Planning a wedding can be super stressful. Trust us: We’ve been there! Which is why we’ve put together a series of “Tips for Brides” articles to help! In this post, we’ll tackle wedding dress drama: What should you try on? What should you buy? What should you consider? Keep reading for some helpful wedding dress shopping tips that we hope will make saying yes to the dress a little easier!
Be Open-Minded
You’re the bride. You know what you want, and that’s that. However, keeping an open mind is so important when you go into your wedding dress search. Dress consultants see it every day: Brides are hesitant to try something different, but when they do, they are pleasantly surprised and end up selecting a dress they never thought they’d like. So keep an open mind. Try different styles. You won’t regret it.
Start Your Search Early
Times have changed since the pandemic, extending lead times on every single manufactured item on the planet – including wedding dresses. We suggest you get your wedding dress shopping done early since wait times could be anywhere from 6-12 months! And don’t forget to ask about how long alterations might take. This will help you plan your appointments accordingly. If you don’t start early, you may have to pay a rush fee.
Bring a Few Trusted People From Your Inner Circle With You
Your opinion should take priority, but everyone can use some support when the pressure is on. Plus, you don’t want the only people butting in to be the dress consultants. Their job is to get you to purchase something. It’s easy enough for the stylist to say something looks good on you when it doesn’t make you feel a 10/10. So, bring a few tried-and-true members of your pack. And when we say “a few,” we mean just a few; you also don’t need everyone and their mother’s opinion!
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask a Ton of Questions
Asking your dress consultant questions is highly encouraged, but you should also ask yourself questions before purchasing your wedding dress. What questions should you ask yourself? Well, for starters, you need to feel beautiful, confident, and comfortable. Does your dress achieve all of that? Can you dance fluidly in the dress? Can you sit down to eat in the dress? Does any part of the dress make you feel self-conscious? The dress may look amazing, but if you can’t participate in all the fun things and you can’t bend this way or that, you may want to try some more options.
Stay Calm When You See the Dress Size
Wedding dresses are one, two, or even three sizes bigger than what you normally wear. Let us say that again: Wedding gowns will always be bigger in size than your pants, shirts, and everyday dresses. So don’t panic. Instead, consider how your dress fits and makes you feel. After all, only you and the helping staff will know the dress size.
Do you have any wedding dress-buying tips? Share them with us in the comments below!