7e0ef5_b6471b212bdc48968c7e3ce9195b9f25~mv2_d_2550_1875_s_2.jpg

Transform Her

THE SWITCH: ONE WEDDING, TWO...OR THREE DRESSES

I think we can agree, many wedding gowns are made for drama, not dancing, and for some, wanting to make a breathtaking entrance at the ceremony seems to come at the expense of having a great time at the reception. This trend toward multiple dresses has been a long time in the making and is seriously picking up speed, allowing brides the opportunity to experiment with patterns, colors, silhouettes, and styles they might not want to wear for their ceremony but would love to wear at some point during their big day. Spring 2018 bridal runways offered the ultimate option, wedding dresses that do double duty! While impressive overskirts have always been a popular trend, jackets, capes and embellished overlays now join the ranks of customizations available.

Choosing to go with a single gown, separate reception attire or one transformable dress can be a nail-biting decision. Here's some celebrity inspiration and a few pros and cons to help you sort it.

A post shared by Julianne Hough (@juleshough) on

PROS

There is no feeling as gratifying as simply getting what you want. If you plan a ceremony that honours tradition or religion, but you want a sultry, unencumbered dress option for your lively reception, this is your win-win. Think of it as an opportunity to make your own rules, no compromises.

Versatility. If your big day includes radical venue changes, from indoors to outdoors, or religious to hedonistic. Switching over to a dance floor-friendly dress after a formal, ceremonial gown is a feeling we’re sure you’ll appreciate. Maybe you’d like to display the tattoos you concealed during the ceremony, lighten the weight of the dress, vary the hemline, dial down the formality, or more importantly, be able to use the restroom without an entourage of bridesmaids having to squeeze into a stall and hold your dress up while you tinkle.

Showmanship. If we’ve learned anything from Gaga, it’s that outfit changes are undisputed crowd-pleasers, so if you’ve got an inner diva, this is her outlet. And, since non-celebrities don’t get too many center-of-attention moments in life, use dramatic transitions to dial up the party and really enjoy your day in the spotlight.

CONS

Blowing the budget. This is pretty elementary: two dresses are more expensive than one. There’s a possibility you’ll need to rearrange your spending allocation in order to make the second (or third) dress a viable option.

The pit crew. You’ll need a bit of time to make your outfit changes, and if Nascar pit stops are any indication, having a talented crew on retainer will ensure your swap(s) don’t take you out of the game for too long.

Haters. If you’re gutsy enough to veer outside the margins of tradition, you’re likely going to take on some criticism. Transitioning your wedding wardrobe will go a lot smoother if you’re confident in your choices. Make sure they’re true to your character so you aren’t remembered for turning your reception into a night of cosplay

Kleinfeld’s Randy Fenoli suggests saving the stunner for the reception (most of your celebration will be spent there) and incorporating a hair and makeup transition as you go from demure to drama. We strongly agree.