Wedding dress shopping is an exciting part of the wedding planning process. You get to try on lots of different styles, and feel like a true bride for the first time. Here we’re giving you our 9 top tips for wedding dress shopping.
Be Honest
When you start your appointment, make sure the boutique knows your budget for your dress and accessories. The last thing you’ll want is to try on a dress way over budget, and fall in love with it. Honesty is the key.
Start Early
You’ll need to start looking for your dress 9 – 12 months prior to your big day. This will leave enough time for the dress to be ordered, fitted and altered, without you needing to make a rushed choice.
Think Designers
Different designers have different styles. Ronald Joyce is a very different look and feel to the Essense of Australia. If you’re not sure what style you like, head to social media, Pinterest and bridal magazines to gather some ideas.
Choose Your Boutique
Boutiques stock different designers, and have varying price points. Take a look at their websites and social media pages in advance to make sure they’ll have a style you love. If there’s a particular designer you’re looking for, look on their site for local stockists.
Be Open
If you’ve shared your ideas with the boutique, be open to their suggestions. They may choose a style you wouldn’t have ever looked at, but it might just end up being something you love. Wedding dress shopping is a conversation between you, the shop assistants and your entourage until you find the one!
Underwear Matters
Having underwear similar to what you’ll wear on the day will help you to get the best out of the appointment. If you don’t have your wedding underwear yet, it’s not a huge problem. Just keep in mind that the shop assistant will likely be helping you in and out of the dresses, so this probably isn’t the best day for your ‘old faithful knickers’.
Choose Your Entourage Wiseley
The temptation to invite your whole bridal party, plus a few friends to share the excitement of wedding dress shopping with you is very real. However, we’d suggest keeping your entourage to a minimum. You’ll need kind; honest people with you to give constructive advice on the dresses you try on, not a flurry of varied opinions each time you come out of the changing room.
Think Ahead
After you’ve chosen your dress, you’ll need to think about the logistics of the coming months. Knowing how long alterations will take, how long the dress will take to arrive and the best way to store it are all things you’ll need to ask your boutique.
Numbers Don’t Matter
Wedding dress sizes don’t mean a thing, so don’t get hooked up on them. They’re there so the boutique knows which dress to pull out for you. However, depending on your shape, the fit of the dress and the designer, you may find that a size 8 fits perfectly, as does a 16. The dress will be altered to fit your shape, so no wedding dress really has a size anyway.
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