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Nothing compares to a royal wedding when it comes to ratings. An estimated two billion people watched Prince William and Kate Middleton tie the knot on April 29th, 2011. If that number is accurate, that means that nearly one in every three people witnessed the royal wedding, either in person or on television. How does someone handle that kind of pressure … billions of eyes on them? Answer: She wears a killer dress.

Miss Middleton walked down the aisle in a stunning designer gown that cost around 40,000 dollars.

The dress was handmade by a top couturier, and it had all the bells and whistles. Lace appliqué, a nine foot train, and a shimmering silk ivory-tulle veil were only the appetizers. The world's most talked about gown was made from English Cluny lace and French Chantilly lace through the bodice and the underskirt. The actual skirt was composed of white satin gazar and was designed to resemble an opening flower. It will be put on public display this summer at Buckingham Place.

Few girls can afford to wear a dress like Kate's on their wedding day. After all, they do not have a budget of twenty million pounds. The average bride-to-be spends about a thousand dollars on her bridal gown. But costs are on the rise as more and more brides are requesting the little extras.

The term "no-frills" was first used to describe a dress that was rather plain. These gowns lacked ruffles, flounces and frills, of course. They were popular with brides of all social stations. Believe it or not, most wealthy women did not wear fancy or elaborate wedding gowns until fairly recently. Even royal brides wore dresses they had worn before.

The now traditional white wedding was created in 1840, when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in an elaborate white wedding gown. The bridal industry has never been the same.

Most modern brides-to-be want the fairy tale. They want to walk down the aisle in a dress that has all the frills and furbelows it can carry.

The Little Extras

Men sometimes wonder why women want, even demand, unnecessary accessories. This goes double on the wedding day, when all these little extras really do add up. A simple, unadorned wedding gown can be purchased for only a few hundred dollars. But a designer dress with lace, ruffles and frills can go for thousands of dollars. So why do women want them?

Even though they can cost an arm and a leg, a gown with all the little extras screams femininity. When they are properly applied, these "unnecessary" accessories add elegance to an otherwise plain dress.

They can also be used to balance out or conceal problem areas for larger brides.

Accessories by Body Type

Frills and flounces are all over the catwalks laately. The bridal industry is booming and most of the top designers make wedding dresses. Of course, most modern brides do not fit into column dresses that were made for models. They have curves and they require dresses that flatter their slightly larger figures. Ruffles and frills are often used on these gowns.

Millions of American women carry extra weight in their hips, thighs, and backsides. When fitted for a formal gown, they are often described as pear shaped. The problem these women have is that most dresses do flatter their figures. They often appear bottom heavy in wedding photographs. Adding volume is really the only way to balance out problem areas and the easiest and most affordable way to do that is with ruffles.

A few ruffles or frills on the top half of a dress for a pear-shaped woman can create the illusion of balance. The only danger is overdoing it. One too many ruffles can and probably will make your dress look too complicated.

A Few Helpful Hints

Ruffles and frills work best on plain dresses.

An already ornate gown will look overdone if anything is added to it. When ruffles are added because of body type, the rest of the dress should be simple and clean. This includes other bridal accessories like the veil, the train and the shoes. Too much makeup, jewelry and a complicated coiffure can also detract from the dress.

It is always best to keep it simple. A plain gown with a few furbelows can complete almost any figure.

Where to go?

Ruffles and frills are almost always added to wedding dresses; they rarely come that way. Although the project is simple, it is rarely a good idea to do it on your own. Wedding gowns are expensive, and one misplaced stitch could end up costing a fortune. Experienced seamstresses are kept on staff at most bridal salons, boutiques and warehouses. They can handle all of your alteration needs.

Ruffles, frills, and flounces can be added to almost any wedding gown by a professional seamstress. Find your favorite designs, complete with all the frills you desire now online.

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Source by Scott Payne