Be Prepared for Wedding Dress Shopping with these 8 Tips

Without a doubt you would have heard the saying 'if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.' Whilst that may be a little dramatic in the context of shopping for a wedding dress, it does remind us that a little planning can go a long way.

By putting some thought and specifically applying these following tips you can better prepare yourself for finding your dream wedding dress. These tips can help you to make the whole experience both more time efficient and more enjoyable.

1. Budget

By having a budget or at least price range in mind you can determine which designers and boutiques to consider based on this. By doing so it gives you a way of focusing your search, which can otherwise seem like a daunting task in a never-ending sea of gowns.

This is really only one reason, but an important one. Determining your budget upfront can also help to reduce later stress or buyer's remorse for a gown that you then have to worry about how you are going to pay for it.

2. Understand your body

We truly are much more beautiful than we view ourselves and whilst some may say they don't really like any parts of their body, everyone has features that they should be emphasising.

Thinking about this upfront allows you to determine about the things you may or may not want in a dress. Knowing areas that you would like to emphasise or deemphasise can help guide your wedding dress consultant in picking out the most complimentary styles for you.

3. Determine Your Style

Before going shopping it can really help to have already thought about potential elements of a dress that you do or do not want. Perhaps you are completely set on having a long train or veil or maybe the opposite is true. Use sites like Pinterest to gather ideas and make your list of must have's, maybe's and things to avoid. This will help you streamline your search a little more, prevent the overwhelming feeling of where to start looking and guide your wedding dress consultant in helping to find the right gown for you.

4. Make your wedding dress consultant your best friend

Like your closest friends, tell your consultant everything. After completing the first 3 tips, you will be well-prepared and equipped to give your consultant the type of information they will need to guide you in finding the best dresses for you. You may also find it helpful to bring your list of must have's, maybe's and things to avoid.

5. Think of it as an intimate affair

Having your friends and family with you whilst trying on dresses is a lovely thought, but in reality, the more people you have with you, the more difficult it can become. I'm sure everyone you would like to have there has your best interests at heart, but having too many opinions can be confusing and often overwhelming. We generally recommend having just one or two people with you whose opinions you truly value.

6. Consider your appearance

This isn't so much about avoiding the embarrassment of being caught in that unattractive underwear that we all have, but would never want to admit, it is about trying to simulate to some extent how you will look on the day. We recommend at least wearing a strapless bra, so that straps won't distort how the gown actually looks on you and perhaps even doing your hair nicely - either in an up-style or down, so that you can get a better sense of how you may look.

7. On the rack and off the rack can be two very different things

This concept may be very familiar to you, but it is definitely worth reminding yourself when you're shopping for a gown. Give different styles and cuts a try, but remember the things that your determined in tips 2 and 3 to narrow your search. Your wedding dress consultant should be able to guide you in different styles to emphasise and de-emphasise different body parts.

8. Sometimes less really is more

We see it so often where brides plan a full day or two of shopping for a dress, jamming as many stores in as possible without even a thought about whether they truly meet their budget or even the style they're looking for. This is a tiring exercise, very overwhelming and not all that productive, so please do yourself a favour and at least follow the first 3 tips so that you can narrow your search and then only plan to visit 2 to 3 stores in a day and potentially overall. By doing this, you can make it a much more enjoyable and less stressful experience.

Hopefully these tips will help make shopping for your dream wedding dress a wonderful experience. If you have any other tips for brides-to-be we would love to hear them, so please share them below.

Happy dress hunting!

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