Seven Wedding Dress Shopping Tips

Engagement season is here and many brides will say yes to the proposal. Getting engaged is a special time. As you begin choosing wedding colors, invitations and making honeymoon plans, let us help with tips for wedding dress shopping.
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Bridal boutique owner and founder of The Dress Matters, Deborah Collins, offers her top seven tips for shopping for the dress of your dream.

1. Know Your Budget

​Before you walk into the first bridal salon, you should know how much you want to spend on your dress. This will help narrow your choices and the bridal consultant will be able to help you find what you can afford. It is best to try on only dresses in your budget. You don't want to fall in love with a dress out of your price range. Don't worry about your choices being limited...there are beautiful gowns for EVERY budget!!  

2. Plan To Shop 

Brides should start shopping 9-12 months before the wedding. Bridal gowns can take anywhere from 4-9 month to be made. You will need to factor in shipping times and alterations with multiple fittings. The entire process can take 9-12 months so plan early. If you can't plan early, there are samples that are sold off the rack and many designers offer a rush service.

3. Use Social Media and Do Research to Find Gowns

You can us Pinterest, Instagram, Face Book or Google to find bridal salons in your area, Usually, their websites will tell you which designers they carry. Review the designer's websites to view the dresses.  It's a good idea to follow your favorite blogs, designers and bridal salons to discover new collections, see your favorite gowns on real brides, find out about surprise sample sales and hear about nearby trunk shows. You should bring pictures of your favorites to your bridal appointment so you can try them on.

4. Make Appointments

Try to schedule a few bridal salon appointments on the same day or weekend. By doing this, you will be able to compare dresses and they will be fresh in your mind. Take pictures of your favorite dress as you can refer back to them. After you make your appointment, call the bridal shop and ask them questions you may have bef0re your appointment. It might include questions about dress sizes they have for samples (important for plus size brides), asking about a particular dress or if champagne is allowed at an appointment. 

5. Choose Your Entourage

Think about who you really want to be there for your bridal appointment. Choose them with care! Before selecting your entourage, ask the bridal salon how guests they will permit for your appointment. Most importantly, choose guests that positive, uplifting and understands who you are and what you like. Selecting a dress is a fun event and you want people there who are supportive. 
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6. Listen To Your Bridal Consultant

It’s very helpful when you bring ideas of dresses you like, but be open to listening to ideas from the consultant. They have worked with MANY brides and know what looks good on different body types. They also know the selection of gowns in the boutique. Your consultant wants to make the experience perfect for you so be open to their suggestions. They may suggest different dresses than you wanted to try on or a different color.. Ultimately, the decision is yours. Trust your gut and you will select the right dress! 

7. You Can Say Yes To The First Dress

Many brides find the first dress they try on is the one they love. They are often afraid to say yes and feel like they have to keep trying on dresses. We find that brides think they are deciding too quickly and need to try on tons of dresses. That is not always true. A good bit of brides come back to buy the first gown they loved. When you find the dress...you will know it!

Wedding dress shopping should be a fun and memorable experience. You've found your partner so the hard part is over. Happy shopping!