Wedding Dress Shopping: Our 10 Top Tips
Wedding dress shopping can be considered one of the most, if not THE most exciting part of the wedding planning process. And it truly is! But, it can also be incredibly overwhelming, easy to overthink and sometimes even become a not so pleasant experience for some.
High expectations, body insecurities, mental images that won't budge and not being prepared are just some of the reasons wedding dress shopping isn't a positive experience for all. But with the right mindset, the right people by your side and armed with our 10 top tips, your wedding dress shopping experience is going to be a memory you will cherish forever.
Shop Early
Wedding dress shopping is something you want to consider doing fairly early in your wedding planning journey. Ideally around 9 months before the date of your wedding. Dresses can take around 6 months to arrive and you also need to allow time for delays, alterations and any other thing that might crop up along the way.
Make appointments at more than one bridal shop
Don't stick to one bridal shop. Shop around and make the most of it. Make a few appointments with a few different boutiques and try on as many different styles of dresses as you can. You never know what gem you may come across along the way. Enjoy the process, don't rush it!
Keep an open mind
We have all been there. You have your ideal dress in your mind. No lace, fishtail, long train, no bling and so on! You will be surprised at how different wedding dresses look on you once you have them on. Keep an open mind and let the bridal shop consultant guide you. They really are the experts! Try things you may not have considered. This will also help guide you as you shop knowing what suits you without ruling anything out.
Don't stress about sizes
The sizes on wedding dresses aren't always an exact match to high street sizes. Do not worry about what size you are trying on. It is just a number! It is more important how you feel, how the dress fits and how it compliments your shape than what number it says on the tag.
Limit who attends
It is easy to want to bring everyone along on your wedding dress journey. Your mum, your gran, your cousin and your bridesmaids. But honestly, the smaller the circle the better here! Your wedding dress is about you! How you feel and how you look is what really matters. Of course opinions are always encouraged, but too many will just overwhelm you and make the whole experience a lot more difficult. Three, maybe four friends/relatives at the most!
Take pictures
There's two reasons for this. Firstly, if you are shop hopping and trying on lots and lots of dresses, it is really hard to remember exact details of certain dresses when it comes to making decisions. So it gives you the opportunity to look back on dresses you may have tried early on and loved so you can revisit and retry them. Secondly, this is an experience. You want to remember it. Taking photo's means you have that documentation forever.
Take any accessories you may already have
If you have already picked out a veil, jewellery or any other accessories you would like to wear on your wedding day, take them with you. You can try them on with any dresses you like to get a final feel how it will all look together.
Another thing to take along with you is shoes! Even if you don't yet have your dream shoes, take along a pair that will be a similar height to the wedding shoes you are likely to pick. That way you get a rough idea of dress length and again, how you will feel. It doesn't have to be exact. It just helps the vision.
Try different moves and positions
This may be one to spend more time on when your actual dress arrives, but it doesn't hurt to get a feel for how the dress moves with you throughout the day. Try sitting down, try crouching, have a little boogie and just move around the bridal store in it. Is it comfortable? Can you breath? Can you enjoy yourself without worrying about a bone sticking in somewhere or sleeves restricting arm movements?
Trust your instinct
Whilst we say keep an open mind and try on things you don't expect to look good. Always trust your instincts. Sometimes you don't even need to come out of the changing area to know whether something feels right or not. You may come across a dress your 'entourage' love but it just doesn't feel right for you. Don't be persuaded. Go with your gut and stick to your guns.
When you know, you know
The saying 'When you know, you know!' is SO unbelievably true when it comes to finding your dream dress. That moment you look at yourself in THE perfect dress for you is such a magical experience. It is so hard to describe, but trust me... You will know!
*BONUS TIP*
Once you have chosen your dream dress and it is on order. MOVE ON! It is so easy to question your decision later down the line. But that feeling you felt... it was for a reason! Stop looking at dresses, stop shopping. Trust you have made the right decision and carry on with the rest of your wedding planning adventure. It's time to tick off wedding dress shopping once and for all!
We hope you have THE best experience shopping for your dress wedding dress!
Do you have any more tips to add? We'd love to hear them!