The Dress of Both Worlds

Stylistic trends are always circling the wedding industry with the extravagance of the occasion, and brides looking to make an entrance or a mark on the grand day have begun opting for showstopping additions and features, such as the second (or third, or fourth) wedding dress of the exciting event.

As Gather’s Stories writer, I spoke with Tie the Knot Bridal Boutiques owner, Jessica Van Gorden, about the frequent resounding choice to have more than one wedding dress, and the many ways brides can apply this concept to their big day. 
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Be. The. Moment.

Jessica Van Gorden entered the wedding industry as a photographer about ten years ago. After a decade of capturing the moment couples’ upgrade from fiancé to spouse, she ventured into the bridal consultant realm of the industry with Tie the Knot in 2019; after only two years as a consultant with the company, the opportunity to become a full owner presented itself in 2021, and she seized it!

“While Tie the Knot has been in business and operation in Green Bay since 2006, I purchased it and gained ownership in 2021,” Jessica shared. “Through my time in the industry, taking photos and finding the magical moments couples want to frame forever, I noticed my favorite moment to capture was when a bride is getting ready to step into her dress, stepping into that moment with all of her bridesmaids. Finding the fondness in this moment, I applied to Tie the Knot as a bridal consultant, and the business clicked for me! It's an interesting corner of the wedding industry, but I love it.”

After nearly 20 years as one of Green Bay’s premier bridal boutiques, Tie the Knot has continued to stay up to date with their offerings and what is in demand from the dazzling brides that shop from their location. With over 450 dresses to choose from on the floor, each bride is sure to find something, if not somethings, that completes their dream dress vision.

The desire to have more than one dress for the special occasion isn’t necessarily a new one, as brides have always seen the benefits in having a smaller dress to let loose and dance in at the reception, in comparison to the usually large and classic style one walks down the aisle in. However, through her years in the wedding industry, Jessica has noticed some specific points in the trend.

“This choice to have multiple dresses in a wedding celebration started as something we saw here and there, especially with celebrities and social media influencers, and as that shaped the younger generation’s image of the occasion, we’ve now seen it fully integrated into so many weddings, I’d consider it common. The ability to dance in something lighter is, and always has been, very enticing to brides, so I get it!”

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With this focus specifically on celebrities and influencers on social media, the wedding industry as a whole has seen a rise in the desire to capture the big day through instagram-worthy and tiktok-able content, with content creators being a newly booked addition to the already existing photographers and videographers, illuminating their social media feeds and showing the world all they are and hope to still be.

“The biggest thing we’re seeing with the rise in Gen Z getting married is that they really want to Be. The. Moment,” Jessica confirmed. “That ‘main character energy’, as they say, gives them the opportunity to show off multiple sides to themselves for different stages of the occasion, which seems to provide a lot of liberation. It’s a fun thing we’re seeing and I hope it sticks around for a while!”

It’s not only the concept of having another grand moment integrated into your celebration, but also the convenience! As pointed out in Gather’s previous piece, “Bride Wars”, brides have been drawn to the princess-style ball gown since weddings have been full-blown events, and while these dresses may look picture perfect and make you feel like royalty, they can get heavy!

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Jessica had two dresses for her own wedding, both because of the convenience and relief in having something a tad easier to mingle and dance in, and also because she had two sides of herself to show her loved ones and now life partner!

“Personally, I wanted a very classic look for my wedding,” she glowed. “We were getting married in a Catholic church, I had a big, heavy ball gown with sleeves, and I loved it! However, working in a bridal store, I like so many different styles, including the sheer corset body that's just a little bit sexier, but I also knew I was not going to go to a Catholic Church in a wedding dress like that. Having two dresses allowed me to wear two very different styles that I loved equally.”

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Budgeting for the best of both worlds

Who says you can’t have the best of both worlds with your look? Definitely not Tie the Knot! It’s possible this addition may not have been on your radar to include in your budget, and that’s okay! It’s practically become second nature for bridal boutiques to offer a breakdown in cost for the option, and some, like Tie the Knot, even offer discounts when purchasing more than one dress.

“I knew the reception dress wasn't the right fit for my ceremony, so it gave me the flexibility to try a couple different things, and wear two really beautiful dresses on my day without having to sacrifice one or the other. We at Tie the Knot know not everybody can afford to do that, but we are seeing brides make, or leave room in their budget these days for the ability to do that.”

“Budget is a big thing when choosing multiple dresses,” Jessica supported, “we know that we're most likely not looking to spend the same amount that we spent on the first dress in most cases. With brides who've already purchased from us, we always offer a discount on the second dress, which we hope helps out a little bit with budgeting. We even have a variation in bridesmaids' dresses in Ivory, which makes for beautiful budget-friendly options!” 

From what Jessica has begun to notice, this is typically a later addition to many couples’ weddings as they like to wait to see how their budget has shaped out, and some brides even hide this element, surprising their fiancé (and wedding goers) on the big day!

“Typically, we won't see the request come in until several months after they've initially shopped with us,” she explained. “It's something they normally think about as they're planning and decide that it's something they want to add to their day. Luckily, we have some quick ship options which are great because we can rush their arrival; the short dresses are always a little bit quicker to come in.”

