Everything you need to know before, during, and after you go dress shopping.
Start Shopping Early
You should start dress shopping around 8 to 10 months before the wedding. Keep in mind that a lot of manufacturers are in China and they close the entire month of January. It can take up to two months to find the right gown and then four months for alterations and nay extras you add to the dress. Give yourself plenty of time and find pictures on the internet of dresses you like and take with you to the retail store. Keep in mind that the sooner you start shopping, the less likely you’ll feel rushed.
Set Your Budget And Know Your Limit
As excited as you are, work out your budget first. Do not try on gowns outside of your price range or once you find the perfect dress stop shopping. If you find a dress out of your budget, you will either end up falling in love and being disappointed with any dress after that. Shopping once you found the perfect dress will make you second guess yourself and then you have to choose. Who wants to choose between two beautiful dresses. Once you purchase a wedding gown, you do not get the same value out of it, even though you did not wear it.
Determine Dress Style
The wedding dress sets the tone for the entire wedding. Ball gown dresses set a tone of upscale and sophisticated and perfect for a hotel ballroom wedding. Informal dresses are flowy and set the tone of relaxed and natural, perfect for the beach. This will then determine the dress code for your bridesmaids, mother's dresses, and the guest.
Savings
Savings can also be found at sample sales, where you can get discounts on past seasons’ gowns. Wear your mom's dress and have it clean and altered to fit your body type. Some stores want all your wedding business and the more you purchase with them the more you save. If you buy the wedding gown, then the bridesmaids will get a percentage off their dresses. Rent your tuxedos and the groom usually gets his free.
Requests Can Cost
Bridal stores employees are very busy and if you want them to provide extra services, be prepared to pay and upfront service fee. If you want them to find a certain dress or style and it will take hours, remember their time is money. If you call the bridal salon with the manufacturer and the style number and ask if they have that dress, they are happy to help, but more than that, it will cost you. Salons can also get a "sample" dress for you to try on. It depends on what size the manufacturer has in stock. The customer usually pays for the dress to be shipped to the store and the store pays to send the dress back. If your purchasing the dress, it may just be a good selling dress and the salon might just keep the dress instead of sending it back.
Book Appointments Before The Weekend
Scheduling an appointment is a must. These salons are busy and the farther into the week the busier they get. Saturdays are a mad house so appointments during the week are more relaxed and you will get more attention from the sales staff. You will need a consultant to try on a dress. Remember these are expensive dresses and they do not want make up on them and they need to be put back into bags that are tagged to match the dress.If you do not book an appointment, you may only be able to check out the merchandise only.
Dress Length
If you are under five foot, you will more than likely need to have a long dress hemmed. The hem should skims the toes of your shoes, so you can move comfortably. Anything longer than that and you have to possibility of tripping on the gown.
Be Open-Minded
Start by trying on different styles of dresses. A dress is like a book, don't judge a book by it's cover and do not do the same with a wedding dress. Sizes are different by manufacturers. A size 14 in one dress can not fit and a size 14 in another dress can be to big. Generally the wedding gowns come from over seas and they run smaller in size. Trust your salesperson, they know what they are talking about and sometimes they can just see you in the perfect dress. Go with it, you will be amazed what these salespeople can do for your.
Dress Support Team
Bringing 10 people to a small bridal store is over whelming and you could be looking for weeks to find a dress. Limit your dress support team to a couple of people who have similar taste as you and a course mom. When you narrow the dress down to a few, then bring other people with to get their opinion and invite dad.
Buy That Dress
Buy a dress that fits your body the way it is now and have the dress altered if you gain or lose weight. If you lose weight the dress can be taken in and if you gain weight it can be let out or a corset back can be put into it. This is a lot easier (and cheaper) than it is to add extra fabric to a gown after the fact. The store will measure your body to make sure the correct size dress was sent by the manufacturer.
Read the Fine Print
The fine pint will state that once you purchase the gown their is no taking it back. The contract will hae a non return policy. Check to ensure that you are ordering the correct size and color. Get the designer name, style number, measurements, delivery date, price of the gown, and deposit amount in writing.
Bring Accessories You Have
Accessories are very important and maybe the something borrowed in your wedding. Bring your veil, headpiece, gloves or cover-ups to get an idea of your whole wedding look.
Be Certain
Get a feel for more than just one dress and salon. Remember you will be working quite a bit with this salong on purchasing extras and having work done on the dress. If the sales staff are not pleaseant, then your dress experience will not be pleasant.
Your Instincts
If you get a feeling of being beautiful and people can see the glow on your face, then you have the correct dress. If you have to be reassured then the dress is probably not “the one.” So women will not even want to take the dress off and will try to stay in the dress for as long as possible. Then makes the fittings more enjoyable also, because you get to try the dress on!
For more tips and tricks, purchase the Wedding Dress Shipping 101 booklet today!