Tips to Help You Find Your Wedding Dress

Selecting the perfect dress for your wedding day can seem frustrating and overwhelming at times, but this part of your wedding planning should be fun and exciting. Here are some tips to help you find your wedding dress.

Check out our podcast episode on this topic below

Start Early

Most brides don’t realize that it takes at least 4-5 months for most designers to make the dress and then you also need 2 months for alterations. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to find your dream dress, so this fun part of planning a wedding doesn’t become stressful. Depending on the designer, delivery, and accessories, the whole process can take up to 10 months.

Do Some Research

Pin dresses you like on your Pinterest board, so your bridal consultant will have an idea of what types of dresses you like. Designer websites are also great places to find dresses that you might be interested in trying on. Not all bridal boutiques carry the same designers nor do they carry every dress in each designer’s collection. If you have fallen in love with a dress from a specific designer, research to see which of your local bridal boutiques carry the designer. After, contact the boutique to see if they have the dress in the shop available for you to try on. In the case that they do not have the dress in the store, they may be able to source it for you or you can wait until they host a trunk show for that designer.

bride trying on Netta Ben Shabu gown at Solutions Bridal
Bride trying on Netta BenShabu gown at Solutions Bridal Designer House | Photo: Leah Langley Photography

Keep an Open Mind

This is the most important tip! Bridal consultants love when brides give them ideas of what they like, but you really need to trust your bridal consultant. They may choose a dress that looks like a paper bag on the hanger but turns out to be drop-dead gorgeous on you. If it is your first time trying on dresses, the consultant will usually try on several different types of silhouettes – ball gown, fit and flare, a-line, etc. This is to help you narrow down which type of fit you like best on your body. More often than not, brides will try on a dress that they feel in love with online or in the shop on the hanger but they are not a fan of it on them. This is normal and totally ok! You want to find a dress that you love and are comfortable in on your whole wedding day!

Decide on Your Pricing Range

Think about what price range you want to stay in for your wedding dress. Ask the bridal boutique if they have a good variety of options in your price range prior to making your appointment. Most will list this information on their website as well. When you are at your appointment, your bridal consultant will want to know your price range so they don’t pull dresses that are more than you can spend, which could leave you disappointed and frustrated if you fall in love with a dress that you can not afford. The more guidance you can provide for the consultant, the better.

When it comes to this price range keep in mind that any alterations that need to be done and/or accessories will be an added cost. Depending on what you are looking to do, your bridal consultant should be able to provide you with a price range of what this will cost.

Less is More

Bringing too many people for your bridal consultation can mean too many opinions. This often makes it difficult for you to zero in on what YOU really want. Only invite those whose opinion you really value to your appointment. Most boutiques usually suggest bringing no more than 4 people with you to try on dresses. You can always invite everyone to your first fitting after you have chosen the dress to have a big reveal.

Trust Your Instincts

Not every bride will have that emotional moment when they find the dress of their dreams, but be 100% sure it is the one. Don’t let anyone pressure you into purchasing a wedding dress, just because they think it is the right dress for you. Since in most cases you are purchasing your wedding dress over 9 months before your wedding, you need to be certain it is a dress that you will still love when your wedding day comes. You will know when you have found the perfect dress!

End Your Search

Also extremely important, when you have said “Yes to the Dress!”, STOP LOOKING AT WEDDING DRESSES! If you are still looking at different wedding dress options you will start questioning what you selected. This can actually be said for all parts of your wedding. Once you’ve made your decision, stop researching and move on to your next wedding task.

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