Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! If you just recently got engaged and started the wedding planning process, you might be thinking about finding the perfect wedding dress! This can be one of the most fun and exciting parts of the wedding planning process, but it can also be hard to figure out what you should do next and how to even begin!
Mindi, the owner of Something New Boutique, and Kristi, one of SNB’s experienced bridal stylists, have given us some of their most helpful tips for new brides with questions about the process of finding their dream dress. Check out their tips below!
1. How Many Appointments Should I Make?
When starting the process of finding your wedding gown, it may be tempting to make appointments with a bunch of bridal salons, but Mindi warns that you can be overwhelmed if you go to too many stores and suggests that brides do their research before making their first appointment and visit the very best place first. You never know if you’re going to find your dream wedding dress on the very first visit, and if you do, there is no need to visit anywhere else!
2. Is “Just Looking” A Thing?
Some brides may visit a bridal boutique or book their first bridal appointment with the intent of “just looking,” or getting a better idea of what’s out there before committing to dress, but Kristi urges brides about the dangers of “just looking” in bridal because magic can happen at any moment! You should wait for the right time to go shopping with everyone you would like to experience your “Yes!” moment with because you just might fall in love with a dress when you weren’t expecting it, and it’s definitely better to experience that magical moment surrounded by your loved ones!
3. Can You Find Your Dress During Your First Visit?
Absolutely! At Something New Boutique probably around 80% of brides find their dream dress on their very first visit because our expert stylists have a great process of helping brides match their vision with silhouettes and styles that will make them look amazing. So if you visit a shop that has really knowledgeable stylists and a great process to help you narrow down your choices, it’s totally normal to fall in love at your very first appointment! Magic happens every day, so be ready to celebrate finding your dress!
4. Sizing – What to Expect
For bridal dresses, it’s totally normal for the size to be larger than the size you usually wear because the dresses run small, so don’t be discouraged! Kristi urges her brides not to focus on the number, because they can be one to two sizes larger than your normal size. This is also the same for bridesmaids, so you should let your friends know what to expect before they go to get their dress!
5. Know Your Price Point
When you come into a bridal boutique for your appointment, it’s very important for you to know what price point you need to stick to for your wedding dress, so your stylist can be the most helpful and only pull dresses that will work for you. It’s also helpful to call a boutique before making an appointment to see what price range their gowns usually fall under. This way, you’ll know if they’ll have a selection that’s good for you!
6. I Didn’t Expect To Like This!
A ton of brides come to their appointments with Pinterest boards full of dresses that they love and would like to wear for their weddings, and this can be incredibly helpful in helping to find your dress, but don’t be surprised if you end up falling in love with something you didn’t think you wanted! You should always come with an open mind and be ready to try on different styles and silhouettes your stylist may recommend, and always give yourself permission to fall in love with your wedding dress, even if it isn’t exactly what you had in mind!
7. Should You Sleep On It?
Choosing your dream wedding dress can be a big decision, so this may lead you to want to sleep on it before making your final decision, but Kristi and Mindi urge brides to go with your gut! When you’re standing in a wedding dress you absolutely love, you know exactly how you feel and look in that moment and you might have a hard time recalling that later. If you feel like you may be falling in love with a dress, spend more time in that dress while at your appointment and if you love it, go for it! You can make great decisions!
