Something Old, Something New – Choosing Your Custom Wedding Dress

"Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue," goes the traditional rhyme. But planning the perfect contemporary wedding can sometimes be tricky for the modern bride. After all, how do you balance your desire for the classical elegance of a traditional gown with your need to express your avant-garde taste and unique personality? This dilemma is even more apparent when it comes to the design of a custom wedding dress. Below we present several suggestions on how the modern bride can marry tradition and technology when creating her bridal trousseau.

Lace It Up

For as long as we can remember, lace has been one of the most desired fabrics when it comes to haute couture. In the past, brides would either have to painstakingly hand-make their own (a process that could take months, even years!) or pay exorbitant amounts to import lace from such exotic places as Belgium or Byzantium. Lace was so in demand and costly that many women could only afford lace trims for their gowns. It can be extremely delicate and old lace is synonymous with an heirloom to be carefully preserved for future generations.

Thanks to modern technology, today’s bride has a lot more options when it comes to using lace for her custom wedding dress. For the ultimate marriage of old and new, consider laser-cut lace for your custom wedding dress. Laser-cut fabric is currently a favourite of designers such as Marc Jacobs, Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig of Marchesa. Laser-cut lace can fine and intricate as you desire, and can be cut into any pattern. For an added touch, you can reproduce the lace of your dress in other aspects of your event - such as your cake or invitations, for example.

Fifty Shades Of White

Even for the ultramodern woman, some traditions are worth keeping. Most women dream of a "white wedding"; what nobody tells you, unfortunately, is that, for most people, traditional white can be a very unflattering colour. Fortunately there are dozens of new shades of white to choose from, ranging from pure white, to eggshell, to ecru. If you prefer a bit of colour (but still in the range of white) modern dyeing methods have it made it possible dye fabrics to your exact specifications. For example, ombré fabrics feature a graduated spectrum from light to dark or one colour to another - such as from white to rose - and are particularly popular.

Diamonds Are Forever

Like a custom wedding dress, diamonds are another classic and traditional staple of nuptial events. Diamonds are a bride’s best friend - this is a fact that will never change. Nothing says forever like a diamond engagement ring and diamond jewellery on the big day - such as a necklace or tiara. While vintage cuts such as the brilliant, marquis, oval, or princess cut diamonds remain favourites, you can still express your personality and modernity by choosing modern settings - such as those based on rings in literature or movies, or even from celebrities - and metals - such as platinum, rhodium and even stainless steel.