From one bride to another, this is the most exciting event leading up to the wedding - finding your dream gown! I truly believe finding your dress is one of the very first things you will want to check off the list. If you are confident in the season and overall venue look and feel you will be going with, a dress is the next thing to check off the list. It sets the tone for the wedding. Will t be a fairytale ball gown, beachy and bohemian, straight and modern...I mean the possibilities are endless.
What you wear should make you feel the most beautiful and the most confident so you can have the most fun on your wedding day.
Consider things like sleeves - Are you someone who pulls up strapless shirts or cocktail dresses when you wear them? Maybe strapless isn't going to be your best option, no one wants to watch you pulling up your dress at your armpits all night long. However, if you do get a strapless gown, here is how you can avoid that. Your seamstress should make sure your dress is as secure and tight as it can be in the waist, that is what holds the dress up. If it is secured at the waist, there should not be any falling down or moving around.
Let's talk styles!
Ball gown wedding dress.
Mermaid wedding dress.
Trumpet wedding dress.
Sheath wedding dress.
A-line wedding dress.
Tea-length wedding dress.
Fit-and-flare wedding dress.
Column wedding dress.
Ballgown wedding dress.
That's a lot of options, and the list goes on. So knowing your body type is key. Find out what flatters your figure best. If you are completely clueless, visit a bridal store with a knowledgeable consultant to help you try on different styles so you can see what is working and what is not.
ALSO don't knock anything off your list until you have tried it and know for certain that it is not a good fit for you.
What do I bring to my dress try-ons?
If you have your wedding shoes picked out, bring those. If not, bring a shoe that is comparable to the height of the shoe you want to wear. I can't believe I am saying this, but have good hygiene and wear undergarments you feel comfortable in as you may have a stylist helping you change in the room, no one likes B.O. I also recommend bringing both a strapless bra and bra pads to help you envision what you can or cannot wear in the dresses you are looking at.
Who should come?
This is SO personal to YOU! But, I would recommend keeping it small, and bringing the people who you know have your best interest in mind and won't cause any drama or hurt feelings by what they say or how they respond. This is an exciting time and the energy in the room should be only positive. For me, I have many aunts and cousins and friends that I adore, but I also like to be private and knew that keeping it to just 4 people was going to be just right. My mom, sister, sister-in-law and my future mother-in-law. People that will always be in my life and people, that I trust and love more than anything and I wanted there in this very special moment that only happens once.
Where do I go?
First, think about your budget. Don't go to a place where the dresses are way out of your price range. That just isn't fun. It isn't respectful to the shop you are at, and it won't help you in the end. If you try on a gown that is thousands of dollars over your budget, and you fall in love with it, now what? Will anything you try on after that amount to what you fell in love with and couldn't have?
Do your research and look at the designers and collections the shops hold, call and ask questions and pick a few places to try.
DON'T BE SHOCKED IF YOU FIND YOUR DRESS AT THE FIRST PLACE YOU VISIT.
DON'T BE UPSET IF THE DRESS YOU PICK IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU THOUGHT YOU WANTED.
For example...I have modeled thousands of bridal gowns in my lifetime, so I was pretty certain what I wanted and had a very good sense of the silhouettes that flattered my body shape the most. I was dead set on experiencing many different bridal salons to enjoy the experiences of finding my dress and told everyone I knew I was not going to pick my dress on the first day I tried them on. Well, I was wrong. I tried on the styles I thought I wanted and they weren't doing it for me, then one was pulled that was similar in silhouette but had a different feel than I thought I was going to like. I kept referencing that gown, putting it on again and again, and just knew it was it.
There were some things that I spoke about with my stylist that I wanted to change on the dress, and additions I wanted to make, the position of the back, the color, and some other minor details. So if there are things you may want to be altered don't be afraid to ask the questions to get the dress where you want it to be.
Also, because I have worn so many gowns, I didn't have that crying moment or the OMG this is it. But that's also okay, don't feel like you have to just 'know' and have this euphoric moment in time. That just may not be your personality, and it sure isn't mine...
However, I tried it on one last time with the veil I fell in love with and thought about it more, and a few tears escaped my eyes, and then everyone started crying and I couldn't stop. HAHA. That just solidified what I knew in my head to now what I knew in my heart to be it.
At the end of the day it is all about what makes you happy, what makes you glow and what you can party all night long in!