Choosing a look for one of the most important days of your life can be a daunting task. There are so many things to consider when choosing a wedding dress! From the myriads of different fabrics and styles on offer, to dozens of opinions you feel you should consider, finding a dress that’s perfect for you could easily turn overwhelming and not fun at all. Keeping that in mind, we’ve put together a list of tips to help you stay grounded in the pre-wedding madness and choose the dress that’s YOURs.
It’s no surprise that Pinterest is a source of inspiration for many brides. A moodboard is a great way to figure out what you want, and what you’re not crazy about. Once the ideas are in one place, like the board, they’re easier to navigate and choose from. Whether or not you know what you’d like, the pins would help you visualise it and perhaps even consider the things you haven’t even thought to. They’re also very handy for printing out and showing to the wedding boutique staff so that they have a general direction to follow.
Experienced people
We’d never get tired of saying – trust the professionals! You might be choosing your first wedding dress, but the bridal consultants have seen it all, many times. And they’re there to help you. But in order to get the best people on your case, you should do your own research first. Call up the boutiques in your area and ask them questions specific to you. For instance, if you’re top-heavy, you’d probably need a range that isn’t strapless or even a made-to-measure service. If you’re on a tight schedule (which we don’t recommend, btw!), clarify their usual timelines.
Those are just a couple of examples, but it comes down to this – choose the professionals that can help YOU and make YOU feel important.
Set yourself a budget
You’re not made of money. Keep that in mind when choosing the dress. And unless you really, really, love a frock that’s outside your budget, we wouldn’t suggest trying it on. If a sales person is pushing it on you, it’s a red flag. A true professional would operate within the budgetary limits set by you. Do leave a little wiggle room, but be firm about how much you – or whoever is buying the dress – is prepared to splurge.
Be open-minded
Even if you’ve been picturing your wedding since you were in pre-school, there’s no guarantee that you’d love that sweetheart princess dress of your dreams once you try it on. Don’t stress about it! You might very well look fabulous in a one-shoulder mermaid dress that you haven’t ever considered before. Of course, it’s very good to have a visual of what your wedding’s gonna look like and how your dress fits into it – that’s what Pinterest research is for after all. But they’re also there for you to broaden your scope and give you a sense of what’s out there. And if you have a team of professionals helping you, they’d peruse your scrapbook and help you find The Dress – trust them.
Enjoy yourself!
Wedding dress shopping is an experience that doesn’t have to be a chore at all! Bring with you the people who’d have as much fun as you and whose opinions matter to you – but not too many people. If you’re stressed out by clashes of different opinions, you’re not having fun and focusing on yourself. Try as many gowns as you want – but don’t feel pressured to try the frocks that are your absolute no-no’s. You’re not there to please everyone else – it’s YOUR day and YOUR dress. So relax, trust the professionals and have fun!
