It is a bride's worst nightmare...you shop and shop until you finally find that one dream gown for your wedding. Only to have a friend end up buying the same dress soon after. Suddenly your perfect gown is no longer unique - what is a bride to do?
Here is the one thing that you cannot do in this situation: tell your friend she has to cancel her order and pick a different wedding dress. Now, it is only natural that this would be exactly the thing you would want to do, but it can only backfire. You cannot very well ask her to give up her dream gown, any more than you are willing to cancel your order and let her be the only one in your circle to wear the dress. Demanding that she find a different dress will only make you look like a bridezilla. You will have to live with the situation graciously and find a way to make it work.
When a friend buys the same wedding gown that you will be wearing, it can feel like a shock at first. However, a very important thing to keep in mind is that you will not be wearing the gowns together; it is not like showing up at a party to find another girl wearing the same fabulous dress as you are. In fact, one thing to keep in mind is that you may not even have very many guests in common at your weddings. Certainly, the family members will be different. And you can count on the fact that none of the male guests will remember what gown was worn at the last wedding they attended. So in the end, there will probably be very, very few guests who would ever realize that you and your friend wore the same wedding gown.
The next step is to find ways to make your bridal gown uniquely your own, even if a friend is wearing the same style to her wedding. You can use your accessories to change the look of the dress and to add your own personal flair. Think about adding a colorful sash, or a brooch to the waistline. Perhaps select some unique handmade wedding jewelry with dashes of color. Special wedding jewelry such as necklaces made with coin pearls are another great way to set your bridal ensemble apart. It would also be a good idea to select a veil with a unique trim or accent, rather than the one which was shown with the bridal gown in the ads. These are all very simple ways to make sure that you in no way look like a clone of your friend on your wedding day.
Remember that hairstyles also have a major influence on the way a bride looks. A formal updo will create a very different effect than cascading waves. Not that you want to compare notes, necessarily, but if you find out that your friend is wearing her hair up, wear yours down, or vice versa. It is another simple way to distinguish your look from hers. Of course, it is more important that your hairstyle complements your wedding and style, so only go with the opposite 'do if it makes sense for you.
In the end, the best thing to do is to try to let go a little. Sure, your friend choosing the same wedding gown as you is a bummer, but in the grand scheme of things, it is not the end of the world. And it certainly is not worth loosing a friend over an article of clothing, even a bridal gown. As long as you adopt a gracious attitude and do not make a big deal over the duplicate wedding gown, no one else will think it matters either.
Here is the one thing that you cannot do in this situation: tell your friend she has to cancel her order and pick a different wedding dress. Now, it is only natural that this would be exactly the thing you would want to do, but it can only backfire. You cannot very well ask her to give up her dream gown, any more than you are willing to cancel your order and let her be the only one in your circle to wear the dress. Demanding that she find a different dress will only make you look like a bridezilla. You will have to live with the situation graciously and find a way to make it work.
When a friend buys the same wedding gown that you will be wearing, it can feel like a shock at first. However, a very important thing to keep in mind is that you will not be wearing the gowns together; it is not like showing up at a party to find another girl wearing the same fabulous dress as you are. In fact, one thing to keep in mind is that you may not even have very many guests in common at your weddings. Certainly, the family members will be different. And you can count on the fact that none of the male guests will remember what gown was worn at the last wedding they attended. So in the end, there will probably be very, very few guests who would ever realize that you and your friend wore the same wedding gown.
The next step is to find ways to make your bridal gown uniquely your own, even if a friend is wearing the same style to her wedding. You can use your accessories to change the look of the dress and to add your own personal flair. Think about adding a colorful sash, or a brooch to the waistline. Perhaps select some unique handmade wedding jewelry with dashes of color. Special wedding jewelry such as necklaces made with coin pearls are another great way to set your bridal ensemble apart. It would also be a good idea to select a veil with a unique trim or accent, rather than the one which was shown with the bridal gown in the ads. These are all very simple ways to make sure that you in no way look like a clone of your friend on your wedding day.
Remember that hairstyles also have a major influence on the way a bride looks. A formal updo will create a very different effect than cascading waves. Not that you want to compare notes, necessarily, but if you find out that your friend is wearing her hair up, wear yours down, or vice versa. It is another simple way to distinguish your look from hers. Of course, it is more important that your hairstyle complements your wedding and style, so only go with the opposite 'do if it makes sense for you.
In the end, the best thing to do is to try to let go a little. Sure, your friend choosing the same wedding gown as you is a bummer, but in the grand scheme of things, it is not the end of the world. And it certainly is not worth loosing a friend over an article of clothing, even a bridal gown. As long as you adopt a gracious attitude and do not make a big deal over the duplicate wedding gown, no one else will think it matters either.
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