Shopping for your wedding gown should be a memorable and happy time in your life when you are a bride. Whether you have an idea of what you want or not, here are five helpful tips on what NOT to do when gown shopping so that you can make the most of your experience!
#1: AVOID BRINGING A LARGE GROUP WITH YOU. This piece of advice has been repeated everywhere from Kleinfeld consultants on TLC’s Say Yes To The Dress and from small bridal shop owners across the nation, but it’s rarely followed. While it may seem helpful to have every member of your family with you, it is counterintuitive. The experience becomes confusing and frustrating for you because everyone has a different image in their head of what they think you should wear. The only person’s opinion that matters is your own. The dress you feel beautiful and confident in is the dress you should purchase because it matches the vision you have for yourself on your wedding day. No one else fully knows what that is except you!
#2: DON’T SWEAT THE DETAILS. When shopping for your gown, don’t let yourself get distracted by small details like how your hair will look, which veil to buy or what jewelry to wear. Focus on the task you set out to fulfill that day – finding and buying your gown! The dress is your main focus at your appointment. All of the other details will fall into place once you know what you will be wearing. Usually, accessories like veils, headpieces and jewelry can be purchased later, because they do not take as long to order. This will give you time to look at different options and match things to your dress.
#3: DON’T UNDERESTIMATE ALTERATION PRICES. When you are buying your dress, be realistic about the alteration prices. Gowns are made to get as close as possible to the brides measurements, but since dresses take 6-8 months to arrive, your body may fluctuate a little bit during that time. Every bride needs alterations done to her dress to form it to her body correctly. This takes an experienced seamstress to tailor it to your needs. However, alterations are a lengthy and involved process. Wedding gowns are multi-layered, sophisticated and have delicate fabrics that require hours of work. What sounds simple to you is actually very tedious for them. Budget around $500 for your alterations so that you’re not sweating that extra expense when you order your gown.
#4: DON’T CRAM. Even though you’re excited to get out there and try on all things white and sparkly, don’t cram your shopping day with appointment after appointment. Shopping for a wedding gown is not like shopping for everyday clothes. It can be tiring and tedious. Make sure you schedule a break to eat before the next appointment so you can properly focus on the gowns you’re trying on. And if you get to the bridal salons and you feel like you can only try on a few gowns, that’s fine. Don’t stress yourself by feeling like you have to try on 20 dresses every place you go just because you’re there.
#5: DON’T THINK IT WON’T BE THE FIRST ONE. This is probably one of the most common misconceptions that brides face. The dress of your dreams just might be the first one you try on! Guess what? THAT’S OK. Consultants see it happen all the time. If you’re loving that dress, BUY IT. You do not need to shop forever to find your wedding gown. Once you find your gown, you are better able to visualize the other details for your big day. If a dress has every characteristic you are looking for in a gown, you’ve found the one. Shopping for a wedding gown is time consuming. Don’t run the risk of walking away and losing it!