Wedding dress shopping can be an overwhelming experience. To avoid this, it is essential to enter the salon with a clear vision of how you want to feel on your wedding day.
Rip pages from bridal magazines, browse online and look at pictures of celebrity brides to create a visual file before your appointment. This will help your gown consultant pull styles that match your vision.
Style
The dress is a key component to any bride’s wedding, but finding the right gown can be an exhausting and confusing experience. With a little research and planning, brides can make the process enjoyable and stress-free. When it comes to picking a style, consider the overall theme and vibe of your wedding. You don’t want your dress to clash with the venue, flowers or other decor choices. If you’re buying a custom dress, it’s also a good idea to get a rough estimate on your total budget so you don’t overspend.
Ultimately, the wedding dress should reflect the bride’s personal style and personality. Brides should try on dresses that they think fit them well and feel comfortable in. It’s also important to not get hung up on specific details, such as the length of the sleeves or the neckline. In fact, brides often find their dream dresses in silhouettes that are different from what they expected.
As the bride tries on different styles, she should keep a list of things she likes and doesn’t like, to help her narrow down the options. She should also check in advance to see what the shop’s alterations policy is, as it may be more expensive to have a dress altered after purchasing it. In addition, brides should bring heels that are close to the height they will be on their big day.
Some bridal boutiques charge a service fee for trying on dresses, which usually comes off the total price of the dress. Brides should also make sure to ask ahead of time if they allow photos, as many do not. Finally, it’s a good idea to limit the number of people who will go with her to appointments, so she can focus on listening to herself and following her instincts.
Bringing too many opinions to a dress shopping appointment can cause brides to lose sight of what they truly want. While friends and family are eager to please, they might try to steer her towards a dress that isn’t her best look. It’s a good idea to limit the entourage to just one or two trusted advisers, who will offer support without imposing their own opinions.
Fabric
When shopping for a wedding dress, it’s important to think about what type of fabric you want. The material will influence the dress’s style, formality and price. While satin has been the wedding dress material of choice for decades, it’s not the only option.
Consider personal preference, the time of year, and venue when deciding on the perfect fabric. For example, a summer wedding in a hot climate will require a light, breathable fabric that will keep you comfortable. Conversely, a winter wedding in a cold location will call for a heavier fabric that’s warm and insulated.
The fabric will also play into how your dress fits. If you’re planning on having alterations done, make sure to factor those into your budget as well. Alterations can significantly alter the cost of a gown and can be very time consuming. Therefore, if you’re on a tight deadline, it may be best to go with a size that fits your current measurements.
Another thing to consider when choosing your wedding dress fabric is the lining. A lining can drastically change how your dress looks and feels. For example, a lace-trimmed gown can look completely different with the addition of an organza or tulle lining. In order to make sure you’re choosing the right lining for your dress, it’s a good idea to ask for a sample of the lining to test how it will fit and feel with your dress.
A lining can be very time-consuming to sew, and can also add to the overall cost of the dress. If you’re looking for a more efficient and affordable way to alter your gown, you might want to consider going with an independent seamstress or tailor instead of a bridal shop.
Additionally, keep in mind that accessories can also play a huge role in how much your dress costs. While embellishments like lace, crystals and beads can be stunning, they’re also costly to produce. To save money, you might consider choosing a less ornate dress and completing your look with simple, yet detailed, accessories.
Budget
A bride’s budget is probably the most important element of her dress search. She may know that she wants a certain look, but she won’t be able to get there without some guidance from the professionals at her bridal boutique. She will likely need alterations, which can run up to a few hundred dollars, and she will need to factor in the cost of shoes, accessories, and veils. It’s a good idea for a bride to make sure she has some extra funds left over after her dress purchase to cover these additional costs.
A bride will also need to consider her own personal style when selecting a gown. She may want to look at a variety of dresses in different fabrics and colors to get a sense of what suits her best. She should also consider the season of her wedding, as some dresses can feel heavy and warm in summer or light and airy in winter.
Some brides love the process of shopping for their wedding dress and will want to bring along a lot of people to help them narrow down their choices. This can quickly become overwhelming, though. It’s a good idea to limit the number of people you bring to your appointment. A few trusted friends who you can count on to keep it real with you are ideal. Shy brides might prefer to bring a pal who can help them step out of their shell, while indecisive brides might appreciate a friend known for her level head and objectivity.
It’s also a good idea to start shopping early. Not only will this allow you to check out the selection at multiple bridal boutiques, but it will give you a better chance of finding the perfect dress before it sells out. It can take up to six months for a dress to be made to order from a bridal boutique, so the earlier you begin searching, the more options you will have.
Lastly, don’t buy your dress until you’ve settled on some of the big wedding details, like your venue, date, and key suppliers. This will ensure that your gown is a seamless part of your overall wedding aesthetic.
Alterations
Whether a bride’s dress is off the rack or custom made, it likely won’t fit perfectly the first time she tries it on. That’s where alterations come in. A seamstress can take a dress in one or two sizes, or make it larger by adding gussets and panels to the gown.
A seamstress can also lengthen a dress, add sleeves and even change the fabric color. This might be necessary if the bride decides she wants to wear her gown in a different season from when she initially fell in love with it. If the gown is being made at a bridal shop, it may not be possible to change the fabric, but a seamstress can alter the length or add sleeves to allow the gown to work for a variety of seasons and weather conditions.
Once the gown is purchased, the bride must pay for any alterations, so it’s important to factor that in when budgeting. It is also important to note that the amount of time needed to complete a dress’s alterations can be long, especially during peak season, so it is important for brides to start their search early.
When shopping for a wedding gown, it is important to be open-minded and try on a wide range of styles to find The One. Oftentimes, a gown that seems like it won’t work for the bride will surprise her and turn out to be perfect. Also, be sure to bring pictures of dresses you’ve seen that inspire you. They may help the boutique assistants recommend similar styles that might work for you.
Finally, remember that you’ll be wearing the dress throughout your entire wedding day, so it’s essential that it feels right. If you think the hemline is too short or too long after the seamstress pins it, it’ll be difficult to get comfortable and walk, dance, mingle with guests and do all the things that brides want to do on their special day. A seamstress can alter a dress so that the hemline gently grazes the ground, but it’s best to walk around the bridal salon in the dress a bit before purchasing it to ensure you won’t trip over yourself on your big day!