Top Ten Reminders When Shopping For Your Dream Gown
by Kelsey Hubble
Cincinnati Bride has been working with brides to find their dream gowns for over 30 years. Below are some great tips from working with many brides.
Set A Budget! Probably the most obvious rule for the new bride! Your budget should be set before you make any wedding decisions, buying your dress is no different. We like our brides to know what they want or need to spend to make their dream come true. Most bridal salons offer packages or discounts and almost all salons are more than willing to work with the budgeted bride. And remember, that $ marked gown isn’t going to make or break your dream day, shop around and find the dress that works on you and for you!
Do Your Research!Some girls have their dream dress etched into their minds since they first saw Cinderella, others, well they’re a little less than clueless. Your best bet is to do some research! Grab a magazine, go to BrideBuddy.com, and ask as many questions to as many people as possible – at least you’ll have an idea of what you like and don’t like. It’s also helpful to associate yourself with bridal terms (if you haven’t already!) Terms like rouching, pickups, trumpet, bustle, MOH, ect.
Mother’s Golden Rule… Everyone remembers their mother’s golden rule, “Always wear clean panties, you might end up in the hospital and what would you say then!” (must say in a nasally voice!) Apply that rule to gown shopping. You and your consultant are going to get up-close and personal in that dressing room, and no matter how gorgeous that dress is you won’t look like a bride if you look like you just got back from Extreme Spinning. Also keep in mind the amount of make-up you wear, with all the different color options for brides these days you want to be able to match the perfect one to your natural skin tone.
Leave the Entourage on HBO We know you want help deciding on the dress of your dreams, but how could you possibly concentrate with 7 women giving you their detailed (and obviously right) opinion, 2 screaming 5 year olds desperately grabbing at your beautiful cathedral length veil, and Great Aunt Hilda squawking on and on about what happen back in her day?? Exactly. You need to be able to trust your own opinion (and at least hear yourself think!). So on the first couple fittings just bring your most trusted advisors, Mom, little sis, MOH, the women in your life who will set you straight and truly express their needed opinions. Once you decide on your dress, bring that crowd in for a fashion show, heck, even Great Aunt Hilda.
Foundations Are Called That For A Reason! Your foundation garments (slips, corsets, ect.) under your gown can make or break your dream day. Who wants that itchy tulle burn or the dreaded “Janet Jackson-Slip”? Most bridal salons will provide foundations for you to try on when you come for fittings and more sell them in packages with your dress. You want to be remembered for how beautiful you look – not how fidgety you were. So start from the ground up!
Timing Is Everything! The company line is 6 – 8 months when you order your gown. That means it will take 6 – 8 months to come in from the designer, not including shipping and alterations. Most salons tell you to order 9 – 10 months prior to your big day to allot enough time, and they’re the experts! Bridesmaids and Mother of the Bride/Groom dresses take about 3 – 4 months and you should plan on ordering 5 – 6 months before to allot for alterations. So begin your search accordingly!! Also remember consultants like to allow ample time to work with you, usually an hour and a half – two hours for your first fitting. So think about the time you have and plan enough time between your appointments!
Embrace Your Consultant! Bridal salon consultants are different from your department store consultants! They need to work closely with you to help find your gown, so be honest with them! They know the gowns in their store and are there for you. So don’t feel crowded – enjoy the attention!
First Time’s A Charm! It sounds crazy, but the gown you’ve dreamed of could be the first one you try on! We see it all the time when girls find the one that they love is the first gown they wore, ever! It’s not a fluke, it’s a woman’s intuition, so don’t worry – it means you know what you want and were a prepared shopper. And think of what a great story that makes!!
You Do Not Have Commitment Issues! All sales are final in the bridal world – and that scares some girls. Don’t fret buyers remorse, you’re not buying a mass produced cocktail dress it’s your individually cut bridal gown! Know the bridal stores policies before hand (pay in full, 60% down…) and know what options you have with bridal packages (veil, foundation garments, alterations, ect.) And remember, you said yes to the man – you can say yes to the dress!
All About You Never forget who this is all really about…you and your man. Shopping for the dress of your dreams shouldn’t be another check mark on the list, but a once in a lifetime experience! Have faith in your choice and relish in the fact that this big decision is the one for you. Take a deep breath and smile! You’re going to look phenomenal!!
Photos provided by Beth Jacobs.
Posts
