Today I thought I would share a few valuable tips with you on how to get the most from your wedding dress shopping.
First and foremost, head on over to Pinterest and create yourself a board of your perfect wedding dress. At this stage, be open and pin freely, you can always go back and re-assess. Think about what you might like to show off, what are your strong features. Do you want sleeves, a low back, a full skirt. Think about how you want to feel on the day. Also the style/vibe of the wedding day and the location and type of venue you are getting married at. A church wedding followed by a reception in a country house is a very differnt vibe to festival wedding in a field.
Now you have an idea of the kind of wedding dress you want you need start looking for boutiques to visit but first think about your time; how far you are prepared to travel and when would be the best times for you to have your appointments. Do you want your mother or bridesmaids to accompany you to all of your fittings, those kinds of things and then you can ask all the relevant questions.
Many boutiques are quite strict on fitting appointments so if you can only do Saturdays, make sure that is an option. Some boutiques also ask for an appointment fee which may or may not be redeemable against a purchase. Don’t assume anything, ask.
Now you can start to look at designers and stockists and make a short list of places you would like to visit. Make sure that if you book an appointment to see a particular boutique you are going there because they stock the dress you want to try. Likewise with an individual designer, make sure you like their style and be aware that they usually only stock their dresses.
Most websites give guidelines on price but it is always advisable to ask, especially if you are on a strict budget. Be prepared for small sample dresses too. Most boutiques don’t stock dresses in larger sizes. If you are a curvier bride-to-be and you are worried about not fitting into anything, call and talk to the designer or boutique.
If you book an appointment with a boutique and you want to see a particular dress, tell them. Quite often dresses are out on loan so you may need to wait awhile to see a particular dress.
Sometimes with the excitement of your engagement it can be all too easy to end up with a whole party of people who want to help you find your dream dress. Actually, this is never going to be helpful and will only end up in confusion. Take your nearest and dearest to begin with or even go on your own. Keep it to a maximum of four. You need to make a selection of two to three dresses and then if you want the opinion of your other friends, this would be the time to ask.
When you go to your appointment do wear make up similar to what you plan to wear on your wedding day and your hair looking nice, (no need to go full on salon styled but at least how you might wear it out for an evening) – if you feel good, it can make a big difference to how you feel about the dresses you try on. Also wear skin coloured undewear, maybe even take a multiway bra that you can adapt to the style of dresses you are trying on and take heels if you plan in wearing them on your wedding day.
So, there you have it. Think about your time, limitations, what you want, who you want to be with you, make sure the type of dress you are looking for is available and go prepared to your appointment. Have a wonderful time and do let us know how you get on.
Bridal Style advice – Looking for advice and guidance on your bridal style? My full or partial wedding planning services ensure that you have the right advice on every aspect of your wedding. For more information on my supportive, individual planning service, get in touch today to chat.
Photographs by Lillian & Leonard
