The quest to find your perfect wedding dress is no small thing. You’ve dreamed of it since you were a child, and anything less than perfect will inevitably mean disappointment (that may sound dramatic, but for many brides-to-be it’s the reality!)
Rest assured, your dream dress is out there – it just needs to be found. Luckily there are a few things you can do to guarantee wedding dress success. Here are our top tips for finding your dream wedding dress.
Start with an open mind
Assuming you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, it’s best to start your dress finding journey with an open mind. Ask any bridal consultant – they’ll tell you how common it is for a bride-to-be to arrive with a specific style of dress in mind, only to find they don’t actually love it when they try it on.
In other words, your perfect style could quite possibly be something you weren’t expecting. Therefore you have a better chance of finding your dream dress by keeping an open mind and researching as many styles as possible. Speaking of which…
Research like crazy!
This is one of the rare instances in which the word ‘research’ means pure, unbridled fun. As a bride-to-be, you’re at liberty to pour through magazines, online bridal boutiques, instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and any other platform that oozes wedding dress inspiration to your heart’s content.
While researching, take clippings and save all the dresses that catch your eye. Compile them and look for any commonalities of style. Are most of them laced? Voluminous? Floral? This should help you build a clearer picture of what you really want.
Be clear and honest about your budget
Money can be a touchy subject, and often brides will be secretive or disregard their budget when trying on dresses. It might be a prestige thing, or it might be because they simply want to try on some super expensive dresses. Either way, said brides aren’t doing themselves any favours!
Trying on a £10k dress when your realistic budget is closer to £1000 can only end on way – in disappointment. If you’re honest about your budget from the start, and only try on dresses which align with that budget, you’ll have a much smoother ride.
Choose your entourage wisely
Between your family and friends, there will likely be a number of people who you’d like to bring along to your dress shopping experience. You certainly don’t want anyone to miss out, which is understandable – but bringing too many people is often a mistake.
If you’re surrounded by too many voices and opinions, you’ll struggle to hear yourself think. It might be a great day out for everyone, but chances are it’ll be counter-productive, and could leave you feeling less in-the-know about what kind of dress you’re after.
We recommend bringing a smaller group of people whose opinion means the most to you, rather than a full entourage of friends and family.
Wear the right undies
Basically, just don’t wear dark or brightly coloured undies, for obvious reasons. Also, wear a strapless bra!
Try and wear underwear that is as close to that which you’ll be wearing on the big day. That way, you’ll get the best idea of how the dress will sit.
Consider your venue and theme
To master your wedding aesthetic, you’ll want a dress that matches your venue. The last thing you want is a clash in style.
Is it a garden-themed wedding? A floral dress might be the way to go. Is it in a church? Then perhaps something more traditional. And so on.
It’s not the be all and end all, but at the very least, you can use your choice of venue to help you decide on a dress.
Follow the designer?
Some brides are clued in to wedding dress designers, and will no doubt have their favourites. If that’s you, keep in mind that not every dress shop and studio stocks every designer. Sounds obvious, but it’s worth taking the time to ensure your chosen studio has your favourite designers to avoid disappointment.
Of course, not every bride pays attention to the designer – in which case, you’ll have a wider range of options when it comes to choosing where to have your bridal appointment.
Think accessories
This is all about personal preference, but one trend we’re seeing in the bridal community is the rise of accessories. In some cases, brides use the dress as a canvas on which to build the rest of their look, namely with accessories.
These might include hair accessories, bridal jackets, cardigans, veils, belts, jewellry, and more. Used effectively, these accessories can add a new dimension of style and beauty to a wedding dress.
If you’re planning on wearing accessories on the big day, be sure to bring them along to your appointment.
Don’t be pressured
When you visit a wedding dress shop or bridal studio, you are under no obligation to buy a dress.
Your dress is such an important part of your wedding, and indeed your life; the last thing you need is to be pressured into buying one you aren’t 100% sure about. Take your time, and go away and think about it if you need to. No-one can force you to buy anything.
Make a day of it!
Finding a wedding dress is (hopefully!) a once in a lifetime experience. This isn’t your average trip to the shops; this is one of the most significant purchases you’ll make in your life. So let’s rise to the occasion!
Let the bubbles and the laughter and the tears flow. Enjoy the time with your nearest and dearest, and celebrate with a meal or some drinks – even if you don’t end up buying a dress that day!
Fancy finding your dream dress in the beautiful Derbyshire countryside? Book an appointment at Veil & Vow today.
