One Wedding Gown, Two Brides

Could two sisters ever agree on one wedding gown? Believe it or not, there are families in which a set of sisters will decide to wear the same bridal gown. Whether it is done because of a sentimental wish to each wear a mother or grandmother's wedding dress or for practical reasons of finance, there are more instances than you may think of two sisters opting to wear the same bridal gown. This is a look at some of the reasons why you might choose to share a wedding dress with your sister, and how it can be done in a way that makes you both happy.

With the desire for a designer gown larger than the family budget, some sisters are deciding to share one very special gown rather than each get a different gown of a lesser quality. It may be that both sisters are engaged at the same time and are planning to be married in the same year. However, I have also seen this happen when the older sister is engaged and the younger one is not. The parents of the bride-to-be as well as her younger sister let them know that they want to purchase one gown that is special enough that both sisters can wear it. While the idea of sharing a wedding gown with a sister may make some women shudder, it can actually be a very sweet tradition to start in a family.

The other main reason why two sisters would choose to wear the same bridal gown is when it is a family heirloom from their mother or grandmother. The reality is that a vintage wedding gown rarely fits a modern woman to perfection, and so the dress will have to be altered for each bride in turn. If it is known that the second sister will one day be wearing the family gown, an agreement will have to be reached about how much the first sister can alter its appearance.

It is a really good idea to inform your seamstress in advance that the gown will one day need to be altered for another use, because it will make a difference in how she takes it apart, and how she changes the dress to fit. For instance, let's say that the heirloom wedding dress is a beautiful rayon satin gown with long sleeves and a long train from the 1940s (these are great vintage gowns to re-fit for modern brides). An agreement might be reached among the sisters that the first one to wear it could have the sleeves removed and wear the gown sleeveless (because if they are removed carefully, the sleeves can always be reattached later), but that the neckline cannot be cut down, because once that has been changed, there is no going back. A willingness to compromise is key to making gown sharing among sisters work.

I also once knew a bride who simply loved her older sister's custom bridal gown. When the younger sister became engaged a few years later, she could find no dress that she thought was prettier than the one her sister had helped to design. Rather than being possessive of her gown, the older sister was flattered, and happily allowed her younger sister to have the gown altered so she could wear it for her wedding.

When two sisters share a bridal gown, they will each still want to look and feel like individuals. This is easily handled by choosing different veils, headpieces, and custom bridal jewelry. It helps if the gown has clean and classic looks that lend themselves to being accessorized in various styles. For instance, a white silk taffeta ball gown could be worn by the first sister with classic pearl bridal jewelry, long white gloves, and a ribbon edged veil. The second sister could wear the same gown and put a glamorous spin on it: custom crystal bridal jewelry, a sparkling tiara, and a veil sprinkled with crystals. It is entirely possible for two sisters to share one gown and each still feel beautiful in her own way. And if you decide to do this, be sure to get a double photo frame and put pictures in it of each bride in the gown on her wedding day; it would make a wonderful keepsake.