Both practicality and sentiment had a part in Annie Chervin's wedding dress choice. The Westchester County, N.Y., bride had her French vanilla silk gown made to order. It was a copy of a $3,000 dress that she tried on in an upscale department store but cost her less than half - $1,220. It had the same peau de soie bodice, off-the-shoulder neckline appliqued with satin rosettes and graceful skirt of four layers of tulle. ``Part of me wanted to buy the expensive dress,'' recalls Annie. Her future mother-in-law, Shiela Edwards, burst into tears when she saw Annie model it in the store. But the dress cost far more than Annie had planned on spending. So she sketched it from memory and had a dressmaker re-create it. In choosing this design, she followed a style that has long been popular among brides. The bridal dress with layered skirt of tulle or organza attached to a fitted plain or beaded bodice is an enduring style, says Rachel Leonard, fashion editor of Bride's Magazine. The bodice may have less ornamentation than it did in versions of earlier years. Another perennial is the sculptured cut, in which the shape and outline of the dress is its most important characteristic. There may be a peplum, or the dress may have an enormous ballgown skirt and a portrait neckline. Over the past few years, brides have been exercising more individuality in dressing as the number of available styles has increased. Leonard discerns two strong directions: Some brides dress daringly, while others choose the demure, covered-up styles of tradition. Well-known couture designers like Arnold Scaasi and Carolina Herrera have injected a sophisticated stylishness to many wedding dress designs. In the vanguard are very short dresses. These may have a detachable overskirt or train in longer lengths. Bare shoulders and low necklines, which once would have been unthinkable, now are often found in wedding dresses. Traditional lace has been re-emerging as a favored bridal dress material. And if the bride doesn't have an ancestor who obligingly left her an heirloom gown, she can shop for one in an antiques store. At least three stores in New York City carry old bridal dresses, and there are similar stores in other parts of the country, according to Leonard. The dresses usually have been cleaned and reconditioned and can be altered to fit. Ann Lawrence Antiques in New York, for example, stocks more than 500 antique dresses and new dresses constructed of antique materials. Lawrence says she sells dresses priced from $500 to $15,000 to brides all over the country. To find antique bridal dresses, she advises contacting the curator of a museum costume collection or a local antiques dealers' association, who would be likely to know costume specialists who handle these dresses. It's often hard to tell how much a dress might have cost. Bride's Magazine says the average price paid for a bridal dress is $794. Prices can range from about $250 to $20,000. ``The best buys in terms of sophisticated styles, fine fabrics and hand detailing are found in dresses that cost between $1,200 to $1,600,'' says Leonard. Dresses under $700 are more likely to be informal in style and of synthetic rather than real silk. However, the bride won't have to sacrifice beading, which is being done inexpensively in the Far East. The choice and stylishness of bridesmaid's dresses has come a long way, too, says Leonard. Sheer fabrics in prints look appropriate with the light and airy wedding dresses which are popular now. ``Short is a big trend in bridesmaid's dresses, both because of the influence of shorter skirts in fashion generally and because it is a young and fresh look which most bridal attendants look good in,'' says Leonard. And these dresses usually can be worn again. Popular color choices are pink, which is flattering to most people, and blue. The black and white and all-white wedding color schemes continue to be popular. Matched outfits are still the rule if there are several bridesmaids, but anything goes in terms of style and color, says Gerard Monaghan, director of the Association of Bridal Consultants in New Milford, Conn. But considerations of the bridesmaid's figure type and complexion are more important than ditating an unbecoming style simply to match a theme, he says. And more bridesmaid's dresses are being bought off the rack in retail shops rather than from bridal specialists. Dresses worn by mothers of the bridal pair usually are coordinated to the wedding style and complement but do not match each other. Men's attire is geared toward the degree of formality and time of day. Elegance and appropriateness are the two most important considerations, according to Leonard. Novelty bow ties and vests are a way to give the groom and his attendants a personal signature. There's a trend to coordinate the men's cummerbunds and ties with the bridesmaids' dresses. Often, the groom's attire is differentiated from his attendants' by an unusual tie and cummerbund. Novelty fabrics such as shadow stripe or textured suiting are being used. And the cropped jacket known as a Spencer continues to be popular among younger men.
