My Top Wedding Dress Shopping Tips To Remember
Photo by Funico Studios
Some of you might already know that along with being a Wedding Planner, I am also a Bridal Consultant at an awesome little Bridal Shop in Conshohocken, PA called La Bella Moda. Years ago I had actually started my wedding industry journey at a sweet Bridal Shop in Reading, PA called Victorian Bridal Salon where I learned so much and feel in love with the world of Bridal. I worked at Victorian Bridal while I was working on getting my Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Design & Merchandising. After years of working in the industry, I have found that there are a few important things that I think Brides should know before jumping in to shopping for their perfect wedding gown. This comes with some nuggets of insider info that should help you understand the bridal gown industry better. So, here are My Top Wedding Dress Shopping Tips To Remember when searching for your perfect dress.
Entourage - When you are planning out who to bring with you to your Bridal appointment, make sure you select only a few super helpful and encouraging family and friends. Wedding dress shopping can make many women feel very vulnerable and having only encouraging friends who have your back at your appointment will ensure that you feel supported and good in your own skin. Too many people also can mean too many opinions which often leads to overwhelm, frustration and disappointment. Remember that your opinion as the Bride is the only one that really matters. You have to feel good in the dress that you pick because you will be the one wearing it down the aisle.
Come Prepared - Bring your inspiration pics with you to your appointments. Before your Bridal appointment, do some Pinterest searching to find some ideas of what you might like your wedding dress to look like. This will help your Bridal Consultant find the best dress options for you to try on in the store which will save your time and your sanity. Trying on dress after dress after dress can be exhausting and it can often just confuse you more than help you. So come in to your appointment with some ideas and be ready to have some fun!
Sample Gowns - Keep in mind that when you go to a Bridal Shop, you will be trying on a sample gown meaning that the dress that is in the store, that you are trying on, is only in one size and color. But, your dress can be ordered for you in the size and color that fit you. Floor sample dresses are often sizes 8-12 (with an occasional select few dresses/stores offering larger sizes) which means, the sample size of the gown may not fit so it’s important to remember to use your imagination. Your Bridal Consultant can hold you in and clip you up but keep in mind that a dress will always look much better on your body when it’s ordered in your size. Check the dress out online on other Brides to get an idea of what the correct size looks like on a person and keep an open mind.
Lead Time - In the Bridal Shop, we typically tell Brides to start shopping for their wedding dress 10-12 months before your wedding. The reason for this early start time is because, wedding dresses can take 6-8 months to come in. You also want to make sure that you account for an additional 2 months to allow for alterations on your dress before your wedding. Starting at the 1 year out mark is a great rule of thumb. Plus, wedding dress shopping is a fun part of wedding planning that can get you excited about all the things to come!
Alterations Are Magic - Your wedding dress will be ordered in a size that best fits your measurements at the time you place the order for your dress. But, a pattern cut dress won’t necessary fit your unique body perfectly right out of the box/bag. That is what alterations are for. A talented seamstress can take your ordered gown and make it fit you like a glove. Make it fit you like it was made just for you. I have seem seamstresses do amazing things with wedding gowns including taking a size 16 dress down to a size 2, adding seamless details that completely elevate a gown and even redesign gowns to create an entirely different look. Although there can be things that might be outside the realm of possibilities, working with your seamstress to create your perfect look is something I always remind Brides to keep in mind.
Size Doesn’t Matter - This is something that some Brides can often struggle with but, something important to know is that Bridal sizes tend to run at least 2 sizes smaller than your normal dress size. For example, if you normally wear a size 12, in Bridal you will likely wear a size 16 wedding gown. However, that is just a number. It does not define you and it does not make you any less beautiful or amazing. Remember how you feel when you wear that dress. Remember how beautiful you look. Don’t get hung up on a number. You are a beautiful Bride no matter your size.
Be You - I hear Brides say all the time, “This one makes me feel the most like myself but…” Then they try other dresses that they think other people would prefer them to wear or won’t expect them to wear or will shock people but they don’t feel quite right in the dress. You don’t want to look like someone else. You want to look like you. You want to feel like the prettiest version of yourself and not like someone you don’t recognize. It’s ok to pick a dress that makes you feel comfortable as long as it also makes you feel beautiful! When you feel like yourself, you will feel confident and when you feel confident, your natural beauty will shine in your wedding photos.
Try It On - You can never be sure how a dress will look on you unless you try it on. A dress you might not love on a hanger might look amazing on you and vice versa. But, you won’t know for sure until you try it on. If you are interested in the look of the dress, just try it on. You never know. It’s often the one that surprises you. ;)
The Crying Moment - A lot of Brides think that they have to have a moment where they cry in the dress in order to know that it’s “the one”. The truth is, that is often not true at all. Most Brides actually don’t cry at all in the dress. Everyone’s reactions are a little different. Sometimes it just pure joy and excitement. Sometimes it’s the feeling like you just don’t want to take it off or stop looking at yourself in it. Sometimes it is tears of joy and sometimes, it’s just a feeling you have deep in your gut. Trust your intuition. If you are getting all the feels in a dress then you know. Don’t second guess yourself.
It’s Ok to Buy The First Dress - That’s right. It’s totally ok to pick the first dress you try on and, it happens more often then you would think. Sometimes that first dress really makes you feel like a beautiful Bride and you will compare every other dress to that first dress and that is totally ok. Brides sometimes think that they can’t possibly know by the first dress and will often second guess their feelings but, if you can’t stop thinking about the first dress, put it back on, try on the veil and see if it still feels just as good as it did the first time you put it on. If it does and you know it’s right, get the dress. It’s totally ok to fall in love with the first one.
I hope these little tips will help make your wedding dress shopping experience much more enjoyable. You deserve to feel good in your dress and remember, you are beautiful!
Happy Planning & Happy Shopping!
Love,
Naticia
Photo by Elizabeth Hasier Photography
