Shopping for your wedding dress is one of the most important things you will do for your wedding.
And it can be become very overwhelming. But don’t panic! We are here to help you learn everything you need to know before buying a wedding dress. You are going to hear all kinds of advice, read many blogs and magazines that may scare you into thinking that finding your wedding dress is more complicated than it actually is. But have no fear, we are going to guide you through the entire process to find you the perfect dress!
Here are our 10 essential tips you need to know before starting your dress search.
Tip #1: Every bride has her own journey
Any bride that walks into a bridal boutique is going to have her own unique experience finding a dress. Remember, your experience is going to be different from your mom’s, your sister’s, and your friends’ buying experiences. It is not fair to compare their experience to yours. You may say yes to the dress at your first appointment while your friend had to look at multiple places to find her dress and that is perfectly fine! If you find the perfect dress at the first shop do not let other people make you feel like you have to keep looking. When you find the one that’s when you stop! Your journey is your journey, you have to remember that!
Tip #2: Avoid pin binge-ing
Pinterest can be a useful tool to help get a general idea of what you like and do not like. However, you can over do it and easily confuse yourself. Try to avoid getting stuck on a particular dress. You may not be able to find it or it may be outside of our budget which can be disappointing. Use Pinterest as a guide rather than rely on it to find the perfect dress. Let your bridal stylist see your Pinterest board and let her help you find the one.
Tip #3: Set a dress budget
Before buying a dress or even stepping foot into a bridal boutique, be realistic about what you want to spend. Also be mindful about other costs other than the price of the dress, you will have to spend additional money for alterations, shoes, and accessories. You may want to factor those costs into your overall budget that way you are not spending more money than originally intended. If you are on a tight budget, you may want to consider attending trunk shows and sample sales to take advantage of special discounts. I mean who can resist a good bargain?
Tip #4: Do your homework
One of the hardest brides have to decide is how they want to look on their wedding day. Figuring out the theme or feel, or expressing your overall vision can be difficult to communicate. Take a look at bridal magazines, create a mood board and do some research to come up with some different ideas for your overall wedding. You may find out that you are drawn to a certain style of dress or if you like lace, beading, or a simple look. All of this information will help you narrow down what you love and find the perfect dress.
Tip #5: Give yourself time
It’s never too early to start looking for your wedding dress. Schedule your appointment a few weeks in advance to get your entourage together. You’ll want to make sure the important people can attend that way when you find the dress they will all be with you. Also, you want to keep in mind the whole process will take about 8-9 months, 4-6 months to get your dress and about 3 months for alterations. You definitely want to give yourself plenty of time to avoid any unnecessary dress stress. Once you buy your dress you can focus on other elements of your wedding. Check it off the list!
Tip #6: Dont be afraid to say yes
The whole goal of dress shopping is to find your wedding dress. Go into your appointment knowing youre going to be buying something, that’s the whole point! If you go into an appointment with a negative outlook more than likely you will leave with nothing and feel disappointed. Be open minded and positive, you may surprise yourself and fall in love with something the first time!
Tip #7: Dont bring the big entourage
Bring the most essential people to your appointment. Bring the essential people like your mother, sister or maid of honor, not everyone needs to be included in the decision making process. Having too many opinions and voices becomes overwhelming and can discourage you from buying a dress you love. You want your voice to be heard, remember it’s your wedding day, not theirs! Tell your bridal party you want to wait to show them your dress. Besides it’s way more fun to surprise everyone with your dress on your wedding day!
Tip #8: Be open minded
If you are not sure what you are looking for that is totally fine! You may not know what you actually like until you start trying dresses on. Come to your appointment with an open mind. You may come in thinking you want one silhouette but end up buying the complete opposite! But you won’t know until you start trying on. Your stylist may suggest a few dresses you would’ve never picked out yourself but just go with it! Have fun trying on dresses! How many times do you get chance to try on wedding gowns? Don’t be afraid to go outside of the box. The worst thing that could happen is that you say no to something. But you may just end up finding the perfect one!
Tip #9: Bring the right undergarment
if you have a favorite strapless bra or shape-wear bring it with you. You want to feel as comfortable as possible trying on dresses. If a certain undergarment makes you feel like a million definitely bring it with you! Having the right undergarments will give you an even better idea of what the dress is going to look like when it’s yours. A good undergarment can make the difference of you liking the dress or not.
Tip #10: Most importantly HAVE FUN
How many times in your life are you going to be able to try on wedding gowns? (Lets hope its only once!) You are buying a dress for one of the most important days of your life. But have some fun trying on dresses and enjoy the experience! Do not over analyze every dress, you will drive yourself crazy! Have fun! Listen to your instincts and enjoy the moment. Remember you are not going to remember what was said in that moment, you are going to remember how you felt in that moment! Ready to find your perfect dress? Book your appointment today! Curious about what style fits your personality? Take our quiz to find out! Also we would love to invite you to our Be More Inspired Annual Bubbly Soiree February 24th at 7pm! Mix and mingle while sipping some bubbly and enjoy a chance to win over ten amazing giveaways from all of the creative partners of Be More Inspired.