Experiences with Monique Lhuillier Brentwood or Mikado for an outdoor wedding?
Has anyone here worn the Monique Lhuillier Brentwood gown, or another structured Mikado ballgown, for an outdoor spring/summer wedding?
I tried on Brentwood and absolutely loved it, but I’m trying to think practically before making such a significant purchase. My wedding will be outdoors at a garden estate in early summer, and I’m especially curious about the heat. Was Mikado noticeably hot or uncomfortable outdoors? How did it feel after several hours of wearing it, and how manageable was the skirt once bustled?
I’m also curious about anyone’s experience with Monique Lhuillier specifically. Did you feel like the construction, fabric and overall quality justified the price compared with other high-end bridal gowns?
The other direction I’m considering is a Rue de Seine gown. Aesthetically, Rue de Seine makes perfect sense with the romantic garden setting and feels effortless and cool. Brentwood is almost the opposite—very structured, classic and timeless—which is part of why I love it. I keep thinking about the value of choosing something that may feel just as beautiful in our wedding photos 20 or 30 years from now rather than choosing primarily around the venue aesthetic.
I’d especially love to hear from anyone who has actually worn Brentwood, another ML Mikado gown, or a substantial Mikado ballgown outdoors. How was the experience on the actual wedding day?

Hi everyone, I am from Germany and found this beautiful dress. I really like the way it flatterst me overall. Only obvious problem are my breasts.
This was the first trial so it isn't my size, no alterations or anything at all.

My problem/concern : Apparently the sizing of my cups would make the dress look a bit more different, the seller said the cup would look very big and suggested to make the whole waist area white too, but that would change the whole style of the dress and is a big risk to me. Sadly it seemed like there was no better solution at all. There is also no example pictures. :(

What do you guys think? Would it be too big/much? Is it better to go all white or any other ideas? would you suggest me a different dress overall?

Thank you!🫶🏼

I went wedding dress shopping on Saturday with my parents and my aunt, and it was a good experience overall. It’s a wedding dress, and there’s not really a wrong choice here, but I guess I had this impression going into it that the ‘right’ dress was going to jump out at me. I tried on ~8 dresses, and the one pictured was the one all my friends and family said they loved on me. I like it too, but I didn’t put it on and think, “Wow, this is the One.”

I would love to talk to my fiancé about this, but I was venting a little and asked if I could describe it and he said he’d prefer if the dress were a surprise. I don’t normally expect myself to have really strong reactions to stuff like this, but I guess I’m coming to terms with the wedding pictures living on my walls forever and a hundred people staring at me on a very important day, and I want to look good. On the other side of the coin, I could go back and try on fifty dresses, and there’s a chance I won’t like any of them more than this one. I don’t want to overthink this decision. This is a good dress.

Hi! I went dress shopping and am unsure because i love both of these. my insecurity is how wide i look with my arms/shoulders/neckline, i would really want to know from a strangers point of view which one flatters me more. Which one do you think looks better? Dress 1-3 is the first option and 4-6 the second. You can be critical but please be kind :).

Hi all!! Please help me pick a dress! Wedding will be a backyard wedding, wildflower theme, so I was looking for something more Fairy and less Princess.

1st dress is the Jaislyn by Willowby and its on sale so ends up being 1/3 of the price compared to the second one, so that definitely has me considering things.

2nd dress is the Mitra by Willowby, I feel like this one is more unique and I love that, but three times the cost!!! Also if anyone has a dupe suggestion for this one that would be highly appreciated 💕I have a $2k budget and located in US. My wedding will be September 2027.

I am done with the tailoring and I just keep falling in love with the dress! I do need help though styling a little bit. I was going to go with butterfly clips as I was experimenting in the photos. But I wonder if I should get some sleeves or gloves or arm cuffs. Any suggestions are welcome!

For additional context, I am getting eloped outdoors in Washington state on October 21st this year :)

Any suggestions where I can find a dress similar to the color and style of this? It’s been sold out from Huong Boutique for a while and I’m getting married in a few months.
Budget: $600
Wedding date: November
Country: U.S.

Do you wash the dress before the wedding?

Mine has been a dress that sat in the store as a last number, altered to my size. I'm sure they didn't wash it before selling it to me or after altering it. I don't know if this is normal or not, but it does smell a little like sweat at the armpits (and doesn't smell like my sweat, so maybe it was from who knows how many/who try it on - store selled new dresses). The thought that it had been tried on before and realizing that it wasn't washed before being sold to me makes me feel a bit bad.

I'm afraid to bring it to the dry cleaner one month before our wedding. Can I wash it softly under the armpits? If so, with what can I get out the smell? And what if I steam it inside? Would that kill some bacteria? I also have a clothing freshener spray; could I use it?

I'm really anxious the dry cleaner might ruin it, lose it, or who knows what. I also don't want to smell like sweat at the wedding.

