You’re engaged and celebrating all the things! You’ve started the planning process, and the next step is to find your dream dress. You may know when to start looking; now you need to know how to prepare for wedding dress shopping! Finding a wedding dress that compliments your style, personality, and wedding day vibe is a process. You may be unaware of the thought and energy that goes into finding that perfect dress for you! That is why we created a list of dos and don’ts of wedding dress shopping to create the most enjoyable experience possible for you.
DOS AND DON’TS WHEN PREPARING TO FIND YOUR DRESS!
Do –
Keep an open mind about what you are willing to try on; you might be surprised!
Don’t –
Try on gowns you know you will hate or you won’t be wearing on your big day. It’s best to keep focused on the dresses you might love and spend your appointment time finding that perfect dress.
Do –
Be open and honest with your stylist about your budget! This should be a number that you think of beforehand. Your stylist is there to help you find the most amazing dress that is perfect for you! Pro-tip: Make sure you factor in the cost of alterations, accessories, shoes, etc., when thinking of your budget. Decide if you want to have a budget for those things separately or if you want that to be part of your overall dress budget! It may be helpful to budget the dress individually because the prices of the other things can vary.
Don’t –
Try on gowns that are way over budget. Falling in love with a dress you can’t get is heartbreaking for everyone involved.
Do –
Look around for inspiration. Doing research is not always necessary, but it does help show you what you are interested in. It could be totally wrong, but at least you are getting familiar with the different types of wedding dresses. We have a wedding dress style cheat sheet for you to get familiar with before wedding dress shopping!
Don’t –
Come in with the mindset that you already know everything about wedding dress shopping because of research. You could end up loving something you thought you hated online, or vice versa. It’s helpful to do research, but you aren’t always going to end up with what you thought you wanted. It’s best to put something on your body to completely rule it out rather than just looking at a picture!
Do –
Come to your bridal appointment looking refreshed and feeling beautiful with minimal makeup. You want to make sure you are feeling your absolute best when you are wedding dress shopping!
Don’t –
Come with a ton of makeup on. You will be trying on dresses that come in colors like ivory, blush, champagne, and you don’t want to be responsible for any damage to a dress! Makeup can rub off very easily on lighter colors, so it’s best to go minimal with the makeup.
Do –
Make sure your hair is looking good! It’s easier to visualize how your dress will look on the day of your wedding with your hair done. If you already know you are doing a low bun, maybe put your hair up to mimic the look so you can visualize how you will look in your dress on the big day!
Don’t –
Come looking like you just rolled out of bed (we know it’s tempting, especially when you have a morning appointment). This will not give you a very good visual of how you will look on your wedding day. It may not put you in the right mindset to commit to a dress that day, and you could lose out on your special bridal moment.
Do –
Eat enough to hold you over through the process of wedding dress shopping! You may even want to bring a snack if you aren’t hungry before your appointment, because chances are you will get hungry!
Don’t –
Come on an empty stomach. Making decisions on an empty stomach is never a pleasant thing to do. You want to make sure you are all charged up to say yes to the dress with no distractions (a gurgling and unhappy stomach)! While you want to get something in your system before hand, it shouldn’t be something extremely greasy that is going to make you feel bloated and groggy.
Do –
Wear the proper undergarments. You are normally trying on white or ivory wedding dresses, so you want to make sure you are wearing undergarments that won’t show through. Dresses usually come with cups for support in the bodice, so a bra isn’t always necessary. If you feel the most comfortable in a bra, wear a color that won’t stand out under a wedding dress!
Don’t –
Wear any undergarments that will show through the dress and distract you.
Do –
Bring two or three people as your entourage, people you really trust and want their opinions. Keeping the entourage small is best.
Don’t –
Bring a huge group that will only stress you out and make the process more overwhelming. It’s your day, and only your opinion matters in the end. Having too many opinions coming at you is not very helpful when deciding. Leave the stress behind. The individuals you want to be there can always attend a dress reveal when your gown comes in to see it in person before the wedding!
Do –
Keep your venue in mind when looking for your gown. This might help you pick out styles and shapes that will look best on you and in your venue.
Don’t –
Let the venue determine the style or look of your gown in the end. You’re the bride, and you can wear whatever style gown you are loving. Let the venue inspire you, not pick the dress for you.
Do –
Let yourself enjoy the wedding dress shopping experience; you will know when your search is over, and you’ve found your perfect dress. You may not need to have the “this is the one” moment, you could just love the way you feel and look in a gown, and that’s the one.
Don’t –
Feel like you have to cry or be overly emotional. If you don’t usually cry, then you probably won’t when you find your dress. TV is not real life. So don’t be afraid to say YES when it feels right!
Do –
Go into your bridal appointment ready to buy if you find your dream dress. It’s never too early to say yes.
Don’t –
Feel like you have to try on 20 or more gowns before you can say yes. It could be the first gown you try on or the fifth; just remember it can get confusing to try on too many. Trying on is exhausting, and you don’t want to buy a gown when you’re overwhelmed.
There is so much more we could share with you! Check in later for more dos and don’ts of wedding dress shopping, and while you’re here, make an appointment with us! We would love to help you say yes to the dress!
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