Difference between temple dress & bridal gown?

[Bini]

So my little sister and her fiance will be tying the knot this November. They'll be sealed in the temple and all that good stuff. I read on her Fb that she's picked out a "ridiculously fluffy white dress" and that's a quote. I haven't seen pictures yet of this gown but it sounds fancy, despite my sister being such a tomboy.. I vaguely recall my mum telling me that my sister was having a temple dress tailored. I assumed that this dress would be the outfit she wore while actually inside the temple doing her ordinances etc.. But now it seems as though my sister has scratched that idea and is actually buying a regular bridal gown. So what is the difference between a temple dress and a bridal gown? Can they be the same thing? Can you wear a regular bridal gown to be sealed etc?

Not sure how detailed this can be discussed. Hubby and I do not hold temple recommends. And I'm just curious.

[Dravin]

There are standards of modesty, decorum* (talk with your particular temple for details), color (can't be off-white), that can get a dress ixnayed for wearing in the temple. You'd need two dresses if your wedding dress is considered inappropriate by the temple for one or more of the mentioned reasons.

* Sequined or super puffy or what have you

[Guest]

My niece had a beautiful ivory lace gown that she couldn't wear in the temple because of color. She just wore a rental during her sealing and the gown for pictures, reception, etc. My friend bought a temple dress (white, long-sleeved, fairly simple, floor-length) and wore it her whole day, then used it thereafter as her temple dress. My wedding gown was simple, but short-sleeved and with a small train. I had a seamstress that was schooled in what temple-readiness required and made my train so that it could be bustled up, and then the temple had inserts for the sleeves and shoulders/neckline for more coverage (not that it was revealing, in fact it covered my garments with no problem; it was just not up to temple requirements) so I was able to wear mine for both the sealing and the reception. There are a lot of ways to go.

[applepansy]

A wedding dress can be worn for her ordinances as long as the neck is high enough, the sleeves long and its white. A "ridiculously fluffy white dress" is sort of a nuisance in an endowment session, but everyone in the session including the temple workers will smile and be happy for the bride. She should wear it for her sealing provided its up to temple standards. The best way to really know for sure is contact the temple she'll be attending. Not all temples have all the little bits and pieces to make a modern wedding dress appropriate for the temple, even if it covers the garment.

I wish your sister all the best. Weddings are fun! :)

[beefche]

A temple dress used for temple ordinances resembles a nightgown. Of course it can be made however you wish as long as the sleeves go to the wrists, the hem goes to the ankles and the neckline covers the chest (usually up past the collarbones). The dress must be completely white and thick enough to not show your undergarments...although most women will wear a slip in addition to a lined dress. It can be a shirt/skirt combination, but most women I've seen in the temple wear an actual dress.

A woman can choose to wear a temple dress or wedding dress for a sealing. The general standards are the same for a wedding dress (meaning, no strapless gowns are acceptable), but sometimes the sleeves are not down to the wrists or more chest is shown (not indecent, just more than a temple dress). Most temples will have some kind of covering for you to use if your wedding dress isn't up to the standards (as Eowyn mentioned, sleeve inserts or a bolero jacket or something).

Each temple has some kind of guidelines they use as far as "bling" on a wedding dress. Most agree that excessive rhinestones or pearls or other bling isn't appropriate. When I called the Louisville Temple to find out about a wedding dress, they said that the temple president/matron do not approve of too much rhinestones. When I called the Bountiful Temple, I was told that some rhinestones were fine.

The other issue is the train. Any train must be bustled while in the temple. Too many areas for the train to be stepped on or ripped. One must also be aware that too poofy (think huge hoop skirt things) will not fit in the seats or through the doorway (some poof is ok, as in using tulle to poof it out).

I think in general, most women wear a wedding dress with little bling on it to the sealing. Then once the wedding is over and they return to the temple for temple sessions, they use their normal temple dress.

[Maureen]

This is a great question.