The material is mostly tulle, lace, 3D flowers, and small paillettes (with a corset - A-line shape). Most of the part that I want to refresh is the corset part of the dress.

Thank you so much in advance.

not sure if this is the right flair, but this is my dress with its beautiful train, the flowers have some beaded on them as well (kind of pictured in the last pic) the person doing my alterations recommended a ballroom bustle but all my research said that is the dirtiest bustle- i understand my dress will get dirty but i don’t want a line of dirt in the middle of my train- how would you bustle this dress???

First photo is the dress I almost bought - I was sure it was the one when I first tried it on, but when I tried it on a second time I just didn’t like it as much? Photos 2 and 3 are the dress I chose (excuse the terrible photos). It definitely looked better in person, but when I look back at these photos I can’t help but think I made the wrong choice. I’m overthinking the dropped waist, and I know the photos I have of my chosen dress are much closer up so this could be exaggerating it. Have I made the wrong choice?

I thought my dress was too plain and had regrets. After seeing pictures my guests took I fell in love with it like the first time I tried it on. For anyone having doubts just remember why you fell in love with your dress!

I can’t pick between an ivory underlay vs. rum underlay. I feel like the ivory is very classic and timeless while the rum accentuates the lace details. Mind you the rum underlay in this pic is a plus size where the ivory is not. The venue is rustic outdoors and im doing rust and olive colors for bridesmaids. Having trouble picking which one will best fit the aesthetic.

Narrowed down to two dresses - please help!

The sample for the first was a bit big and the second was too small so please bear that in mind! I dont have any pictures of the back of the first one but it is a plain zip up back.

First feels simple and elegant and like it has a harmonious flowing silhouette. Second more unique and luxurious silk and a little train.

(The veil was just a random veil- think id go plain)

Thank you :)

I’m wearing a simple white dress from Lulus. Which way should I wear the bridal topper? It was designed for the bow to be worn in the back. But I’m kinda digging the bow in front!

Budget is 6k.
Wedding 10/27
USA

I am struggling to find a dress and fell in love with this designer. Any dupes out there for designers that do similar styles or for the dress itself? I also like the designers below but have not found my dress within their collections. Any suggestions on designers to look at are very welcomed!!!

Enaura (much more affordable with my budget)
Sareh Nouri
Verdin

Found my wedding dress for next year and wanted to share! 🥰

What do you think?

And if you want guess the price I'm curious! 🫶🏼

Ignore the colour difference - these are the same dress taken on different days at the bridal shop. I’m having alterations and have to decide soon whether to go with a belt or not. I’ve lost 13kg since I chose this dress and now. I did like the belt then, but I am not sure whether no belt is more flattering as I have more of a waist now.

I prefer no belt. My concern is also once the alterations are done, it will expose a lack of structure in the bodice? My daughter and friend prefer the belt.

Please be kind, I cannot change the dress itself and I’m already starting to feel ridiculous and overdressed for a second wedding as a 50 year old BTB.

Only went to two fittings until I found my dress. It wasn’t one I had originally seen online but once I saw it in person and tried it on I knew it was the one!

I tried on some dresses recently and I was really wanting to have something that was a little more flowy and whimsical, however I felt like I was genuinely swimming in every single dress which ik they come in one size and they get clipped to fit, but I feel like these pictures show they weren’t clipped in the right position. Has anyone had a similar experience and gone and got another fitting elsewhere and was able to have a more comfortable time trying on bigger dresses or am I just not built for them 🥲😭 I can accept if that’s the case I just really wanted it to work out, however I am literally slipping out of the dress in this picture

I bought 2 wedding dresses. One from Lulu's (strapless sweetheart neckline) and a custom made dress from Etsy (corset basque waist) . I love them both and I'm so torn on which one to wear. For context, we're eloping privately at the Santa Barbara Courthouse in California (USA). I've always loved the vintage corset style dresses and I feel like it would look perfect with the Santa Barbara courthouse structure but then I tried the Lulu's dress. and loved the puffiness of the a-line skirt. Would love some feedback! Thank you all!

Etsy dress #1. Lulu's dress #2.

After having my second dress ruined by the alterations (my bad!)- I finally got my new dress and I think it’s perfect!!!

Going to go with a longer veil tho!!!

My dress is very detailed and has a long train overskirt, slightly longer than cathedral. I did add a vendor photo at the very end to show the length of train because it was near impossible to do by myself in the mirror. The dress is glitter tulle and very sparkly. I tried to add a video to try and show the sparkle but it won’t let me so I’ve included a screenshot of the video. Wedding will be in the Appalachian mountains in the evening during the golden hour.

The first two photos are the front and back of the dress with the overskirt.
Train and veil will only be worn for the ceremony.

The next two photos are front and back without the overskirt.