Shopping for wedding dresses should have your heart fluttering with excitement, not quickening with anxiety.
Unfortunately, finding the “right” dress for your big day can easily become a stressful endeavor. Thankfully, we’ve put together a list of six wedding dress shopping tips to ensure that finding a gown is as fun and stress-free as possible.
1.
Only Bring Your Three Closest Friends/Family Members
Picking out your wedding gown is a momentous occasion. Because of this, you may want to invite your entire family and a good portion of your Facebook friends. However, everyone comes with a different set of opinions, and too many opinions can quickly become overwhelming. I’m sure you’ve heard, “Too many cooks spoil the broth”…well, too many friends can spoil your mood. Three is the perfect number of people. That’s why most game shows have three judges. Trust in the game show formula: you’ll be able to receive varying opinions, while staying on track.
2.
Keep an Open Mind
You might have a very specific idea of what type of gown you want to wear. However, if you have never tried on wedding dresses, you have yet to see how you look in different styles. Your dream gown online might be a nightmare in person. To avoid total heartbreak, don’t be too attached to one or two gowns. Be flexible, and you just might find a new dream gown where you least expect it.
3.
Listen to your Stylist…they’re the professionals
Doctors are often confronted with patients who believe they have all the answers. They have scrolled through WebMD for over two hours and now believe they are more knowledgeable than the doctors themselves. At wedding shops, stylists are the doctors…of wedding gowns. It’s a bit of an exaggeration, but all I mean is that stylists know what they’re talking about! They are not just knowledgeable about the store selection. They have helped hundreds, if not thousands of brides in the past, and they know the most flattering styles for different body types. Of course, the decision is ultimately yours! But, it does not hurt to hear a professional opinion.
4.
Bring your own shoes and undergarments
When trying on your gown, you want to get the clearest picture of how you’ll look on your wedding day. So, if you know you’ll be wearing two inch heels, bring those heels to your appointment. Shoes can alter a look. You want to make sure that the perfect dress is still perfect after it has been lifted two inches off the ground. For dresses without a corset, a bride will usually wear a strapless bra. A zebra print or hot pink strap can completely throw off the look. To see how you’ll really look on your special day, bring along a strapless bra as well.
5.
Think about your budget prior to the appointment
By looking at your wedding budget beforehand, you’ll have a much better idea of how much money you’re willing to spend on the dress. Grasping the overall cost of the wedding also allows you to be flexible. It is important that you know how the price of your dress will affect the rest of your wedding, and what you are willing to compromise. If you find a lovely dress under budget, you may be able to spend more on elaborate flower arrangements. However, if you absolutely fall in love with a dress that is over your budget…perhaps you can live without those extra roses.
6.
Plan in Advance!
Procrastination is unfortunately not an option. Despite the habits you developed in high school, you simply cannot cram all your shopping into weeks, or even months before the wedding. This is because most dresses are not sold off the rack, but are instead shipped. These dresses can take upwards of 8 months to a year before they arrive at your doorstep. While some designers provide rush shipping, this can quickly get costly. The smart thing to do is plan ahead, and get shopping AT LEAST a year in advance.
Hopefully these tips will allow you to shop with ease, let loose and have fun!
But we guarantee you will find that dream gown. Just try and enjoy the process!