Top Tips When Wedding Dress Shopping

It's usually around this time of year we'll be saying that wedding season is upon us. After the last couple of years however it feels like 2022 is going to be the year of wedding catchups. Brides have been on tenterhooks as to whether weddings will actually go ahead or not. Or if they'll be able to have the big days they've dreamed about. Wedding planning can be stressful at the best of times but the pandemic has thrown a big old spanner in the works. Wedding dress shopping in particular poses a huge amount of worry for brides to be. After all, we only get one chance (hopefully) picking the perfect dress for our wedding day.

For some brides dress shopping is something they've dreamed about for as long as they can remember. It can be an incredible amount of pressure to find the perfect wedding dress. Thankfully though there are a few tips and tricks you can take on before visiting bridal boutiques.

10 Things To Think About Before Wedding Dress Shopping

1. Do Your Research

As a bride-to-be I'm sure you've already googled everything there is to google about wedding planning. It's not being a bridezilla, it's being clued up and doing your research.

Before attending a bridal boutique it's worth having a look at different styles of wedding dress available. Of course what you choose might be completely different but I feel you can never do to much research. Plus looking at wedding dresses is so much fun!

Whether you're browsing local boutiques or exploring well-known Baltimore bridal boutiques, comparing styles, price points, and customer reviews can help you narrow down your options and make the shopping experience feel far less overwhelming.

Every boutique offers a slightly different experience, so finding one that aligns with your vision and budget can make all the difference. Going in with a shortlist of trusted bridal boutiques will help you feel more confident and focused when searching for your dream dress.

You might be tempted to look into bridal boutiques close to you, but it's also worth having a look further afield too. That being said if you do find your perfect dress a little further away, if you need any alterations at a later date the commute probably won't be as exciting as it was on your first journey.

2. Make Pinterest Your Best Friend

Social media and the online world has a lot to answer for these days. However when it comes to wedding dress shopping Pinterest in particular can be a massive help to you.

I like organisation and my Pinterest boards reflect that. You could separate styles into different boards, or even have have different coloured gowns separated via different boards.

Along with bridal gowns, Pinterest is also a really great place for bridal shoes and accessories inspiration. It's your one stop shop for all wedding inspo.

Give yourself time.

3. Think About Timescales

There are a number of boutiques out there offering an off the peg service meaning you buy the dress there and then. The dress you try on will be the dress You take. Others you may have to order from. You could potentially be trying dresses on that are 3, 4 possibly even 5 times bigger than the size you are. These dresses are bespoke made especially for you but with that comes a longer wait time. This is usually around the 3-6 month mark so please bear this in mind when wedding dress shopping.

Thinking of timescales it's also worth taking into consideration any alterations that you may need to your wedding dress. If you buy off the peg for example you will have your dress there and then but if you need any alterations making to it it may take a month or so to get booked in with a seamstress.

Giving yourself plenty of time is really important.

4, Choose Your Bridal Party Wisely

Choosing who you take to the bridal shop with you is really important. Your bridal party need to be positive but also be constructive with giving advice with your shopping choices.

I'd recommend taking two or three people with you. The saying too many chefs in the kitchen can be vastly appropriate when it comes to wedding dress shopping. You want input in your choice but you don't want too much input.

5. Think About Your Budget

We all know that weddings can be very expensive. Wedding dresses can also be very expensive. I'm sure when you first started wedding planning you set aside a budget for your dress and in my opinion it's really important to stick to it.

I found when researching different bridal boutiques that the pricing of dresses is very secretive. I didn't really like this as I like to know no where I stand when it comes to money. I'd hate to fall in love with a dress and then realise it was four times my original budget.

When looking it was was the off-the-peg type boutiques which gave the game away when it came to pricing. This is why I personally went for this service with Wed2B.

In terms of budget, wedding dresses don't need to cost a fortune. There are plenty of high street retailers these days which have a bridal range. ASOS for example have a really extensive bridal gown range for really affordable prices.

6, Pre-Appointment Beauty Prep

In terms of hair and makeup it's definitely worth doing some pre-appointment beauty prep before your big appointment. Doing your hair and makeup before your appointment will give you the best idea of how you'll look like on your big day.

If you know what jewellery or bridal accessories you'll be wearing on your wedding day it's worth taking these along to your appointment with you too.

7. Be Open Minded About Bridal Gown Styles

I said previously that research is king when it comes to wedding dress shopping. But with that being said, I think throwing a couple of wildcard dresses into the mix when trying on wedding gowns can be really beneficial.

We only ever intend on getting married once so I fully believe trying different styles of bridal gowns on is the right thing to do. Even if it's just to indulge in the Princess experience.

The wedding dress I chose was actually picked out for me by one of the stylists in the bridal salon. I'd dismissed it originally because of the neckline, but once on I just knew it was the one.

8. Take Pictures

I'd highly recommend that once you've tried dresses on, to go away and have a think about your try on experience. Because of this it's worth getting your bridal party to take pictures of you in the different dresses from as many different angles as possible.

Taking a bit of time away and really looking at yourself in a wedding dress will not only boost your excitement, but will help you find your perfect dress too.

They're also really great to look back on in the time period between buying your dress and the big day itself.

9. Write Down Any Questions You Might Have

When you're in the moment of wedding dress shopping, any questions you may have can totally slip for mind. By writing your queries down you're making sure you get all the answers you need. Even the simplest of questions are worth asking, so get them written down. You won't regret it.

10. Trust Your Gut

Everybody always says when it comes to your wedding dress that when you know, you know. Before my wedding I thought this was a bit of an old wives tale, but you really do know.

If you like a dress, but it doesn't give you that wow feeling it's worth holding out for one that does. This is why nailing the timescale is so important.

Trusting your gut when it comes to wedding dress shopping is imperative to help find your perfect dress.

Do you have any tips for wedding dress shopping. What does your dream dress look like?