Tuesday Tip: Saying Yes To The Dress!

Wedding dress shopping is usually one of the first things a bride, her mom, grandma, sisters, and maid-of-honor want to do when wedding planning begins!  It's so exciting and really makes being a bride feel very real! Before you dash into the bridal salon, keep a few things in mind:

1. Establish a budget for your gown - establishing an overall wedding budget is the very first thing we encourage couples to do, quickly followed by creating a guest list.  You'll want to go into each stage of wedding planning with a clear and concise idea of what you can spend on each item.  Wedding gowns are no different!  There's no need to try on an $8,000 gown if it isn't in the budget!  Go into your wedding gown appointments knowing how much money you have to spend and what your max is so the associate knows which dresses to pull for you. You will save time, money and unnecessary frustration in only looking at dresses that are in your budget and only trying on those you can afford.  
2. Start your dress shopping early - once the budget is established, the guest list is created, the venue booked and date set, you can go ahead and start making those bridal appointments! It is best to begin looking 8-10 months before wedding date.  That gives you enough time to shop around, find a gown that you love and get it ordered with enough time to make any alterations that are necessary.  
3. Know the dress code - are you getting married in a house of worship that won't allow off the shoulder gowns?  If so, you'll need to consider that in dress shopping.    
4. Call ahead - be sure to call to schedule your appointments with bridal salons so that they have a space available for you and have an associate who can be blocked off just for you! Also, consider your entourage when booking the appointment.   If your grandma will make you nervous or you feel like your judgmental sister won't allow you to have a good experience trying on dresses, do not bring them with you!  This is YOUR wedding that you're planning; it's okay to do what needs to be done so that you are comfortable and have a great planning experience the whole way through...
5. Determine what dress style might work for you - getting married at an outdoor venue? Or in a hotel ballroom?  Your venue, the time of year, time of day, can all play into the style of dress that will work best for you.  Think about all of these things when considering what style of dress you might like.  A whimsical column dress {see 3 below} might be a much better fit for a beach side wedding than a puffy ball gown {see 6 below}.  However, go into the appointment with an open mind and be willing to try on different styles and shapes - sometimes, the dress you least expect is the one you say, "yes!" to.