Muslim Bride Series: The Dress
The United States is a melting pot full of people with different cultures, religions, and backgrounds. Among those things, you have Islam, which is the second largest religion in the world. You would think with that statistic being a Muslim bride in the U.S., everything you’re looking for will be readily available. That being said, not all industries can be easily inclusive of all that diversity. Especially when wanting to planning a culturally accurate wedding in a country that doesn't recognize your culture as the norm. The solution? You’ll need to get organized and spend a bit more time and effort to make the wedding of your dreams come to life. First things first, find the perfect dress.
You may recognize someone as Muslim based on the head scarf (known as hijab) that they wear. But not all Muslims wear one! Typically, for many Muslim brides weather they wear hijab or not the goal is a modest gown. Here’s where things get complicated. There are so many beautiful gowns by big and small designers but there always seems to be a missing piece for it to be perfect to wear. A bride who wears hijab will be looking for a long sleeve gown where the sleeves are not see through. Sometimes they’ll also want a gown with a high neckline. The bodice and skirt of the gown will also have to be fully covered. Most gowns don’t fit all those qualifications, so we asked Alma, our Fashion & Marketing Expert, what she did to find the dress she loved but also fit her religious needs. She gave us two tips to help our Muslim brides!
1. Shop at boutique or local bridal shops
“Smaller shops tend to have more unique gowns with a variety of options,” she stated. When looking for your gown you first need to fall in love with the design. Don’t worry so much if it is see through or missing parts. First make sure you like the beading, lace, tulle.. ect. Then make sure you love the fit. After you’ve picked what you’ve liked, Alma’s second tip will help make sure the gown ends up being religiously appropriate.
2. Find a tailor
Just because the dress wasn’t originally long sleeves.. doesn't mean you can’t make it one! “A tailor can make or break your dress. Find a good tailor who can add sleeves for you, cover any sheer pieces, and raise/add a higher neckline. It’s almost like becoming a designer yourself. When the market doesn’t provide you with what your looking for customize it yourself. It’s nice because you basically end up with a unique gown no one else will have,” said Alma.
Obvious or not, these two tips will help Muslim brides curate a gown they will not only love, but also feel their best in. Ask one of our team members for tailor recommendations. We work with some great people who can help you perfect the dress you always dreamed you’d celebrate your wedding in.