Today's "Wedding Wednesday" is going to feature everyone's favorite wedding topic - THE DRESS. Or, more specifically, the QUEST to find the dress. I've learned so much in my three dress shopping excursions that I feel I have to share the struggles and successes that I've had so far. And no, I'm not going to be showing you my dress in this post, for 2 reasons: 1) I haven't found it yet, and 2) Matt reads this blog and I'm old fashioned - it has to be a surprise!
So anyway, here are three lessons that I've learned so far that I feel it's imperative to share with fellow brides searching for dresses, or those helping brides search for dresses.
1. Bring your own underwear. Especially if you're a "weird" size. Now, I'm not a particularly weird size (*cough* 34A *cough*), but I'm a weird height, and unfortunately for me the third bridal shop that I went to only had strapless bras that also were intended to suck in your stomach - oh yeah, and no 34A. Why is this such a big deal?
Improper undergarments may make you appear pregnant.
If the bridal store happens to have undergarments that will make you look even better in a gown, awesome. But don't depend on them to provide you with what you need - especially if your mother is like mine and tends to get hung up on how many months pregnant your aunts might think you are.
2. Don't be afraid to try on things that your bridal consultant might think you'd like - as long as they're in your price range. One of my bridal consultants (I had 3) was AWESOME at suggesting dresses that she thought I might like. Considering that I walked in saying "no lace, no beading below the bodice, simple, classic, and elegant", she managed to find a dress that I really liked that didn't fit any of my criteria.
Me in the dress. Had it not had the halter top business going on, I think I would've walked out with this one.
I never would have picked this dress off the rack, yet the sales assistant looked at the first few dresses I tried on, asked what I liked and didn't like, and came up with this number. This dress is a close third to the top two I'm currently considering. So basically, trust your consultants - they know quite a bit about dresses and what you might like.
3. Stick to your gut, and don't be afraid to say no. Having been on three appointments, there can be a tremendous amount of pressure to buy a dress that you're not 100% happy with - whether it's from the saleswoman or the friends and family you've brought along. Don't be afraid to say no for now and take the information for the dress. 99% of the time, the dress will be still be there the next weekend or next month, and will still be the same price. Wedding dresses are a big investment, and you should always be happy with your investment. Be sure to get a card with all the dress info, though, of your top choice(s), so that you can go back and see them immediately.
My final tip really only applies to tall girls - walk in knowing exactly how tall you are and how high you want your heels to be when you get married. Especially if you're over 6 feet tall, bridal saleswomen tend to assume you'll be wearing flats. If you're not, tell them up front. And if you're over 6 feet tall, don't bother bringing bridal shoes with you - sample dresses are NOT that long. In fact, the first question out of your mouth when you find a dress you like should be "How much longer can I get this dress?" It's important!
Case in point: Me in my bare feet in dress #1. Shoes? Who needs 'em?
So this is what I've learned in my dress shopping experiences so far. Any other brides out there with tips to share for finding THE DRESS? Share away!
2 comments:
I feel ya - I didn't want my fiance seeing my dress before the wedding either. I ended up with the first dress I ever tried on - I had seen it in a magazine and then the store called me to say it was on sale. I LOVED IT!
But these are good tips. A lot of my girlfriends had troubles with their wedding dresses, trying on recommended ones out of their budget and then ending up shelling out more dosh than they wanted because they'd fallen in love with it.
great post, thanks for the tips! :)
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