a dress 'rule' that I find confusing......

I originally wanted to get married on the beach. We settled for the Yacht Club and pics on the beach not because of the gown but because of attendee's that will have challenges navigating in the sand.

In fact, kept the same gown!

My ceremony will be in a courtyard at my venue. So like an outdoor garden wedding. I was between an elegant satin dress with beading and a ballgown with lace and organza. I ended up going the the ball gown with organza because it fit the garden wedding better. It is flowy and sweet, which fits my wedding better.

The dress that I chose for my beach wedding is probably not what anyone would consider a typical beach wedding dress. It is a blush colored silk taffeta with a fitted top and a drop waist. It has 3D roses on the skirt and it does have a train. I absolutely love it and I will make it work. The material is actually light and breathable, so that is a good thing, and my two oldest flower girls are going to carry the train for the processional. I guess that my opinion is that certain dress styles may traditionally lend themselves more to one type of venue than to another, but if a bride really loves a dress she can make it fit the venue no matter what it is in most cases.

I don't really get the matching the venue thing either. I knew what dress I wanted before I agreed on a venue. I don't care where I get married. I want the same dress.

i know for a beach wedding you should wear something "flowy" but my FFIL's wife wore a giant princess ballgown on the beach and it really didn't look weird. its what she wanted.

Definitely! I just can't picture a ball gown at my backyard wedding. I looked at a halter dress with pick ups but felt it was to much.

The consultant at DB (where I did not find my dress) told me satin wouldn't be good for a beach wedding. I wanted to tell her look - I can wear a ball gown on the beach if I want! Screw the "rules" it's your wedding you have to be happy with the dress, end of story.

Btw mine had a long train in the sand - no regrets

I only get the matching venue thing if it has to do with the weather too. I have a ballgown that i realized i will pass out in it from the heat for my outdoor wedding so i now want a lighter fit n flare dress that i have found.

I think for me.. when I think of venue and "matching" its more not looking odd. For example, I am getting married very traditional but I don't think I would wear a see through bodice, or really short dress with a long train thing. I just have a vision that I see when I think of Italy. For me it was lace, vintage, classic.. but I think most dresses would work too. Whatever looks beautiful on!

I looked for a gown that fit me and the vision I had for the wedding. I knew I was going to find some sort of garden venue for my ceremony and reception (was not going to stop looking until I found one). I knew I wanted a short train, was thinking lace but fell in love with one with no lace but the beading is in a pattern that looks kind of like lace- the dress fit me and works with the venue- even if I had changed the venue to a grand ballroom I wouldn't change my dress

It's not so much that you have to match the venue as it is that different styles of clothing are more appropriate for different places and seasons. A tea-length dress might not be appropriate for an evening winter wedding. A big ball gown will look out of place on a beach.

I bought my dress first (I *love* lace and frills and such and had been waiting a loooooong time to get a big, poofy dress!) then my venue, and did not care a whit that a long, satin gown might not fit with a casual outdoor ceremony. Then again, matching was really not my thing at all.

Nope! But I think my dress happened to fit my outdoor garden theme so I got lucky.

My dress helped me finalize my venue. We were looking between a garden venue, and a little chapel connected to our banquet hall, and as soon as I found my dress, the first image that came to mind was me walking down the isle at the garden

As long as It's the dress that looks the best on you!!

It just worked out that my dress was perfect for my venue. Otherwise, I would not have cared.

I think it's about you, wear what you feel beautiful in. My dress is satin for a beach wedding and also has a train, which I did not initially think I wanted. Don't worry about fitting the venue, fit YOU!

They just mean matching your dress type to the place. It would be pretty weird to get married in a super sexy dress if you're getting married in a big church. Just like wearing a giant ballgown with a princess diana train would be ridiculous for an outdoor wedding.

Satin looks nicer in the evening because the light isn't so harsh. Lace looks nice for outdoors and breathes better.

I think you should go with whatever dress you love! However, I do agree that some dresses may match venue/formality of a wedding better.

I actually fell in love with some giant ball gowns, but my wedding was more casual, so I went with a sleeker (but still formal) dress. I couldn't have been more happy! Althought I didn't have my ceremony on the beach, we did pics on the beach. Yes, I'm in a satin dress with a train, on the beach!

I felt like my dress needed to got the venue. I see what you mean. To me it's kind of like you wouldn't dress the same of you were going to dinner @ Chilli's vs. a nice downtown restaurant. (We'll I wouldn't anyway). I also think that kind of falls into "each it's own category".....

It makes sense to some extent. If you have a super formal venue that looks expensive you don't want to buy a dress that's not as formal and will look out of place .. Or getting a park wedding with a huge ball gown, or a more laid back venue with on overly formal dress that over shadows everything in the pictures.

Its only if your venue is on the extreme side of something though and you've decorated to go with that theme.