In our search for directions on how to bustle a wedding dress, we also found these for an Over Bustle in addition to the directions for the Under Bustle. The Over Bustle is a more slimming style because it tends to be a bit flatter in the backside of the wedding dress than the Under Bustle.

Read the directions that follow, then click on the link below to view the pictures.

1) Measure the center back seam of train from the waistline seam to the floor, as indicated by red tape measure. Measure this distance from the edge of train, as indicated by blue tape measure; mark with pin.

2) Lift the center back seam at pin mark to waistline at center back. Adjust the fold so train is 1/2″ to 3/4″ (1.3 to 2 cm) off the floor; pin to waistline seam as shown.

3) Fold and pin train at each side back seam, so sides of the train are off the floor 1/2″ to 3/4″ (1.3 to 2 cm). Continue to fold and pin train as necessary between seams, to lift remaining train off the floor.

4) Check the drape of the train; if train is long or fabric is heavy, distribute each fold into two smaller folds. Each additional fold will require a bustle button or hook. Release bustle, pin-marking points on train and waistline.

5) Attach bustle buttons or hooks at waistline markings, stitching securely; to reinforce area, place small piece of interfacing under button or hook.

6) Thread needle with strong thread; knot ends together. Place small piece of interfacing on wrong side of train at marking for button loop. Insert needle at marking, next to seam-line, through interfacing and train.

7) Take a small backstitch from the right side of the train; pull thread, leaving 1″ to 2″ (2.5 to 5 cm) loop.

Insert fingers through the loop, and grasp thread as shown.

9) Pull the thread, tightening first loop and forming a second loop. Repeat, making a thread chain long enough to form a thread loop for fastening bustle button or hook.

10) Secure the chain by inserting the needle and thread through the last loop.

11) Insert needle to underside of the train, forming thread loop on right side, parallel to seam; secure thread on underside with several backstitches.

12) Hand-stitch lace applique’s in place, if desired, to conceal the bustle buttons or hooks. Bustle the train by fatsening loops to buttons or hooks. Adjust foldsof fabric for desired look.

Visit the source, SewDeb.com, for pictures of the Over Bustle that go with the above instructions.

Find related Bustle posts under category/wedding dresses

We’ve been searching ourselves for directions on how to Bustle. We found directions for the French or Under Bustle. Read further to find out how to sew the French Bustle and directions how to tie the ribbons to make the French bustle on the back of the wedding dress.

1) Measure the center back seam of train from the waistline seam to floor, as indicated by blue tape measure. Measure this distance from edge of train, as indicated by red tape measure; mark with pin.

2) Lift the center back seam at pin mark to waistline at center back; adjust the fold so train is 1/2″ to 3/4″ (1.3 to 2 cm) off the floor; pin to the waistline seam as shown.

3) Fold and pin train at each side back seam, so sides of the train are off the floor 1/2″ to 3/4″ (1.3 to 2 cm). Continue to fold and pin train as necessary between seams, to lift remaining train off the floor.

4) Release bustle, pin-marking points on train and waistline. Hand-stitch center of 15″ (38 cm) length of narrow grosgrain ribbon to waistline at pin marks, between skirt lining and train; catch ribbon securely into waistline seam. Repeat to make remaining ties.

5) Cut 2 1/2″ (6.5 cm) length of grosgrain ribbon; fold in half, and stitch loop securely to underside of train, 1/2″ (1.3 cm) below pin mark; reinforce area with small piece of interfacing, or attach ribbon loop to seam allowances. Repeat for remaining pin marks.

6) Insert ribbon ties through corresponding loops, and secure with a double bow. Adjust folds of fabric for desired look.

Visit the source, SewDeb.com, to view photos of sewing a French or Under Bustle on a wedding gown for a visual understanding.

Bustling your wedding dress before your wedding reception can be overwhelming for your bridesmaids. As we wrote in a previous article on How to Bustle Your Wedding Gown, NJ Wedding Vendors explained that bustling your wedding gown is customized for your wedding gown style.

The best planning you can do is to have your maid of honor watch the bustle demonstration while one bridesmaid makes a video and one or two write down the instructions of how to bustle your wedding gown. If some of your bridesmaids can’t be at the final fitting, upload your video to YouTube so they can learn how to bustle your wedding dress, too.

Before your wedding day, preferably the day you have your hair done for a pre-wedding trial, get together with your bridesmaids and maid of honor to practice bustling your wedding dress. By practicing your wedding dress bustle, you can also see how your headpiece and jewelry look with your wedding gown. You could also plan to have your make-up done on the same day…only be sure to step into your gown so that it doesn’t rub off on your gown!

