You have been dreaming of your fairytale wedding since your toddler years and those thousands of episodes of Say Yes to the Dress every week have kept the magic stirring inside your soul so what should you expect when it finally happens, you “Said Yes” and now need to shop for a wedding dress. Here we have a few tips to help you navigate the process of finding your perfect wedding dress.
It’s really pretty simple; the biggest thing you should expect on the first day of shopping for your wedding dress is to find the perfect one. I know it sounds crazy that you could find your perfect wedding dress on the very first day but it really does happen to thousands of Brides. So make sure you come prepared to “buy” your wedding dress. Nothing could be more heartbreaking than to fall in love with your gown and not have the funds to purchase her.
Some other things that will happen during this shopping experience are that you will be asked lots of questions. Your Stylist should want to know what details interest you, what type of silhouette you like and where the wedding will be taking place they will even want to know what you don’t like. All of these details may not sound important at this point in the wedding planning process but they are what help your Stylist pinpoint which gowns she will have you try on. There are millions of wedding dresses out there and the right one is there for you but understand it will be a little bit of a process to find her. Be open and honest with your Stylist, you won’t hurt her feelings so tell her nicely what you like and don’t like about each dress. Doing this will help the perfect gown come to you!
When coordinating your wedding dress shopping excursion make sure to schedule appointments, if you show up without an appointment (especially on the weekend) you will most likely be turned away. Boutiques are very busy on Saturday and Sundays and you don’t want to start this emotional journey with disappointment, so make a quick call or better yet have your Maid of Honor schedule the appointments for you.
Whether you want to wear a beautiful Cinderella ballgown or a simple sheath style gown understand that most bridal shops don’t have them for you to try on and take home on the same day like our regular shopping trips. Wedding gowns typically have to be ordered for you so ensure you allow enough time to shop for your dress, visit multiple stores (if necessary), find the right one and get it ordered. This entire process can take up four to six months depending on the designer.
You will also want to think about what to do with the wedding dress after the wedding. Sounds crazy that we mention that, huh? Well not really, it just isn’t something that most people think about during the wedding planning stages but really what the heck do you do with your wedding dress after the wedding? I have heard stories of it laying on the floor for a few days or taking up space in the closet for years. Some Brides also choose to get it cleaned and preserved which means spending even more money. I mean come on, aren’t wedding expensive enough? Do you really have to keep spending money on the wedding dress after the wedding? The answer is No! Why not just sell your wedding dress? Reputable websites like SellMyDress.com allow you to pay a small fee to list your wedding gown for sale and the end result can be finding the perfect Bride to buy your preowned wedding dress. You and her win! She gets a beautiful gown at an amazing price and you free up closet space and put some cash in your pocket.
So make sure to set your budget, gather the funds, shop with an open mind, trust your stylist, embrace the journey and be ready to buy during your first wedding dress shopping experience.
Photo Credit: Nathan Walker | Chelsea Wright | Ben Rosett
