Top 6 Tips for Wedding Dress Shopping

For a lot of brides, choosing the right wedding dress is the most exciting part of planning a wedding. For many years, tons of people dream about their gowns, even before they find the right partner.

However, simply because you are keen to start shopping and have dreamt of your ideal outfit since you were a kid, does not mean that you are prepared to jump into the process.

There are a couple of things you need to know before shopping for your wedding dress. These things will help you be more productive during your search.

It does not matter what your timeline, personal style, or budget is. Here are several wedding dress shopping tips that can help you find the dress of your dreams.

Prepare Your Budget

Brides often go into boutiques without having a budget in mind. When dealing with the price, shopping can become extremely overwhelming. 

Do your homework to get an idea of average dress prices. Next, set a budget that you’re willing to spend on your dress.

If another person is buying your gown, consider speaking to them so you are both on the same page.

When thinking about your budget for your wedding dress, here are several things you need to consider:

• Accessories
• Shoes
• Veils
• Cost of alterations

A lot of brides don’t include the cost of these extras into their budget. Thus, they end up going over their budget.

Also, don’t try any dress that you can’t afford. You don’t want to fall in love with a gown that you can’t afford. If you do, you’ll have a hard time finding the right gown that fits your budget.

Avoid unnecessary stress. There are tons of elegant options within your budget.

Know Where to Shop

You might be tempted to visit all bridal shops within a 200-mile radius and try on every gown you see. Unfortunately, this should not be the case.

You have to optimize your shopping time. You can do this by simply being strategic about where you buy your gown.

Are you fine with sharing the shop floor with other people or do you prefer a shop that offers private consultations?

Do you want a shop close to your house so that you can get to fittings around your regular schedule or a shop close to the venue so that you can collect the gown easily during your wedding day?

Does the shop even have a dress that you prefer? Make sure you do your research first when it comes to the boutique.

Know When to Shop

It’s never too early to start shopping for your wedding dress. However, there is a time that it will be too late for you to shop.

For those who don’t know, it can take a couple of months for your dress to be shipped. This depends on where you get it.

Once your dress arrives, your seamstress will need a couple of weeks to make the changes you want.

That is why a lot of people recommend you start shopping around 9 months before your wedding. However, it’s much better if you do it sooner.

You can’t go wrong by starting early. It’s extremely fine to start shopping even a year before you will place an order.

However, you shouldn’t make the mistake of purchasing the dress immediately. You don’t want to purchase a gown 1 year before your wedding only to find out that there is another dress that you like.

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

Keep in mind that a couple of wedding dresses will look extremely bad on the hanger but will look extremely good on your body. That is why you shouldn’t ignore a dress unless you try it on.

For instance, perhaps you think that a strapless wedding gown will not look good on you. However, when you try it on, it looks drop-dead stunning on your body.

It is the job of your consultant to match you with the styles you want. Thus, give the consultant the benefit of the doubt. Also, be ready to be pleasantly surprised.

Furthermore, you should not allow any person to sweet-talk you into a gown you don’t like.

Trust Your Consultant

Your consultant might be single and younger than you. They can also be older than your mother. However, that does not mean they aren’t qualified.

Keep in mind that if they weren’t qualified, they wouldn’t be doing their job.

Your consultant understands the dresses. They’ve also met thousands of brides with different body shapes.

To ensure that your consultant finds a wedding dress ideal for you, you need to share what you want.

However, you also have to be open to their recommendations. You might end up buying a wedding dress that is different from the original vision the consultant persuaded you to try on.

Also, make sure that you incorporate your own preferences such as your own personalized cufflinks and other items.

Choose Your Shopping Partners Wisely

Be extremely cautious when you choose which people will join you when you’re shopping for your wedding dress.

First of all, try to know how many people the boutique will allow in their rooms. Most of the time, these shops allow 4 to 5 individuals. This includes the bride.

Next, make sure you consider who needs to be with you. Perhaps you have a person who will be paying for the dress.

Lastly, choose positive people. This doesn’t necessarily mean your friends. Ensure that your shopping partners know what you like, who you are, and are uplifting.

Conclusion

You might feel extremely overwhelmed when you navigate the world of wedding dresses. Between fabrics, silhouettes, style, and price points, finding the right gown can appear impossible.

However, it doesn’t matter who you bring to your wedding dress hunt. You need to prioritize your opinion.

Be ready to do some research early on. However, you also have to keep an open mind when choosing whether or not to try on particular styles. Always rely on your instincts. You should not allow any person’s opinion to come before your own. With the tips above, you should be ready to have the best experience when shopping for your wedding dress.