Wedding Dress Tips for Finding Your Perfect Dress!

Ahh, the day we’ve all been imagining since we were little girls… going wedding dress shopping! Whether you’ve spent years filling your Pinterest board with images of dresses and you know what you want, or if you’ve never thought about it until you were engaged, we’ve got you covered on wedding dress shopping tips. 

Coming from a bridal stylist, wedding dress shopping can be (and should be) thrilling, but it can also be stressful. I mean, odds are you’ve never tried on a wedding dress before, and it may be the most expensive piece of clothing you may ever wear.
You’ll look back on your wedding day forever, with photos and video, so of course you’re going to want to look like your perfect self. The best thing is, is that your definition of perfect is your definition. You get to choose the dress that makes you feel perfect. Whether it’s a ballgown, a lacey A-line, or maybe even a glamorous fit and flare gown, the choice is yours and all of us at Bridal Accents Couture are here to help you find your perfect dress! 

So I’m here today to give you 10 tips to take with you when shopping for your wedding dress! 

1. Start early
   We recommend you start dress shopping 9-12 months in advance for custom order gowns! It typically takes 4-5 months for your wedding dress to be made, and then you will want to allow 2-3 months for alterations.
2. Budget
   It’s important to arrive with a budget in mind, and not to shop drastically over that budget. You don’t want to have a $2,500 budget in mind and then try on a $4,000 dress and be disappointed when it’s too far out of your price range. It’s even best to call around to bridal shops before booking your appointment to make sure they carry a good variety of dresses in your price range so your time and theirs isn’t wasted.
3. Wedding Theme
   What time of year is your wedding? Where is it located? Is it outdoor or indoor? What’s the theme of your wedding? All of these questions are great to keep in the back of your mind when dress shopping as your wedding dress will complete the idea for the theme of your wedding.
4. Keep an open mind
   You may know “the dress” you want, but shopping is still of the fun! Let your guests pick out a couple dresses for you to try on. Step out of your comfort zone and try on dresses you never thought you’d like! Believe us when we say it always looks different on you then it does on the hanger.
5. Have some keywords ready
   “Romantic”, “sexy”, “vintage”, “boho”… Keywords really help your stylist get the feel of what you’re looking for in your dress.
6. Bring proper undergarments and shoes
   Not many people think about this one. It’s not a necessity, but definitely helpful as you’ll get a better idea as to how the dress will fit on your wedding day. Think about bringing shapewear, a strapless bra, pasties or nude underwear. If you already have your shoes or style of shoe picked out, bring it with!
7. Don’t worry about sizing
   Wedding dress sizing works way differently than street clothes. If we suggest ordering a size larger than what you typically wear, don’t sweat it! Since there are so many different measurements that go into making a wedding dress, the sizing chart has to be different than street clothes.
   We also recommend you order the size that fits you now. Even if it’s a goal of yours to focus on your health and fitness before your big day, your body most likely won’t drastically change (and it’s much easier to take in a dress than it is to let it out – and cheaper too!).
8. Bring your accessories
   If you have your something borrowed that you know for sure you want to incorporate to the outfit on your wedding day, bring it with you when you come shopping! If it’s not your something borrowed but there’s an accessory you know you want to wear, bring it with you! It adds to the fun of trying dresses on and can really assure you on your decision.
9. Limit your guest count
   I’m sure you’ve watched Say Yes to the Dress, and I’m sure you’ve noticed how there always seems to be drama between the party in regards to the dresses they like and don’t like. That’s typically because they brought a lot of guests, and a lot of guests means a lot of opinions, which can lead to drama. So we recommend only bringing a few people with you; those whose opinions you can’t go without!
10.  Trust your gut
    Believe it or not, it’s okay to fall in love with the first dress you try on! It’s also okay to not fall in love with any of the dresses you try on. When you’ve found “your dress”, you’ll know. 

All in all, wedding dress shopping for most is a once in a lifetime experience, and is so, so, so fun! We hope these tips help prepare you for shopping for your dream dress. 

Comment below any tips you found that we have missed!