In honor of the the bridal runways happening this week I decided to give you guys a few tips on how to find that wedding dress of your dreams.
Wedding dress shopping do's and donts
1. Know your shape: If you are boy shaped, apple, hour glass or full figured it makes a difference on how you look in the dress. Because the dress covers your entire body.
2. Please be engaged: I know this sounds like a given, but girls go try on wedding dresses all the time when they are not engaged because they want to play dress up and it's fun. What you don't understand is that you are affecting the sales person job. Trying on a wedding gown when you have no intent on buying is like going to get your hair done and not paying for it.
3. Make an appointment: Most bridal salons have an appointment policy. Call the stores before hand to see each stores appointment policy.
4. Don't over do it: If you are the type of person that gets overwhelmed quickly only have one appointment set a day. Also do a lot of pre looking on each of bridal salons website and pick out your 3 favorites. And make sure you have time! Give at least 6 months before the wedding to find your dress. That way you dont start sinking in all the tulle options.
5. Try the dress on: If you are thinking of buying the dress online make sure you have tried it on in a store. You can do that by finding who makes the dress and see if there is a place in your area that has the dress in stock. And make sure that you are buying the dress from a online store that people trust. Because they can rip you off and send you a bad dress that you can't even use. Live by this rule: if it seems too good to be true it probably is.
6. Don't go dress shopping on Pinterest: Ahhhh!! I know all the dresses are pretty! But most of them don't have a link to where see the dress and where actually came from. Because when you tell your consultant you have pictures from Pinterest they might not have anything close to that in the store. Instead check out catologs from the stores you are planning to go dress shopping.
7. Bring people with YOUR best interest at heart: If you don't, you might get pushed in a different direction than you actually wanted. The one thing you never want in life is to wish you had gone with the other wedding dress. (Because all sales are final, so you can't return it). If however you do have people in your dress shopping entourage that like to have there opinions heard, pull your consultant over to the side and tell them. They are there to help with the tension, not just to help you find a dress.
8. Know your FULL budget: Do you want a vail? Are you petite? Do you have your bridal undergarment (yes you DO need them) How about alterations? All of those things are separate. Make sure the cost of the dress is not your full budget because you have other things to purchase.
9. Take pictures if you can: Some bridal salons will let you take pictures. If they do, take pictures of your favorite dresses. It will help you make your decision. Also take a picture of the final dress you picked, it can help the the entire tone of the wedding. From the cake, to decorations even the invitations, your dress can be the subtle inspiration for your wedding. If you can't take pictures get the style number of the dress. Because once you buy it, it might be another 6 months until you see the dress again if they have to order it. That way you know and they know whether they ordered the right dress.
10. Have fun! It's your wedding day! This is the time to get excited and jump up and down, you have done what most girl dream of. Finding that one person to spend the rest of your life with. Enjoy every moment!
Remember to stay fashionable,
Tabitha Thomas
