If you follow me on Instagram and watch my Instagram Stories, you already know that I recently got my wedding dress! It has been an absolutely incredible process – this is something I have dreamed about since I was literally 4 years old and it was everything I wanted and more. I won’t be sharing the actual dress on the blog until after the wedding – duh – but I cannot wait to tell you every last detail. My dream dress was purchased at The White Flower Bridal Boutique in San Diego and I cannot recommend them highly enough. I worked with Brittany as my bridal consultant (she’s my new best friend) and she was SO amazing. She made the perfect recommendations and just made the entire day so much fun. I wanted to make very minor changes to my wedding gown and she knew exactly what their alterations team was capable of and made her own little adjustments so that I could see what it would look like! If you’re anywhere near San Diego, you have to go here. I’m going to give you all the wedding dress shopping tips you need to make sure your experience goes as smoothly as mine did!
Be Open Minded
I know I’m not the only girl who has looked at wedding dresses in magazines and online for years. Even if you only started browsing when you got engaged, chances are you’ve already started to lean toward a particular style. That’s totally fine – it’s always a good idea to do your research but don’t get too attached. Since you’ve probably never worn anything even remotely similar to a wedding dress, you have no idea what’s going to look the best on you! Even if you’ve always pictured yourself in a ball gown, make sure you at least try a sleeker style. If you don’t like it on you, that style can be ruled out and you won’t ever wonder what it might have looked like. So many brides go in wanting something specific and then end up choosing something completely different. I recently went shopping with my friend Courtney for her wedding dress and she ended up falling in love with a style that she never would have imagined before. It looked so perfect on her and she never would have found it if she didn’t agree to try it on in the first place! Bridal consultants are totally prepared for you to try on a bunch of dresses so don’t worry about taking too long! Make sure you try on every style at least once so that you know how it looks on your body type. You never know!
Plan Ahead
I don’t think a lot of people realize how long it takes for a wedding dress to be made! From the time you order it to the time it’s ready to wear, it takes about 9 months! Yes, seriously – a human baby and a wedding dress take the same amount of time. From the day I ordered my dress, it will take about 7 months to be delivered and another 2 months to allow for alterations. Make sure you give yourself time to look around and find a dress you like, too! My cousin tried on over thirty wedding dresses before she picked the one so she needed a bit more time! Double check with your boutique and designer to make sure you have enough time before you get your heart set on a dress. If you’re cutting it too close, you have the option to buy a sample dress and alter it to fit you! Most boutiques usually have a rack of samples, or dresses that they’ve used in-store for people to try on, that you can buy immediately. The downside is you won’t have very many options and they may be damaged. The upside is the dresses will likely be heavily discounted!
Bring the Right Undergarments
This depends on which styles you’ll be trying on but since you never know what you might end up in, make sure to bring the right undergarments with you, just in case! I recommend wearing a nude bra and underwear so that you’re not distracted by panty lines or black undies when you’re trying to picture yourself at the altar. Most dresses will call for a strapless bra, even if they have straps. Keep in mind that you probably won’t need a bra on your wedding day – most dresses are designed to support you naturally once they’re altered properly. The bridal consultant will be able to tell you which bra is best to try the dress on with! Even if you don’t think you’ll be trying on form-fitting dresses, bring Spanx! You will be happy you did if you end up loving a sleek but can’t look past your problem area on your tummy. Being prepared with shape wear will make the whole experience so much easier, trust me!
Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen
Going shopping for a wedding dress is so much fun that you might be tempted to invite everyone you know. It’s definitely important to share the day with people you love but make sure you’re not bringing a huge group with you. Even if you think they all have the same taste as you, they will likely have different opinions and ideas that may sway your opinion. I wouldn’t recommend bringing more than 4 people with you! That’s a big enough group to make it a fun experience but not too many that it will be complete pandemonium. Think of it as you making the dress a complete surprise for everyone else! The last thing you want to do is leave the bridal boutique confused or upset because everyone was giving you different opinions! At the end of the day, you’re the bride and you have to be happy with what you’re wearing so don’t let everyone talk you into a dress that you don’t feel good in.
Get Dolled Up
I may be totally alone in this but if I try something on at the mall, I am much more likely to love it if my hair and makeup is done. Maybe it’s because I feel so much better when I’m all put together or maybe I can picture myself in the outfit a lot easier when I’m already dolled up. Either way, the same thing definitely applies when you’re wedding dress shopping! Make sure you have your hair and makeup the way you like it before you go. This is not to say you need to have your hair in a polished updo and your makeup flawlessly airbrushed on! Just do your hair and makeup as normal so that you feel like your pretty self! Don’t wear anything you’re not planning on wearing on your wedding day. For example, don’t wear bright red lipstick if you want a soft, romantic look for your wedding. This will make it a lot easier for you to picture yourself on your wedding day, which is so much fun!
Make a Day of It
This is just a small tip because I think it makes everything so much more fun and worth celebrating. I never like the party to be over! If everyone has time, make the entire day into a celebration. Don’t just go to the store and go home. Plan a fun girls’ lunch afterwards or go shopping for wedding shoes and accessories. Even if you don’t buy anything, talking about the details of the dress all day makes the whole process more exciting! This is the perfect way to kick off the wedding planning process because it’s the first time you’ll probably feel like a real bride!
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