Wedding dress shopping is, by far, my most favourite thing to do with a bride!
Finding 'The Dress' is probably the one aspect of planning a wedding that each bride, both delights and fears, in equal measure. Wedding dress shopping is most definitely not for the faint of heart, it takes dedication, determination, research and patience! Here are 20 tips to consider before, during and after your Wedding Dress shopping:
1. Start looking a year out from the wedding or as soon as possible. Most bridal shops require an order to be placed 6-8 months out from your wedding date.
2. You will need to make an appointment with a bridal shop to go try on dresses. Some might have a 'walk in policy' on a given day - but my advice if you can, book your appointment and go when its quiet and you will have time and space.
3. You may be expected to pay a small charge to try on dresses. This can be anything from €25 - €50 per appointment - this charge is generally deducted from any dresses/ accessories purchased, but it is an additional wedding cost.
4. Be open to suggestion from the Shop Assistants. These guys know their wedding dresses. They work with them everyday - a really good one will know what will suit you best.
5. Don't bring your entire wedding party with you to a fitting. Yes you want them all to be involved, but Bridal Shops are often small and intimate [1] there wont be room for them all and [2] too many cooks spoil the broth - choosing a wedding dress can be difficult at the best of times, 3-4 other peoples opinions are not going to make it any easier on you! 1-2 additional people -max!
6. Do eat a small meal before you go. Trying on wedding dresses is intensive - you'll need your energy.
7. DO NOT wear fake tan or alot of make up. - Some bridal shops will not allow you to try on dress if you are covered in fake and bake and may ask you to remove your make up.
8. If you already have it, wear your wedding underwear to the fitting. If not, wear nude or white underwear. Wear a good fitting bra and even if you thinking a strapless dress wear a strapped bra. It gives you a better shape and you can always took the straps in.
9. Be realistic with a heel height. One and half inches to three and half inches is where you really want to keep your wedding shoes. Wear shoes, unless you already have your wedding shoes, in this height range - bridal shops will often have a selection of wedding shoes for you to choose from during a fitting.
10. If you need extra padding around the bust to make the dress sit better on you, ask the shop assistant does she have something you could use - they often have padding around for such reasons.
11. Wear your hair so that you can quickly clip it up and down during fittings to get a quick taste for how you might wear it with a given dress. Kirby clips are ideal for this.
12. During initial dress fittings you will be trying on stock dresses - these are normally sizes 10 -14. Dresses are clipped at the back to give a better idea if you a smaller than the stock size or a panel pinned into the back if you are a larger size than the dress - obviously a properly fitted dress with sit and move better on your body.
13. While you may be given a name and cost of the dresses that interest you at the end of your appointments not all shops disclose that they charge additional fees for additional fittings/ alterations [should they be required] remember to ask! These can sometimes be a few hundred euro.
14. Generally speaking, once ordered, the next time you see your dress will be approximately 6 weeks before your wedding when you will have a further fitting. Depending on additionally alternations you will pick up your dress anything from 6 weeks to a few days before your wedding.
15. Wedding dress sizing does not follow traditional clothes sizing. You might be a perfect size 10 when you head out to shops but might find the a bridal shop is ordering you a slightly larger size for your wedding dress - this is normal, do not be alarmed!
17. Bring a camera - ask before you use it, but it will help you remember what each dress was and how it looked.
18. Think of the type of wedding you are having, where it will be, the width of the church/ ceremony aisle. How big the toilets are in your venue. Will you be able to walk/ sit/ stand/ dance in the dress all day?
19. If you a going for a train make sure the bustles are good and strong. Ask about getting additional ones, they always break! I also suggest you invest in some really good 'nappy' safety pins - these can be used to pin up your dress as well. Wrist loops [in my opinion] are useless - they make the dress cumbersome and heavy - avoid at all costs!
20. You should aim to visit between 3 - 5 bridal shops [at least] before deciding on a wedding dress [even if it is the very first one you tried on]. You will most like try on about 5 dresses in each shop. Some shops only let you try on a set number, others it will depend on how many you get through in the allocated time!
Lots to take in there I think! Happy wedding dress shopping! :)
