The Ultimate Bridal Guide

Don’t Panic

A lot of Muslimahs are stumped when it comes to bridal wear, we don’t really have mainstream options and it ends up being more a cultural choice. Growing up as a non Muslim I had a very different view of what I would wear on my wedding day, nothing too bridey just simple and timeless. When it came about I was more interested in being married than the wedding itself and I think that was the right way to look at it. But if I could give the outfit another go I would, actually I had three attempts- The Nikah, the Walimah and the registry office thing.

Should I show you what I wore? To be honest the outfits looked fine in photos but it’s the attention to detail that (as a self confessed perfectionist) gets me thinking shoulda, woulda, coulda… I believe they are the last words of a fool

So here’s my very comprehensive guide to finding your look. In this part we’ll look at the different styles you can go with and see what designers are doing bridal-wise and how we can make them hijab friendly.

Sleek vs. Volume

I think I like the sleeker fairy tale style best because in particular the Anne Valerie Hash dress, the look simple and effortless and would stand the test of time. It is slightly easier for a Muslimah to pull off than the traditional full skirt style because you don’t have the cinched in waist, though we will explore ways around this. I was always a bit of a tom boy and didn’t really get bitten by the ‘disney style wedding’ bug. Having said that I am absolutely in love with the Reem Acra gown just above, it manages to combine simplicity and big impact in one beautifully constructed dress.

Bitesize Bridal Guide

Explore your options

As a new(ish) Muslimah I was just getting into my groove style wise and hadn’t really explored the possibilities of what you can wear. Because actually there aren’t that many restrictions, you just have to know what to do with the fabric.

Comfort Confidence

Stick with what you know and love regarding colours, shape and size. It’s tempting to go for something totally out of your comfort zone but you risk the hit or miss factor. My advice would be to look though old photos and find an outfit that you love, and the same for colour. Then with the silhouette and colour of the outfit you’re already half way there.

I’m definitely not saying you can’t get experimental, just make sure you’ve tried and tested (and photographed) all your options on you before you buy. This way you can take the best of all your favourite outfits and work out a way to include them.

All Made Up

Make-up is also a consideration, go with what you’re comfortable with and try and test it until you get the look you want (allow a lot of time for this!). I’m a less is more kinda gal. I look like a clown with too much make-up, my face just can’t handle it. Here I only used gloss, eye-liner a touch of eye shadow and mascara. Trust yourself and your nearest and dearest only, the last thing you want is to feel self conscious!

Tailor Made

I think a lot of Muslimahs get their dresses tailor made and this is probably the best option, here are some tips:

Get actual examples of design details etc. that you want to include.

Be very clear, sketch out exactly what you want and how you want it to fit.

Get measured, even though the outfit will be loose it’s very important that it actually fits well.

Talk the design over with the tailor, get as many fittings as you need until you’re happy.

If you don’t really know what you want find a designer that you’re comfortable with and talk through ideas and sketches. In part 2 I’ll be putting up some questions that inshAllah will help you decide what you want and what suits you.

Trash Tradition

I’m all for going against the grain, it throws up a whole new realm of possibility, from evening wear to vintage gowns as long as you love it remember there aren’t any rules on what style it should be.

The Heart of the Matter

Is the most important thing the dress? no. I had an amazing time and such happy memories of all three occasions! What you need to be sure of is that when you look back on your photos you’re looking at the man you entrusted and shared your future with and that it was the best decision you ever made… Still I guess there’s no harm in having a pretty dress too.

Next time: We’ll look at the best bridal designers out there and see how we can take their techniques and create an Islamic style wedding dress. Top tips on finding a style to suit you and how to not get lost in it all! I’ll do a couple of sketches based on what we’ve looked at and imagine I can go back in time and change my outfit… hey Doc fire up the De Lorean.

(images: style.com and nymag.com)

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