I suggest using natural fabrics like silk, not polyesters. There are many beautiful polyesters out there, but they are much harder to handle than silk. Silk is always beautiful.

Is your seamstress a professional? She may have preferences or suggestions.

All the fabrics you mention come in silk; what you choose depends on the style of dress and the look you want.

Sherrmann,
You mentioned that all the fabrics I mentioned come in silks.
Can you tell me a good place to find them. I am only finding satins in acetate, and dutch satin in polyester.
Thanks for your help

Are you looking for an on-line source? I've never bought on-line fabric.

Where I live, I can buy silks at JoAnn Fabrics, Hancock Fabrics, and Vogue Fabrics. Vogue has the best and biggest selection, by far. You can get an idea from this link to Vogue.

There are many kinds and shades of silk. I made my dtr's wedding dress and all her attendants' gowns of silk dupioni. Very beautiful.

I'm not quite sure what you're trying to do. Is this for yourself? Do you have a seamstress?

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.voguefabricsstore.com/store/home.php

I guess I should have explained what I wanted to do. I do have a seamstress and I do know that she has made wedding dresses before.
When I show her the photo of the dress or she comes with me to the store to look at it, I know she will suggest a fabric. I just wanted to have an idea of prices and the different options of fabrics before I went so I have an idea of what she is talking about. I also want to make sure that she goes with the best material for dress and one that is not too cheap neither too expensive.
For example. I was thinking dutchess satin in 100% silk. But I read now that it has no drape and is not fluid.
Perhaps I need a satin that is a blend. So confusing.

I think a big part of deciding on the fabric is choosing a style for the dress. Do you want something fluid and drapey, or with more form and shape. I would pick a pattern or style first.

Here is the only photo I have of dress. It shows most of the dress. Any suggestions for the type of material I need for this to fall nicely and not be to heavy.

{{!gwi}}

Pretty dress, very elegant. The dress has a beautiful drape to it, so you definitely need a soft, drapable, lustrous fabric. Silk Peau de Soie would do it, with just the right amount of lustre, I think. Looks like the dress may have a layer of organza over it, too, but maybe not.

Will you be able to go to a major fabric store to select fabrics and laces? The "hand" of the fabric is crucial to the drape of the dress. I hope your seamstress will go with you; her input will be critical. Unless you go to a major store like Vogue (near Chicago) the sales people in regular stores will be helpful, but in my opinion they don't have the expertise you will need. This is a very important dress, after all.

Thanks Sherrmann for your help. Yes my seamstress will come with me for sure. And we do have a good selection of stores near by. I just wanted to know what I should be looking at, so that after I get her opinions on what to use, I can mention mine and see what she thinks or the differences.
Thanks so much for your help.

Forgot one more question.
Peau de soie seems to come in 100% silk or 100% polyster or a mix of silk and rayon..
Could you explain to me the differences?
Thanks

Sorry, lyban, I don't know the difference. I just know that I usually hate sewing polyesters, even though they can be very beautiful, because the don't handle well.

I also think they are very hot to wear. Your dress will be tight, lined and boned, so it may be hot made of poly.

Peau de soie is a heavier type satin, very beautiful but definitely not a light weight fabric. If you live near NYC, go down to the fashion district around 7th Ave. I was there last weekend, looking for beaded laces. There are dozens of fabrics stores, trim and lace stores, the selection is amazing, I found just what I wanted. Plus a day in NYC is always fun! I find that the chain stores like Joann don't have much selection, if you are looking for something really special. I have ordered from Supreme Novelty Fabrics in Chicago for fabric too, many times. They will send swatches if you tell them what you're interested in. Their website (google it for the site address) is not the greatest, its been under construction forever but they are a reputable company that has been in business a long time. They have a large selection of bridal fabrics and laces and I have always been very pleased with their quality and service. Silk, of course is the preferred fabric. It breathes well, is always elegant and beautiful. It does cost more than polyester though. Polyester does not wrinkle though, which is a big plus, you won't get that crushed look in the back from sitting down. A quality polyester does make a beautiful dress, for a lot less money than silk. But, if you aren't using french beaded laces, or too much beaded trim, you can do a silk dress for a reasonable price. Those beaded laces are what cost. (I've seen them for over $250 a yard.) Deinitely get your seamstress to help you choose the fabric. There is nothing that fits, or looks as good as a custom made dress.

hpny2,
Thanks for that info. In the photo above of the dress, I will not be putting on the beads. No lace or beading. I find all sites online have such a different descp. of their silks and content and prices. Unfortunaely, I do not live near NYC. ( I wish). Do you think that I could get the above dress made with a good silk in a size 16 for 350.00 just for material.

It's hard to say how much material would be needed, as the picture shows just the front bodice of the dress. The fullness and silhouette of the skirt and length of the train are unknown to us, unless there is another picture available.

Your seamstress would be in a good position to answer these questions, but I'd conservatively guess 6-7 yards for dress, the same amount for an overlay, if that's what we're seeing, plus almost the same amount for lining.

It could easily come to 20 yards or so, plus underlining, boning, hair braid, zipper. If it has anything but a straight silhouette, the lining may have layers of tulle attached to support the skirt.

You say you don't sew, just to give you a heads up, sewing patterns have a different sizing standard than ready-to-wear. I wear a 10 off the rack, and a 16 in patterns.

Thank you everyone for the replies so far.
Here is another photo of the dress. I want it to have a very short train, I think it is called chapel lenghth. Also I think this is what they call a slim A line dress but I am not sure. I do not want to much pouffiness on bottom so probably a little less crinolin than in photo. There is no overlay so I am not sure what everyoe is seeing in the photo.
Anyways, am I on the right track by calling this a slim A line dress or what would you call it. I do not want it to be tight fitting all the way down.
I went for a drive yesterday and to a bigger store here in Canada and they have 100% silk satin at 56.00 (54 inches) and 100% poly at 10.00 or 15.00 for a better one (60 inches)The lady there suggested poly because it won't wrinkle and she says to line it with Bamberg for the anti-stacic and make it cooler. I am not concerned about the money, I just want it to be as nice as possible. But now the wrinkling scares me in the silk. Also I know that in a pettern you take a larger size and I still feel that in a pettern I would be between 16-18.
{{!gwi}}

That's a beautiful gown, very classy looking.

I made my first wedding dress of peau de soie. Like yours, it had simple classic lines. I chose that material because it had such a rich luster to it, and wasn't 'shiny'. To me the soft glowing sheen looked rich. It is a thicker material, and held the shape very well but I am not so sure how it would work with the draping, and am concerned it would make the folds too pronounced or add bulk to the lines. I think it would be easy enough to look at it on a bolt, and 'play' with it a little to see how it lays.

This was back in the mid-sixties and I have no idea what I paid for the material, but I thought it was ungodly expensive then, lol. So, I may very well have gotten the silk and not the polyester. I got married in mid August, and don't remember the dress being too hot and the church was not air conditioned. It was easy to sew too, for a formal material but one thing I noticed was that you'd better get the seams spot on the first time, as the needle holes were visible if you had to take a seam out.

Be very, very careful on your pattern sizing. I hadn't made myself clothes for a good many years, and bought a pattern for a blouse a few months ago a size larger than I'd pick for a blouse off the rack. I ended up letting every seam out to the maximum to get into it. This is a dress I'd make a muslin dummy first on, so that the alterations can be made on the muslin and use that for the pattern.

Thank you Calliope for that info. I finally saw the dress again last night in person and my seamstress came with me. She now tells me it is not a satin but a taffeta. She says that is a better material for holding the folds in the rusching and suggests a winter white with a medium lustre.
So our next step will be looking at fabrics again.