold it. Like this:

instagram.com/p/BchJYNzhjUT/

The Blossom and Bluebird shop I mentioned does rush orders so 4 weeks isn’t a problem. I sent Sian a link to my dress and she suggested the best veil (mine was ivory fading to blush at the bottom).

The dress has a nude lining underneath so I’m not totally naked on top!

I have a plain veil lent to me, I’ll try and have a play around with it with my hair down. I think that could be a nice compromise.

I'd put a really pretty and delicate cashmere cropped cardi or similar on with it. If the weather isn't great, you're going to be cold for an outdoor reception. You could go for a blush pink/nude colour to match the underneath of the bodice. It's a lovely dress.

I think a bolero will spoil the neckline of the dress to be honest as all the interest in the design is in the sparkly bodice. Churches are much more relaxed these days so you could wear it as it is or if you’d feel more comfortable with a bit of cover, go for a veil. I wore a veil with my hair down - you just need a bit of backcombing so that there’s something to fix the veil to.

I had my hair down and had a veil. It’s def do-able.

If you do want something beyond a veil (and I’m not certain you need it) you could match the beautiful detailing with a lace cover up. I had one that buttoned at the back, bought cheaply and taken apart and remade by my seamstress. I wore it Purely for the church and removed it afterwards. I’m happy to pm a photo

I think it does look too bare, sorry. You look lovely and perfect for a relaxed reception, but too naked for church. Is there any way of getting a little shrug or something in the same lace as the bodice ? So that it covers the shoulders and upper arms but didn’t detract from the beautiful lace ?