Wedding Dress Shopping - Stressful or a Pleasure?
Each bride approaches wedding dress shopping differently. Some brides know what they are looking for and go full steam ahead to find ‘the one’ and others take their time enjoying the experience and try on loads of dresses until they find their dream gown.
Neither way is right or wrong it’s all about what’s right for you. But whichever route a bride go’s down it can be a stressful purchase. It’s not like heading up to town to get a new outfit for a Saturday night out - this is the biggest day of a girl’s life and she wants to look the best she has ever looked.
It is so easy to get carried away looking in all the glossy magazines and pulling out pictures but until you start trying on dresses it’s very difficult to get an idea of what actually suits you. More often than not we find that brides go for something completely different to what they first envisaged. It’s important to keep on open mind on styles and try on lots of different shapes until you find the one that suits you. Is it an A line, Mermaid style or Empire line? There is a style to suit everyone whatever size they may be and it all about finding out what suits a bride’s individual figure.
So, what would our advice be to brides setting out on the search for their dream dress?
1. Set your budget.
It’s really important to have an idea of what you want to spend or rather what you don’t want to spend. Having been there ourselves, we know how easy it is to get carried away in the moment and suddenly you fall in love with something that is double your budget. There are lots of different designers out there that cater for all budgets. More often than not in the glossy magazines the images don’t show prices and our father taught us one thing growing up...’ if there is no price tag you can’t afford it!’ whilst this may not always be the case it’s a good moto to remember!
When booking your appointments to try dresses on ask the shop what prices there dresses start at and when you arrive for your appointment don’t be shy to tell them what you want to spend. This way you won’t fall in love with something you may not be able to afford.
There is no set budget for a dress. I often get asked if a bride’s budget is enough. There is no rule on what you should spend. There is something out there for everyone and as long as you feel a million dollars in your dress, it doesn’t matter how much it costs.
2. Timing.
Are you having a long engagement or short one? However long you have there are always options. We see a lot of brides that unfortunately can’t be seen by designers or shops because lead times can be as much as 6 months and some brides don’t have the luxury of this much time. Don’t worry. There are a number of routes you can go down to still wear the dress you have always dreamt of wearing without settling for second best. Look for a sample that is available immediately. Ensure you check the dress over closely so you know exactly what you are buying. It may need a dry clean - ask the shop if they can help you with this as wedding dresses need special care. As well as samples, why not look at second hand wedding dresses or what we like to call them ‘previously enjoyed’. Sometimes you can get a real bargain going down this route and there are specialist shops that sell them on behalf of brides. Again check what you are buying and ensure any alterations can be made to ensure the dresses fits you like a glove.
3. When should i look for my dress if i want to lose weight?
We always tell our brides not to hang around looking for a dress but also don’t put yourself under extreme pressure to shed a few pounds for the big day. Many brides do anyway in the run up. Dresses can always be altered to fit so don’t panic but never insist on ordering or buying a smaller size in the hope that you will achieve ‘that dream size’, just in case. Dresses can always be taken in, it is more difficult to let out.
Wedding dress shopping should be enjoyable, a time to share with your nearest and dearest and above all fun. If it starts to get stressful or you feel like you are running out of options, take a break. Stop looking for a while, clear your head and then start your search again. Ask friends where they got there dress from - recommendations are fantastic.
Accessories can really finish off your look. Whether you want to wear a veil or not accessioning your hair can really add that finishing touch. Again, you don’t have to go down an expensive route to purchase a crystal head piece. Have a look on the high street. There are some really fantastic options in costume jewellery departments and the bonus is, you may even wear it again!
Enjoy every minute of looking for your dress!
Article written by Jo and Claire at Belle Bridal. Belle Bridal specialise in selling designer sample wedding gowns at affordable prices. A family run business that prides themselves on delivering a personal service. www.bellebridal.co.uk 020 8446 2481
