Wedding Dress Shopping 101
Class is in session, welcome to wedding dress shopping 101.
Continuing reading to find out all the basics you need to know before buying your wedding dress…
Start as early as you can
Buying the perfect wedding dress is a long-winded, detailed process. It takes time, research, and patience to get to the point of looking amazing on your wedding day.
We recommend that you start as early as possible when you are looking to buy your dress. This is of course within reason. By starting as early as possible you are allowing the maximum amount of time between finding your dress and wearing it on your wedding day.
Many consider their dress to be one of the most important parts of their wedding, so you do not want to be rushed into making a decision you may regret.
Set your budget and stick to it!
Given that the average UK wedding is now at £30,000, getting married is not cheap. Setting and sticking to a budget for your wedding is very important as it will stop you from overspending.
Within your overall budget we advise setting a limit on what you can spend for your wedding dress. This allows you to understand what sort of dress you can afford from the offset. It is also important to note that dress alterations are cheap. They can be anywhere from £50 to £200. Make sure you account for this figure when purchasing anything.
If budgeting is a problem, feel free to check out our other blog on how to plan a wedding on a budget.
Set your wedding date
It may seem strange but knowing your wedding date is an important factor in buying the right dress. This is because different styles and materials will be suited for different times of the year.
Often the changing of seasons means vastly different weather – it certainly does in the UK! By knowing the date of your wedding, or at least a rough idea of the month, you can buy a style that accompanies the time of year you are getting married. For example, if you have a summer wedding planned you may opt for a lighter material with more lace to help keep you cool.
Find your wedding venue
Like knowing when your wedding will take place, knowing what venue your wedding will be hosted at is valuable when picking your style of dress.
Wedding venues are often spectacular and distinct. These features allow you to mirror your dress to the type of venue you are getting married in.
Understand dress terminology
The wedding world often has a language of its own, which to an outsider may be difficult to understand
Wedding dresses fittings and alterations will often include technical language around the dress. This includes neckline, waistline, sleeve style, skirt details, fabric, finishes, train.
Away from dresses, it is also recommended learning the basic dress silhouettes. This will inform you of what shape of dress will best suit your body, and make it easy to explain the style you are looking for.
Doing some basic research will put you in a much stronger position of knowing what will be best for you and how to convey this to someone else.
Pick a style that suits you
Bridal gowns come in many shapes and styles. After doing some research around your silhouette pick a few favourite styles that will work for you.
Some examples of dress styles include A-line, ballgown, drop waist and empire. Check out this helpful blog to get a better understanding.
By having a few styles in mind, you can be direct and certain that you are trying on relevant dresses, making the most of your time throughout the appointments.
Find the right bridal shops
Finding the right bridal shops is an important step in finding your dress. Every bridal shop will stock different styles, designers and prices ranges. Before committing to any appointments research what each shop has to offer.
Asking the right questions will give you the best chance of finding the right ones for you:
- What designers do you sell?
- What sample sizes do you stock?
- Do you handle fittings and alterations?
- What sort of price range do you dresses fall in?
- What is your payment process?
Work your list of questions around the top priorities for you. If you are looking to buy a dress on a budget find out how expensive their dresses are.
We recommend picking three to five bridal shops to visit. This is a good number to offer a variety and perspective into what is available without spreading yourself to thin. Sometimes having to many options makes it harder to decide.
Pick bridal shops that are close to your home as much as possible. Remember you and friends may need to travel to the location more than once.
Bring your wedding accessories
Where possible, bring as many of your wedding accessories to the fitting and alteration appointments as possible.
These may include:
- Shoes
- Lingerie
- Jewellery
By bringing as much as possible it will give you the best representation of how your complete outfit will look on the day. It also allows you to gage how your shoes and lingerie feel with the dress. This can help if you are looking for something which is slightly more comfortable.
Pick friends and loved ones to accompany you
We recommend picking one or two people to accompany you. This could be your mother or best friend.
By having an extra set of eyes accompany you throughout the process you can act on decision with a higher level of confidence. You can ask them what looks good and what does not look good.
Book appointments to suit your schedule
Dress fittings and alterations are memories you will cherish for the rest of your life. They are opportunities for you and loved ones to relax and have fun.
When booking your appointment do not book any times that may be rush for you or anyone attending with you. Ask the shop how long they expect the appointment to last and work it into your schedule with some time around either side.
Ask lots of questions
Do not be afraid to ask a lot of questions. Remember knowledge is power.
The stylist and fitters helping will have heaps of experience that will make your life easier. Listen to their advice and take it into consideration when choosing your dress.
Only use their advice as a guidance. It is your wedding so the final decision should be down to you.
Trust your instincts
Trusting your instincts will ultimately be the deciding factor in loving your dress or not. If your bridal party are pushing, you towards a style have the confidence to speak up if it is not for you.
Although they are there to help, their tastes will differ from yours.
Take a picture to remember the dress
The final step of finding your perfect dress is taking a picture (if the bridal shop allows you).
This allows you to remember how you will look on the day and assists in the planning of other accessories that you may not have bought yet.
You have completed wedding dress shopping 101…
We hope that this has given you the knowledge you need to confidently buy your wedding dress. If you are interested in looking at bridal shops check out our list of suppliers.