You said “Yes,” and now it’s time to go shopping for that gown you’ve most likely been dreaming about since you were a little girl. You even have your secret Pinterest board full of your favorite bridal looks—but there are dozens and they’re in a variety of styles and silhouettes. How are you going to narrow down your options to just one?
The amount of wedding photos, articles, blogs, and more online also doesn’t help, especially when it comes to wedding dresses. There’s so much excitement dedicated to bridal gowns, but not a lot of information about how much they cost, where to find them, or what to expect when trying to find one, which can make the process of actually buying a wedding dress overwhelming. But don’t worry—it doesn’t need to be that way. Here are four of our top tips to find the perfect wedding dress for you, and to avoid getting overwhelmed online…
1. Zero in on designers you like and find stores that carry them
Going into a bridal-gown salon or scheduling an appointment without having any idea of what you’re looking for is an easy way to get overwhelmed. So before you do anything else, research some wedding-gown styles and designers, and narrow down what you’re looking for. Decide on a few designers that you really like, so that when you step into the salon you’ll have a specific list of what you want to try on, making the whole process quicker and less overwhelming.
Additionally, check if the designer has multiple collections at different price points this way you’ll have lots of options at multiple price points. Finding your favorite designers beforehand can also help narrow down on where to look—find a wedding-gown shop with a bunch of your favorite designers so you’ll save time and needless trips to other stores.
2. Determine your budget
It can be disappointing to fall in love with a gown that is drastically out of your budget. If you’re only searching for gowns on social media, this predicament can easily happen. Wait to start your shopping, or even online browsing, until you’ve decided on a wedding budget. Then, do your best to narrow your search to gowns and designers within your budget and under, so you’ll have realistic expectations about your options before trying anything on. This is a great step to making sure you’re not disappointed while shopping—just excited!
3. Book a private appointment with a professional
Once you’ve done your research and found styles and designers within your price range, book a private appointment with an experienced professional. This way, you’ll have the undivided attention of a stylist who will listen to what you want and help pick out dresses for you—in a specific look, detail, price point, and more. This will easily make the process of shopping for wedding gowns more manageable and less stressful.
4. Talk to friends about their wedding dresses
Talking to friends or family members who have gotten married recently about their experiences can help give you a realistic idea of what you should expect when looking for your own dress—not the commercialized social-media version. Plus, they’ve likely already done a lot of research themselves, so you’ll be able to share some of their knowledge rather than needing to start from scratch yourself.
The bottom line is to plan ahead. While it can be fun to look at many wedding dresses at the beginning, this experience can quickly turn overwhelming—and that’s not how you want to feel about your dress or your wedding. Following these four tips will take away some of the stress of the whole process and help you feel excited instead of overwhelmed. Happy shopping!
If you’re ready to find the wedding gown of your dreams, make an appointment with us today!