Read the article that follows for more tips on How to Bustle Your Wedding Gown… (more…)

While shopping for your New Jersey beach wedding, NewJerseyWeddingVendors.com recommends you think carefully about the setting where you will be holding your NJ wedding ceremony and your NJ wedding reception.  New Jersey wedding dress vendors recommend that you stay away from the formal style. A beach wedding just isn’t a formal setting…a formal, heavily adorned wedding gown just doesn’t match. Keep in mind, you want to be comfortable, gorgeous, and gracefully feminine all at the same time - not tripping or sinking in the sand.

1. The Don’ts

Don’t choose a fabric that will:

• catch the sand, such as an organza
• cling to your body, preventing air to circulate and hold in the heat
• wilt with the humidity and salt air
• raise up in the air if a strong breeze comes along (more…)

Have you been to the New Jersey bridal shows to look for your Mother of the Bride or Groom wedding dress? Did the “mother” models have full-figures or were they the usual single-digit wedding sample dress size? You want to look exquisite on your son’s or daughter’s NJ wedding day. But it can be discouraging when you fall in love with THE dress, and after you try it on at the NJ bridal shop - you find it wasn’t made with your figure in mind.

Back in the day, the wedding dresses for mothers of the bride and groom were more tailored and modest. Luckily, present day fashion allows for mothers of the bride and groom to be attired as stylish as the bride and her bridesmaids. But, what are you to do if you aren’t the same size as the slim waisted models you see in the fashion magazines and on the runway at the NJ bridal shows? What may look great on them, might not look so great on you.

Knowing what styles to look for ahead of time before you visit the many New Jersey bridal shops, may save you time and heartache. Knowing what will look the best on your full-figure, will help you find THE dress that will bring compliments to you on your son’s or daughter’s glorious New Jersey wedding day. 

NewJerseyWeddingVendors.com has compiled a list of 10 tips on how to choose the best mother of the bride or groom dress style for your full-figure:

1. Dress monochromatically and avoid patterns or even lace that will break up the line of the dress. (more…)

To think about choosing which wedding dress for your NJ shore, historical, country club, or ballroom wedding reception among the many, many wedding dress choices offered by NJ bridal vendors, can be overwhelming. There are steps you can take before you do the acutal shopping for your NJ wedding dress.

1. Take a good look at yourself in a full length mirror. What are your assets…what are not? What would you want to accent? What would you want to camouflage?
2. Now think about your evening dress wardrobe. Which styles have been the most fattering for your figure? What were you wearing when you received flattering compliments?
3. Look through the many wedding gown catalogs and online bridal attire websites with your maid of honor and others you trust. Ask their opinions on which wedding dress styles they think would look the best on you.
4. Take into consideration the season you will marry in. What would be the warmest and coldest temperatures…what style would feel the most comfortable under those conditions?
5. Speaking of comfort, remember to raise your arms as if you were dancing close with your new husband. Make sure there is enough room and that your dress, if strapless, won’t slip down.
6. Ask recent brides to recommend New Jersey wedding dress vendors that are known for their expertise in helping brides find the perfect style and dependable quality of service. The sales associates should have an extensive understanding of figure types and which styles look the best.
7. If you feel you need professional advice to achieve the look you imagine for yourself, hire a professional image consultant.

Your goal is to look exquisite in your wedding dress…to turn everyone’s head…especially the groom’s. (more…)

The Bustle is in use today primarily to lift the long, elegant trains of wedding dresses off the floor. Instead of a framework worn under the wedding gown, the long train is lifted with buttons or ties to create a lovely style that is also very practical.

Adding a Bustle to Your Wedding Dress

Although almost all brides utilize Bustles for their wedding dresses or wedding gowns, you may be surprised to discover that the dresses do not come with bustles in place. The bustle is added during alterations. This makes sense since all brides are not the same height and your bustle should lift the back of your wedding gown to your hem length…so your bustle must be custom made.

Wedding Dress Bustle Options

NewJerseyWeddingVendors.com has put together a short slide show of the basic wedding gown bustle styles for you:

As you can see, you have several choices in wedding dress bustles:

• Over Bustle (Ballroom)
• Under Bustle
• French or Victorian Bustle
• Austrian Bustle

Because your wedding dress bustle will be designed for your wedding gown and your own personal preference are the reasons you can’t find “How to Bustle a Wedding Dress” or “How to Bustle a Wedding Gown” directions. Your wedding dress bustle style and how to bustle a wedding dress must be shared between you and your NJ bridal vendor’s seamstress.  The best advice NewJerseyWeddingVendors.com can give you is to:

• take two or three attendants with you, a video camera, and a notebook and pen
• record the instructions both by camera and pen
• consider where you will be celebrating - a NJ beach wedding will require your gown to be a bit higher
• review your wedding gown bustle directions and plan a trial run before the wedding day

or you may end up missing your cocktail hour.  Take a look at this bride’s wedding dress bustle experience! (more…)