I am also wondering if, a bride can go through the temple to receive her endowments a couple weeks before the wedding; and then, on the wedding day, the couple can just do the sealing without having to go through a full session?

M.

[beefche]

I recommend that a person (male or female) who is not endowed go to the temple on a day other than their sealing day. Once a person gets a temple recommend, they can go to the temple. I know for couples outside of Utah, getting to the temple is often an expense of time and money, so they will combine the experiences to save on time/money.

The temples actually do not recommend (and may even not permit, though I'm not sure on that) that couples do an endowment session prior to the sealing. I know when I called Bountiful temple for my sealing, the lady said that we weren't allowed to have a session solely for family/friends. I think she meant that I couldn't reserve an endowment session for only my family/friends. I'm sure we could attend a session, but there would be other patrons not related/known to us in the session as well.

[Maureen]

So then the norm nowadays, is for the couple to just do the sealing on their wedding day?

Back in the '70s when my friend got married, she and her husband went through an endowment session before being sealed. For those of us waiting outside, we waited for a good 3 hours.

M.

[beefche]

I'm not sure it's the norm, per se. But, I know of several couples who have recently married and the unendowed bride received her endowments the night before the sealing. Or the couples I know where both were already endowed, just had the sealing.

[Gwen]

I was endowed several weeks before the sealing and I would suggest that, especially if there is travel involved in going to the temple. I know it's a lot of extra expense but a first time going to the temple can take awhile. If the clothing center (assuming they even have one where you go and you didn't have to order garments unseen off the internet) is closed when you come out you have no way of exchanging the wrong size garments that day. That was the case for me, even going smaller in size they were huge. I had to return by mail and it took some time to get proper fitting garments. I would have been devastated to have to be married and leave on my honeymoon with the ones I had the day I walked out. It's also good to have time to process your endowment separate from the sealing. I think we often forget they are 2 separate ordinances.

As for the dress she really does need to talk to the temple. Some will allow for more if it's a marriage only than when you are doing normal proxy work. Some temples have also had to tighten the rules because of ppl trying to push the limit. The basic standard leaves a lot of room for a very nice wedding dress.

[Bini]

Thanks guys. I think I'm understanding now.

For some reason, I was under the impression that a temple dress was what women wore while actually inside the temple. From what I'd seen of my mum's, her temple dress was really very simple, with not much to it at all but very flattering. It had a 60's style to it. I still think it's very feminine and quite a lovely piece. But then, I thought the bridal gown was only worn prior (for photos etc) and after (for reception etc). Only my sister is not having a reception nor is she having professional photos taken. As far as I'm aware of, their just doing the temple and then they're literally headed out on their honeymoon. She's only having the one dress/gown, so that's why I asked what I did. I wasn't sure the difference between the two outfits but I get it now. Really, it depends on whether the dress/gown meets the requirements of the temple.

[Backroads]

I received my endowments three days before my wedding.

I bought a temple dress and a wedding dress. In my mind they were separate. I was sealed in the temple dress. Then I changed into my wedding dress to leave the temple. Seems to be pretty common thing to do in Utah.

I am quite pleased with my decision.

[Gwen]

I chose to have a more subtle (compared to the world's standard) wedding dress that I used for my sealing and outside for pics.

I also have my "everyday" temple dress that I used for my endowments and used for proxy work.

[Maureen]

If a bride chose to just have one dress and it had short sleeves, she would need to wear additional covers for her arms, is that correct?

M.

[beefche]

Yes, she could either bring something which covered her arms while in the temple, or the temple usually has a sweater or jacket or some type of covering for her to use. Again, this is only while in the temple.

I had to wear a jacket since my sleeves were 3/4 (to my forearm) and the bodice didn't cover my whole chest. Once I was done with the ordinance, I removed the jacket for the pictures outside the temple on temple grounds.

