Going wedding dress shopping is one day most girls dream of and it is as wonderful as you think it will be! Following purchasing my own dress last weekend, I thought I would pass on my own experiences to you all, so here is my advice on what to do when going wedding dress shopping…
wedding dress shopping via _e.t
Before you go!
Spend some time looking online and in magazines to see what you like. Pay particular attention to specific designers as often if you like one dress in their collection, you will like others which are similar. Think about colour, lace, sparkles, shape and length.
Then find shops to visit. Look at your favourite designers and where their stockists are and if more than one of your favourite designers are in the same shop, go there first. This means you have more of a variety which you want at your first appointment. My first appointment ended up being my only appointment as they had such a wide range of dresses!
In the shop
Wear comfortable clothing and a ‘onezie’ if you are feeling unconfident as it will a cover you up when she is putting dresses on you and it will smooth out your body to fit in the dress easier. Also take some pop socks or tights to wear underneath your dress as your bright summer socks will just look silly!
The assistants will put you into the dresses so no need to worry about doing the back up etc! The dresses only come in one size but the best dress shops will make them fit you one way or another either through pins or panels! Some girls have had horrific experiences of assistants refusing to put you in a dress but this should not happen, there are better places out there. When I picked my dress, it was the most ill-fitting thing in the shop but I still could tell what it was going to be like and fell in love with it!
Although you have done all that research, be prepared to change your mind! The dress I loved online, couldn’t have looked worse on me and we ended up going in a completely different direction! You start to see certain thing on the dress that you love and try and find all those items on the one dress! Trust me it exists, or can be altered to suit your tastes!
Think about accessories when you are there. There is no obligation to buy anything then and there but you need to consider these before you buy your dress. Do you specifically want a tiara, veil or have a family heirloom necklace that you need to wear? You need to think about these things when you are trying on dresses and the assistant can help you find a dress that suits.
Other things to consider
Budget- I know it is hard but set yourself a price range and stick to it! You CAN get a dress in all sorts of price ranges, just look at the right dresses! If you have a small budget, look at simple designs or you can get some gorgeous high street dresses such as Debenhams or Monsoon.
Your fiance- Think about who you will be standing next to in your photos. Some brides forget about this in the moment but it is really important as both you and your man need to look great TOGETHER in your pictures. Do you need to look a bit taller with some high heels or do you need to something small or simple in case you make your man look tiny?
Who to tell- My advice would be to keep it as secret as possible! You want your entrance to be a big surprise and add to the impact of your day, but if you are not a fan of the limelight, don’t worry about telling people. Obviously you need to tell/ show your bridesmaids so that you can get dresses to suit but other than that it is totally up to you.
Well I think that is all you need to know about buying your perfect wedding dress! Debbie and I, fellow ‘Bride to Be’s’ would recommend Emma Roy in Edinburgh and Sarah Louise Bridal in Glasgow as they were both very friendly, helpful and hold a range of dresses for you to choose from.
Happy Shopping!
Are you a future bride and have started shopping? Let us know what your experiences have been like…
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April 3, 2012
Weddings