The Wedding Dress Experience – equal parts of exciting and daunting. For most of us, this is the first and only time we’ll be looking for a wedding dress, and it’s not the same as picking out an outfit for work or a party. Finding the perfect wedding dress can be a long process, but this can be made easier and become stress-free, by visiting the right boutiques first time round. So to help you avoid tears and tantrums, and to put the fun and special memories into buying your wedding dress, we have put together this quick guide to bridal shopping. It’s a few simple pointers, gained from our experience and that of many brides. Hope it helps.
- Start looking sooner rather than later. It’s never too early to start trying on dresses and saying Yes to The Dress. It can take up to 6 months for a dress to be made to order from a bridal boutique.
- Invest some time into picking which boutiques you would like to visit. Getting a feel from their websites or talking to shops on the phone will ensure you are spending your time in the right places.
- Some bridal shops are by appointment – so book in advance. Bear in mind that Saturdays are usually the busiest day of the week.
- Organise to go to the appointment with one or two close family members or friends, whose opinions you know you can trust. Don’t bring an entourage. You need to be able to hear yourself think, and follow your own instincts about which dress makes you look and feel great. Remember it’s your dress and your wedding day.
- Make sure to wear appropriate underwear as you will be helped in and out of dresses. Bring a good strapless bra may also help.
- Bring along items you have already decided to wear – like a piece of jewellery to make sure it ties in with the dress.
- Bring along heels in a similar height to those you will wear on the day. You’ll be surprised how many girls find their dress on their first appointment.
- Don’t get too caught up with designer labels. Most designers have a range that covers all styles and silhouettes. So choose the dress and not the label.
- Set yourself a price range that you would like to stick to, and make sure your consultant knows this, to be able to help you stay on target.
- Make sure you take alterations into consideration, they are never included in the dress price and will vary depending on what needs doing. A great seamstress is worth her weight in Gold, so please do not scrimp on finding a back street one.
- When you are ready to “Say Yes to The Dress”, it’s simple… stop looking!
- Enjoy yourself – shopping for your wedding dress is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to treasure forever.
