Your wedding planning is finally in full swing. You’ve made some major decisions like selecting a venue, deciding on the design for decor, and now you’re finally ready to make the most important decision of them all…the dress. Wedding gown shopping may be the most highly anticipated part of the wedding planning process, as we’ve all seen the instance where the entire room stands up to stare intently as the bride slowly walks down the aisle to the alter. Who wouldn’t want to look their best for such an significant moment?
As you venture on the journey of finding the perfect dress, it’s important understand that wedding dress shopping is quite different from the clothing shopping we’re accustomed to for our day to day wardrobes. Trying on wedding dresses can be overhelming with so many choices between style, shapes, and prices. It can be physically draining getting in and out of multiple and potentially heavy dresses. It can be confusing, considering your own thoughts and feelings along with the thoughts and expectations of your loved ones. But there are also some key things you can do to notvonly feel prepared for the challenge but feel a little more at ease during your dress shopping experience.
Here is our wedding dress shopping checklist help you make the most of your bridal appointments and increase your chances of saying yes to the perfect dress!
01. Make an Appointment
Unlike most clothing stores, bridal boutiques require appointments for you to be able to view their collections and try on gowns. Depending on the time of year or day of the week appointments also book quickly. If there’s a specific day you have in mind to visit a few boutiques with family, friends, or solo…. to avoid the disappointment of an appointment not being available it’s best to request an appointment for your desired date at least a month in advance.
02. Bring Inspiration
There’s a strong chance your bridal appointment will begin with your consultant inquiring about the style of your wedding and styles of dresses you’re interested in trying on. Having this information available makes it possible for them to pull the best choices from the dress selection the boutique has available. Although it’s 100% understandable if you aren’t exactly sure of what style of dress you want to wear, having a Pinterest board or few images on your phone of ideas and options will give your consultant a sense of direction as well as empower them to further help you define your bridal style.
03. Set a Budget
In today’s market the price of wedding gowns can range from $750-60,000+. But by keeping in mind the budget you’ve set for your wedding, you should also decide on a reasonable price point for your dress. Don’t forget to clearly communicate this number with your consultant towards the beginning of your appointment so they can work with you in choosing the most beautiful options that fall within that range. There’s nothing wrong with being financially responsible! Do what’s best for you and your wedding.
04. Have a Charged Phone
Sometimes it’s hard to see the full details of a gown while trying it on. Have a fully charged phone so you can take as many pictures and videos of each dress as you move through your appointment. If you have more than one dress in the running after your appointments, this will also come in handy when trying to compare which dresses you liked the most later on.
05. Style Your Hair and Makeup
Not too much makeup because we don’t want to get any on the gowns but wearing a light face and styling your hair neatly will make it easier to imagine how the dress will look on your wedding day. Even if the dress is gorgeous, looking or feeling disheveled might make it hard for you to feel gorgeous in it. Just think, if you love the way you look in a dress with simple beauty routine it can only look better when you have your bridal hair and makeup.
06. Be Prepared to Make Payment
Let’s say you’ve found the one during your appointment. Are you ready to purchase today? The standard policy for ordering a wedding gown is at least 50% deposit to begin production and remainder due when it arrives. Before your appointment make a plan for payment to prevent any delays when trying to order your dream dress. Wether it be moving funds to the proper account or altering your bank that you will be making a large purchase making this arrangements prior will help avert any awkward moments during the appointment
07. Have an Open Yet Decisive Mind
Your wedding dress may be one of the most challenging decisions you’ll make as a bride. There may be several outside influences from your tribe, social media, and even your sales consultant trying to persuade you to select a certain option but at the end of the day the ultimate choice is yours. Although you can consider the suggestions of others don’t be afraid to trust your instincts and follow your ultimate vision.
Written by Dara Adams, Fashion Editor and Founder/Lead Stylist of Veil by Dara Adams
