Top Tips for Finding Your Dress

Your wedding dress should make you feel the most beautiful you’ve ever felt, completely confident and at ease on your big day. We equip you with our top tips for that all-important search to find your dream wedding dress.

1/ Research Various Styles

Have an idea as to what style you think you would like, create a mood board or gather tears of the styles which appeal to you and take note of your favourite designers.

2/ Keep an Open Mind

While it’s important to have done your research be sure to keep an open mind when trying gowns on, remember that a dress on the hanger can look very different to when it’s on.

3/ Be Selective in Who You Bring Shopping

Ensure that the opinions which you will be hearing are honest and in keeping with your choices. Avoid bringing too many people who may confuse and overcrowd what YOU actually want, choose one or two people whose opinions you value and trust.

4/ Be Conscious of The Time Scale

Remember that some dresses can take several months to arrive and you don’t want to feel rushed in any part of this important process. Factor in enough time to search for your ideal gown along with the added ordering time.

5/ Be Realistic with The Sizing

While you may envision yourself giving Victoria’s Secret models a run for their money on your big day it’s important to remain realistic when ordering your gown. Planning a wedding is stressful enough without the added pressure of fitting into a gown two sizes too small. If in doubt, bear in mind that you can take a dress in if it’s too big but it’s not quite so simple the other way around! Also, be aware that sizing in bridal gowns is a lot smaller than regular stores so don’t pay attention to the label, focus on how it looks!

6/ Watch Out for Sample Sales

These magic little days are the perfect opportunity to nab gorgeous designer gowns at a fraction of the cost. Keep an eye out on the various boutique's sites for dates which they are holding their sample sales as you may need to book an appointment in advance.

7/ Budget

Be honest about your budget and make your assistants in the bridal boutique aware of this too, you don’t want to fall in love with a dress which you won’t be able to afford and have everything else feel second best after that. Don’t forget to allow for alterations with this figure also.

8/ Type of Wedding

Before beginning the search for your dream dress, figure out which styles are appropriate for the celebrations which you have planned. A big ball gown will look bizarre at a small and intimate gathering so consider size, fabric and length in relation to your nuptials.

9/ Make a Plan

Find out which boutiques stock which designers. If you plan on organising a day of trying on dresses, ensure that you leave enough time between appointments and that you book your appointments in good time. Avoid visiting more than two boutiques in one day or you run the risk of overcrowding yourself with options and forgetting what you’ve seen.

10/ Come Prepared

Bring heels and a strapless bra to your fittings, perhaps some shapewear if you plan on wearing it on the day. These three little items can help to drastically change how a dress looks on.

11/ Don’t Panic

There is no right number of dresses to try on, it could be your first or it could be your 40th. Remember, if you don’t absolutely adore it from day one then it’s not for you.

12/ Familiarise Yourself with the Terms

This will make things a lot easier when you are trying to describe something to the bridal assistant. When researching your gowns, google any terms you come across which you don’t understand. The bridal boutiques will, of course, be on hand to help but it will be useful to familiarise yourself with certain elements which you do and don’t like.

13/ Think About the Entire Outfit

Remember that there is more to the outfit than just the dress; consider your veil, shoes and jewellery. If you have your heart set on a fingertip length veil then you must choose your dress accordingly, make sure you make the assistant in the bridal boutique aware of any accessories you have planned.

14/ Get the Details in Writing

When taking the plunge and purchasing your dress make sure you get all of the details in writing from your sales assistant, this includes the model name and number, size, colour, alterations, manufacturer, order time, fittings schedules, cancellation policy and any other important details. This will ensure peace of mind and lets you know exactly where you stand on this.

15/ When You Know, You Know

Do not feel pressurised into ordering your dress at any point. Make sure that you are 100% happy with it and take as much time as you need to mull it over. Do not panic because of sales or because everybody else tells you that this is the one. It’s your day, your dress.

 

- Alexandra