“More often than not, brides are looking for something shorter or something unique from their ceremony dress. From there, we go to the racks and pull some options! We always ask for photos of inspiration since we're visual people here, and we want to understand what exactly they have in mind.”

Even if brides arrive at their appointment with Jessica, or another trusted representative, at Tie the Knot without photos, not knowing where to start, the 450 dresses on site are sure to give them a few ideas.

“Our dresses come in shades of white, blush, tan, etc.,” Jessica listed. “We have a full line of short dresses, and we've seen a lot of floral lace chosen and color played with lately! Some of our short dresses have feathers on them, some have pearls…There are a lot more opportunities to be a little more daring with your decisions for a second dress, versus what you're wearing to the ceremony. It's all about having fun while being you!”

And as Jessica pointed out, why limit how many you’s you want to be? Two dresses for the occasion have become quite common, as the ceremony and reception do have different atmospheres, so to do the other festivities the special milestone brings.

“We have a lot of brides looking to incorporate two different looks, and ball gowns, which are really heavy, are specifically in right now,” she giggled. “I think brides use this time to try a look they don't see themselves in typically, or don't get the opportunity to show frequently, so we've even seen some brides opt for three or four dresses throughout the day.”

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Scheduling style

Having more than one dress is already an added element that is sure to carry a conversation, but three dresses? Four dresses?! While the concept might seem just a tad extravagant, for the weddings that are taking place over a weekend with a welcome meal and a few full days of activities leading up to the declaration of love and celebration, more than one dress is perfectly reasonable!

“We've assisted some brides with up to three or four dresses, who are organizing multi-day weddings for cultural traditions. This can include a welcome party on the morning of the wedding, and is its own celebration before the ceremony and reception, so we'll help to find looks for the welcome party, the party before the ceremony, the ceremony dress, and then a reception dress.”

While the allure of multiple wedding dresses, both for convenience's sake and for the showstopping and breathtaking additions to the memory, the actual “how” of the ordeal still perplexes some brides. 

How fast should you be able to change from one dress to the other? Where do you store the second or third dress? When are you supposed to sneak away to change? Will your photographer(s) or videographer(s) be able to sneak away to capture these moments? 

Since Jessica’s introduction to the wedding industry started with photography, and being a bride with two dresses, she has an extensive source of knowledge and experience with the process of the big day.

“It doesn't happen often that I get to photograph the wedding as well, but when it does, it is a lot of fun to see the whole process through,” Jessica gleamed. “From the weddings I’ve photographed, I’ve seen both the choice to quietly make a change during cocktail hour, taking the time to privately do a surprise round of first looks with their spouse while their guests are otherwise distracted with the festivities; and I’ve also seen brides seize the opportunity to make a grand or theatrical entrance with their dress change to wow their crowd.”

“The venue I was married in had a locker room we were able to use to store my dress and change later, so I didn't necessarily practice my dress change, but I did give a lot of thought to when I wanted to do it. Originally, I thought maybe I would change when my husband was dancing with his mom, and then I could come out and we could do our first dance in the second dress, but I didn't want to miss that moment with his mom.” 

Some will change during cocktail hour and then make their entrance into the reception space unique and fun with the second dress, which guests are expecting about as much as the groom is typically! The surprise factor of the multi-dress act is a prominent lure to the choice for many brides, as well as the ability to more clearly separate the day’s celebrations.

“My husband didn’t know I had this planned, so it was all about finding the time to change into a whole other dress, because that process takes a while,” Jessica huffed in exhaustion at the memory. “And then I thought, when will I have time to have that moment with my husband and surprise him? There are important logistics to think through on your timeline. Essentially, when is the best time to sneak away? It's important to connect with your chosen venue about their process.”

As a photographer, Jessica suggested that before brides pick out their second or third dress for the occasion, they think about a few components of the planning and execution of the transformation: Does the venue you’ve booked or plan to book have somewhere to securely store multiple dresses for the dress change? How many photographers or videographers do you plan to book, and will one of them be able to capture the moments you change and surprise your spouse? Is there a photogenic space on-site your venue, separate from your guests, where you as a couple can have this private round of photos?

While she may have omitted a practice run or two from her schedule in changing from one dress to another, Jessica also already owned Tie the Knot, so the structure of each dress didn’t stall or puzzle her when the time came for her change. For first-time brides and those unfamiliar with wedding gowns and their various styles and shapes, changing from one dress to another and finding out how long the transformation may take you, could assist with a quicker transition.

No matter the reason you pick multiple dresses for the occasion, if you decide to conduct a theatrical reveal of your dress change, or save the big reveal for your partner, having some of these elements planned out and practiced can help lead to a flawless transition in your special day.

“We’re seeing more brides with this desire to create an experience for their guests, and the second dress is definitely a part of that,” Jessica concluded.

Still have questions about the process? About the dresses offered? Interested in booking your first consultation to view and try on their gorgeous dresses? Visit Tie the Knot’s website now to keep planning your dazzling day.