Searching for your gown is a fun and exciting experience! In order to make the search even more enjoyable, here’s a few simple tips for your big shopping day!
10. Try On All Dress Styles. Even if you have some ideas, it’s really helpful to try on a variety of gowns to understand what truly fits your body best, and what you feel most comfortable wearing.
9. Have a Small Party. Having too many people attend your try-on session and providing input can actually make it challenging for you to make a decision. Bring only those who will give you their honest opinion and who will respect your vision and decision (even when they like a different gown.) We recommend three or less attend your appointment…have as many in your wedding party as you wish though!
8. Foundations Are Important! Bring a strapless bra along in case it’s needed. Spanx, no Spanx, wear them if you want too. Your bridal consultant is going to try to help you find a dress that fits your body so well you won’t need to bother with them.
7. Strip Down. Don’t worry about being seen in your bra and underwear in the dressing room. Your bridal consultant is focused on getting the gown unbuttoned, unzipped, and ready to put on you. Also, your bridal consultant most likely has all the same body parts as you do so there’s nothing to be worried about.
6. Bring Your Shoes. If you’ve got an idea of the heel height or style of shoe your planning to wear for your wedding, bring it with you to your appointment. It’s helpful to be able to put them on with your gowns.
5. Size Doesn’t Matter. From one designer line to the next, size will vary wildly. Don’t worry about the number on the tag. Focus on finding the style you’re interested in and let your bridal consultant fit you for the correct size. Also, the size of gown you get will 99% of the time, not be the same size as the daily clothes you wear. Where size does matter is when your bridal consultant is measuring you to identify your dress size. Ask to see the measurement charts they’re referring too and be part of the decision-making process when it comes to your gown size.
4. Speaking Of Size, Order the Size You Are Now. While many brides plan to tone up or slim down prior to the wedding, ordering for your current size is the best decision to ensure your gown fits. If you lose a significant amount of weight and your gown needs to be altered several inches, it is possible you will have to re-order if there is time before your wedding. Same situation if you gain weight too.
3. 6 Months Isn’t 6 Months. Manufacturer’s recommendations are to expect a bridal gown order to take six months to arrive. However, a bride needs to allow for one month for any necessary alterations. For example, if you’re getting married in October, you need to have your dress ready for fittings in September which means it needs to be delivered in August. Six months before August is February so if you’re ordering a gown, February would be the latest a bridal consultant would recommend you place your order.
2. Hair and Makeup. It’s helpful to do your hair and makeup to give you a better visual of what your big day may look like. Often, brides will try on gowns without makeup and with their hair in a pony, and then they will struggle to focus on the gown they’re searching for because they’re too worried about not looking the part.
1. It’s Okay If You Don’t Cry. In our experience as bridal consultants, very few women actually cry when they find their gown. Also, don’t be embarrassed if you do. All emotions are acceptable because it’s your day, your vision, your gown. We are here to help you realize that vision so you can be your own kind of beautiful.
I love that you brought up getting a dress that is your current size. So many of my friends have bought wedding dresses thinking they would lose another 10 pounds before the wedding, and it just didn’t happen. It’s best to get a dress that really fits.