Life Events Life events pose a unique challenge because each is a new or infrequent occurrence for which many people have little or no prior experience. A wedding is no exception to this rule. When planning your wedding, a little dose of commonsense advice can help tremendously. Here is our advice on this topic.	/	Marriage / Wedding / Choosing a Wedding Gown
		The modern bride has a wide range of choices when selecting an outfit in which to be married. Traditional rules that limited a long white dress to those being married for the first time no longer apply. It is more important to consider the style of the wedding ceremony and what looks best on the bride herself. A bride may wish to wear a family heirloom or an outfit from her family's homeland. Traditional wedding dresses, whether long or short, can be purchased from bridal salons or from dressmakers; it is increasingly popular to order them from online sites that have access to a large number of designers. If you are having a religious ceremony, check to make sure that your outfit conforms to accepted standards. Many stores need at least six months to deliver a finished wedding dress, so start your shopping with this in mind. You will need time to make a selection, have fittings and perhaps take photographs. Set a budget for your dress. Many stores will show you their most expensive gowns first if you do not let them know what you want to spend. Limit the number of relatives and friends you consult when making your dress choice. Too many opinions can be confusing. The length of a train is not determined by the formality of the wedding. Cathedral trains are 3 to 6 yards long; chapel trains are 8 to 12 inches long; and sweep trains barely touch the floor. If you want to dance at your reception, consider dresses that allow you to shorten the train to a more convenient length. Veils come in a variety of lengths from barely touching the shoulders to floor length. Longer veils are usually worn at more formal weddings, but the bride should choose what she feels most comfortable with and what best suits her dress. Make sure that the headpiece for the veil fits securely and comfortably. Veils are traditionally not worn if it is the bride's second wedding. If a dress has short sleeves or is sleeveless, the bride may want to wear long gloves. Short gloves look best with three-quarter sleeves. If you choose to wear gloves, you will need to think about how to receive your wedding ring during the ceremony. The bride may wear gloves during a receiving line and at the reception but not while eating. Remember to ask someone to take your dress to a good dry cleaner promptly after the wedding. Small unnoticeable stains can become dark spots with time. You can preserve your dress by sealing it in an air tight box.

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