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One of the most popular fabrics used for wedding dresses, tulle is airy, dreamy and quite simply gorgeous. It adds a fairy-like weightlessness to a wedding dress and is ideal for ballgown, A-line and fishtail wedding dresses.
But tulle is also very delicate and needs to be handled with care. This can make it unsuitable for some venues and brides who want something a little more robust.
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of tulle wedding dresses and whether it’s the right choice for you.
What is Tulle?
Tulle (pronounced tool) comes from the French city Tulle, known for its production of lace and silk back in the 1800s. The fabric tulle is a very light, fine and stiff type of netting that can be made of a variety of fibers, such as silk, rayon or nylon. The most common fiber used to make tulle is polyester.
Tulle is very popular in the wedding industry, because it’s versatile and allows designers to create beautiful, elaborate designs. It’s commonly used in the following ways:
- Veils – It hides the bride’s face, while allowing her to see through the fabric.
- Skirts – Tulle allows the skirt to be puffy and airy without too much weight.
- Accenting – Tulle is often used as an accent to create a light, puffy, airy style for skirts, gowns and other types of attire.
- Illusion Panels – It’s ideal for creating illusion panels on a wedding dress
- Undergarments – Ideal for creating a stiff, large ballgown shape, tulle is often used to make underskirts and petticoats.
- Flowers – The fabric is sometimes used to create flowers and other accents for a 3D effect.
Tulle Wedding Dress Pros and Cons
If you’re not sure whether to opt for a tulle wedding dress, the following considerations should be able to help you decide.
Tulle wedding dress by Mywony Bridal. See it here.
Tulle overlay wedding dress by Hera Brides. See it here.
Tulle Wedding Dress Pros
- Tulle is lightweight and comfortable to wear. This means that it’s an ideal material for dresses that require volume, like large ballgown skirts, which can be worn without weighing the wearer down.
- Tulle allows the designer to create frothy, airy layers that give a dress a dreamy, ethereal appearance. Compared to fabrics like satin or chiffon, tulle provides volume like a cloud without looking bulky.
- Tulle suits most dress silhouettes, but looks best with ballgown, A-line, bridal separates, mermaid or trumpet. Tulle can work with more form fitting silhouettes, like sheath or empire, but is typically used as an overlay, to add detail and texture to the dress.
Tulle Wedding Dress Cons
- Tulle is extremely delicate and can easily tear, rip or get damaged in some way. This means that you may need to have repairs done just before the wedding and it also means you’ll have to handle your gown with care. As altering a tulle dress can be expensive, this is something you may wish to avoid as much as possible.
- Tulle doesn’t suit certain venues, notably outdoor locations like vineyards, barns, farms, the beach, woodlands or clifftops. This is because the material tends to catch and hold onto dirt and debris, like bits of grass, soil, sand, leaves or twigs.
- A tulle wedding dress isn’t ideal for a small, cramped location because the fabric tends to get snagged on objects. This can get annoying very quickly and can also result in a ripped wedding dress.
- A tulle wedding dress can be difficult to travel with, due to how delicate it is and how it attracts dirt and dust. It’s not the ideal choice for a destination wedding.
Tulle Wedding Dress – Tips and Advice
If your heart is set on the floaty, dreamy layers of a tulle wedding dress, you’re not the only one. Tulle isn’t one of the most favorite wedding gown fabrics for nothing. It’s advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, as long as you’re prepared.
Before choosing a tulle wedding dress, consider your wedding theme and venue, and how much help you will have from your bridal party. If there’s a mishap, will someone be on hand to help you pin up a tear or bustle your dress?
Next, consider how much effort you want to put into maintaining your dress. If you just want to throw on your dress and go to your wedding, with minimal effort, a tulle dress might not be the best option. If, however, you’re prepared to take care of your dress and give it the respect it deserves, you should be fine.
Finally, check a tulle wedding dress or veil very carefully before you purchase it, because most bridal stores will not accept responsibility for ripped tulle, unless you can prove that you didn’t do it. This is because tulle is so delicate anyway, that it’s easy to damage. It’s your responsibility to make sure everything is spick and span before you take that dress out of the store.