[Dravin]

If a bride chose to just have one dress and it had short sleeves, she would need to wear additional covers for her arms, is that correct?

M.

Yes. Basically there is a temple dress standard, if you want to use your wedding dress in that capacity it has to meet that standard either as tailored or by the addition of sleeve inserts or a bolero jacket as Beefche mentioned.

[jonathan2340]

temple dress is only to wear for going to temple but gowns are wear for all occasions like wedding, parties and all many other events. Keep it up.

[Guest]

This thread made me look up LDS wedding dresses. I found this one and I thought it was super pretty! I would probably line the gown with intricate embroidery though.

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSghJ5scZ6K4TwqVseeVvjRHwv9oFERCzCTFNrbEEVyOfCyRZ-2k2edFd2GZA

And it can be worn as a temple dress too, seems like.

As far as LDS Temple Weddings go, you can have a wedding dress separate from a temple dress. The temple dress can be worn every time you go to the temple and keep the wedding dress as a souvenir. But, you can also just not bother with a wedding dress and just shell out the money for a nice temple dress as your wedding dress that you can wear again next time you go to the temple - saves you money to put down on a nice house/apartment. Or, do it like I did - have a temple standard wedding dress that I wore to endowment and sealing and kept as a souvenir that I never wore again. I rented a temple dress (yeah, looked like a night gown) on the few times I went after the sealing until I finally bought my own temple dress.

[applepansy]

This thread made me look up LDS wedding dresses. I found this one and I thought it was super pretty! I would probably line the gown with intricate embroidery though.

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSghJ5scZ6K4TwqVseeVvjRHwv9oFERCzCTFNrbEEVyOfCyRZ-2k2edFd2GZA

And it can be worn as a temple dress too, seems like.

As far as LDS Temple Weddings go, you can have a wedding dress separate from a temple dress. The temple dress can be worn every time you go to the temple and keep the wedding dress as a souvenir. But, you can also just not bother with a wedding dress and just shell out the money for a nice temple dress as your wedding dress that you can wear again next time you go to the temple - saves you money to put down on a nice house/apartment. Or, do it like I did - have a temple standard wedding dress that I wore to endowment and sealing and kept as a souvenir that I never wore again. I rented a temple dress (yeah, looked like a night gown) on the few times I went after the sealing until I finally bought my own temple dress.

Its very pretty. I agree with adding the embroidery.

The skirt would be cumbersome in a endowment session.

[Guest]

Its very pretty. I agree with adding the embroidery.

The skirt would be cumbersome in a endowment session.

You're right.

Look at this. This is even better:

I'll probably replace the fur collar and cuffs for thick lace though and raise the neckline a bit.

Man, googling this stuff just gave me an idea. I think I can make a really good business making bridal temple dresses. It's quite difficult to google bridal dresses that are also temple appropriate that doesn't look like a plain shiny bed sheet.

[Guest]

OOOOH!!! Check this out! I love this one!

It's not white enough... but if it was, it would be great!

[Guest]

OOOHHHH!!! This doesn't show the full gown but look at that embroidery! I LOVE IT. Is this embroidery acceptable in the temple?

[Guest]

Last one:

Oscar de la Renta here (can't tell from the picture if the lace is see-through):

But this gown has perfect form.

[Backroads]

My wedding dress was extremely puffy in the skirt (yay!) and while I did see some wedding dresses whilst that would have been convenient to actually be married/sealed in, I just wore my temple dress for the sealing. Because I liked my dress and it was going to my dress.

However, if I had not done a reception, I probably would have made more of a point of picking a temple-handy wedding dress as my wedding day would have consisted of the temple and some pictures on the temple grounds. No need for a dress to show off at the reception.

[Backroads]

anatess, stop showing dresses!

You're making me impatient for my sister's boyfriend to finish his mission (which he won't be doing for a year and then he'll probably have a year and half of serving) so they can hurry up and get married so I can go dress shopping with her.

*pouts*