where do i get dressed?

manduria

i'm sorry if this is a really stupid question but i am wondering where will i get dressed on my wedding day? my house isn't near to the church so that's not an option... do most catholic churches provide rooms for the bride and groom to get ready in or will i have to rent a hotel room nearby or something?

mica178

My church had an area for me to get dressed before the ceremony.  It was close to (but separate from) the area where the priest gets ready for services and where the robes and candles and cross are stored.  H got dressed at his hotel but "prepared" (drinks with groomsmen, last minute ties and boutonnieres) in the parish hall.

Ask the church coordinator what brides usually do at the church.

catarntina

I got dressed in the crying room.  My girls were already dressed before they got to the church.  The men were also already dressed before they got to the church, and then put on their bouts in the hallway.

Tami87

As previous posters said, it probably varies by church. I would ask yours and find out what brides normally do. Mine told me that there is a small room where I may get ready but the rest of the WP need to come dressed.

I was thinking about getting a suite in the hotel for my girls and I to stay in the night before the wedding and do hair and makeup there in the morning as well as have all the bridesmaids get dressed. All of us will be coming from OOT so we will need a place to stay anyway. I haven't decided yet if I will get dressed at the church. This plan also depends on my hair stylist being willing to come to me, but I have a lot of time to figure it out, these are just some ideas floating around in my head.

Hope61

Depends on the church. My church does not have an area for me to get dressed (just a semi-closed off area for last minute touch-ups or whatever). So I'll get dressed at the hotel even though its 20+minutes from the church...

mica178

We had a suite nearby the church for our hair and makeup, and the BMs all got dressed there.  Only I dressed at the church, since I was the one with the big train.

[Deleted User]

Our church had what they called the bridal room. My BM's, FG's and I got dressed in there. Some of us even did our make-up in there.

H and the guys used a small back room somewhere. I never went in there obviously, but I know it was tight.

lisa89760

I'm actually not technically allowed to get dressed at the church even though we have our own room.  I worked something out with my uncle (the priest) and the wedding coordinator where I just explained how clumsy I am and I don't want to ruin the dress before the ceremony.  The wedding coordinators response was well we can't really stop you if you don't show up with your dress on.

I'm having my make up and hair done at my mom's so it is literally me stepping into my dress.

Calypso1977

how far are you from teh church?  we live half an hour from ours, so i just got dressed at home.  i didnt get that wrinkled on the car ride.

otherwise, how close is your reception location?  would they have a room you can use?

lisa makes a good point too.  depending upon where you hair, etc. is done, it might just be literally stepping into your dress.  is teh church bathroom big enough for you to do that in?

newlyseliski

I'm facing the same dilemma   We need to do most of our photos before the ceremony, but can't get into the dressing room until 1 1/2 hours before the ceremony time!  I'll be hunting for a nearby hotel...

We have a designated room at our church for the bride and wedding party to get dressed and for last minute touch-ups; they don't permit us to get all of our hair and makeup done there.  The guys are expected to show up dressed!  There is no room available for them to use.

Riss91

We got dressed at the hotel which was about 15 minutes from the church. I didn't ask if I could get dressed at the church bc I didn't think htat was common anymore. It makes a lot of sense, though especially if you don't want to wrinkle anything.

We had a party bus bring us from the hotel to the church, so I was able to stand the whole way and surf on in. It was pretty funny.

Calypso1977

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_dressed?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:615Discussion:fa6eb191-e5f6-461c-9dd2-1e5bbe61971bPost:7f8dc4dd-2373-4a4f-b0e2-aa294c072e55">Re: where do i get dressed?</a>:
[QUOTE] so I was able to stand the whole way and surf on in. It was pretty funny.
Posted by Riss91[/QUOTE]

haha, i love the visual.

rombacja

We have a community center that we'll be doing last minute touch ups and I'll technically step into my dress, but all of the major stuff will be done at my apartment - hair makeup and all that jazz.

[Deleted User]

Then I would probably get dressed at the community center as long as it is not far from the church.

bel138

Our church didn't have a place, unless we wanted to get changed in the basement bathroom. No thanks. So the girls came to my suite at the hotel, which was about 30 minutes away. We then went to the Arby's drive through on the way to the church, and I stuffed a sandwich in my face because I hadn't eaten all day. Glamorous.

mcdol3

We're at a hotel 15 - 20 minutes from the church. The boys are getting dressed and ready at the church. (FI is thrilled about that since now he doesn't need to put his suit on really early)

lindsaynewbride10

This is a question for the ceremony coordinator/priest/deacon that you're working with at your parish.

clearheavens

I know I'm not much help, but I also think your church coordinator or priest would be able to answer this question best.  We don't know the set-up of your church.  Some churches are large where they have hospitality rooms or a hall next door, some don't.

jimanderin

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_dressed?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:615Discussion:fa6eb191-e5f6-461c-9dd2-1e5bbe61971bPost:7f8dc4dd-2373-4a4f-b0e2-aa294c072e55">Re: where do i get dressed?</a>:
[QUOTE]We got dressed at the hotel which was about 15 minutes from the church. I didn't ask if I could get dressed at the church bc I didn't think htat was common anymore. It makes a lot of sense, though especially if you don't want to wrinkle anything. We had a party bus bring us from the hotel to the church, so I was able to stand the whole way and surf on in. It was pretty funny.
Posted by Riss91[/QUOTE]



Lol, love this because i plan on doing this as well. The church i am getting married in is about hundred years old so it doesnt really have alot of room. So we are gettign ready at the hotel about 20 min away... i plan on doing the surf in our limo bus as well :)

manduria

I confirmed with the church secretary that there is a room I can use to get dressed so I should be ok! thanks for all the advice!