Add a Lace Jacket to Your Wedding Dress

In the wake of the royal wedding last year, countless brides have fallen in love with lace. When Kate Middleton stepped out in her gown with lace sleeves, brides instantly decided that lace sleeves were the must-have style. But not every bride wants to wear a long sleeved dress for her whole wedding, while other brides have been unable to find the perfect wedding gown with lace. A fun option is to add a lace jacket over whatever wedding dress you plan to wear. It will give you the elegant lace look for your marriage ceremony and also the freedom to remove the jacket at any point.

Long or three-quarter lace sleeves are particularly sought after by my brides. If you are wearing a wedding gown that features lace embellishments, it is important that the lace on your jacket matches. Even if the designer does not offer a coordinating shrug to your gown, it may be possible to have one custom made by them. Another possibility is to order lace trim from your gown designer and have a seamstress use it to embellish a simple organza shrug. It would be a lovely addition to your bridal gown.

Little lace jackets also work beautifully over wedding gowns that do not have any lace on them. They are especially fantastic with strapless gowns. Choose a shrug that fits well and cuts close to the body so it looks almost like it is part of your dress. Since you do not need to match a lace pattern, you can select any jacket that you like. Some even have crystal beading on them to match your sparkly bridal jewelry, which looks fabulous. For a summer wedding, consider a short sleeve lace shrug instead of one with long sleeves. It will be more comfortable and look more seasonal.

Jackets are so popular for brides right now that you will have a lot of choices. There are some gorgeous sheer capelets trimmed in lace that are incredible with slender gowns such as sheaths, columns, or mermaids. I have also seen off the shoulder style gown toppers created entirely from lace. They really change the appearance of the wedding gown and would be a terrific choice over a very simple dress. If you choose to remove the lace piece for your reception, it will be almost as dramatic a transformation as changing into a different dress. You might wish to change your wedding jewelry and let your hair down to really play up the change in style.

I always advise my brides to keep a few things in mind when picking out a lace jacket to wear with their gowns. The first piece of advice is to wear the bolero or shrug in the store for a while to make sure that it doesn’t itch. Brides with sensitive skin sometimes find inexpensive lace to be so scratchy it can leave red marks on their arms. You should also make sure that you can move your arms enough to be functional. If you intend to remove the jacket for dancing at your reception, this becomes somewhat less of an issue. Finally, look for lace shrugs with special details, such as a keyhole back or scalloped edge; it will add even more style to your fabulous bridal ensemble.