So your big day has been set and before you know it, you’ll finally be hitched to the man of your dreams! You’ve got your bridesmaids set, the catering is still a mess but it’ll work out, and the photographer has great reviews on Yelp. It looks as if everything is lining up just right. But wait, you forgot about the dress! Or more than likely, you’re trying to set the dress aside until later. It can be such a headache to find the right dress, who has the time?
Not exactly. Try breathing in, breathing out; you’ve got this! Your perfect wedding dress is out there. You just have to know how to find it.
Set a specific budget.
Wedding dresses can skyrocket the entire wedding budget with the slide of your credit card, so be careful! Dresses can cost thousands and thousands of dollars, but that doesn’t mean you have to break the bank. Consider Googling the best deals. For example, if you’re getting married in the summer, there may be a summertime sale at your local bridal shop. By doing your research ahead of time, you’ll be able to narrow down your options as far as which shops you and your gal pals will be hitting up throughout the day.
Speaking of research…
Check out your dress options ahead of time.
You’re never going to find your one true dress by flipping through bridal magazines; not really. You have to see the dress in person before you can make such critical life decisions, right? But what you will want is to have an idea of what type of dress you’re going for. Do you like the lacey look, or are you more of an all-silk kind of gal? Would you rather have short, puffed-up sleeves or do you find the long sleeved dress to more engaging and appealing to the eye?
Colors, shades and shapes can be determined here too. Check out bridal magazines, websites, and blogs. Make a collage if you have the time. The more time you spend preparing yourself for the big shopping day, the less fumbling through racks.
Don’t be afraid to shop around.
When you find “the one,” you’ll know it, right? Well, maybe. You shouldn’t be afraid to jot down a note in your smartphone on when and where you found the dress you loved most, and then hitting up a couple more shops just to be sure. This ensures that you aren’t missing out on an even better deal.
Don’t listen to that pushy salesman when he tells you to buy that dress now or it might be gone. He works on commission and therefore he cannot be trusted.
Gather the troops! But not all of the troops.
We cannot stress this enough: Do not invite along everyone in your wedding party for your big shopping day.
No matter what you do or how well you prepare, you’re going to be looking at a lot of dresses, and not two single people will ever agree on which one you should wear. You should most definitely eliminate as many voices in your head as possible by inviting just one or two very trustworthy and reliable gal pals. Make sure their opinion means the world to you and that you don’t tell your mother-in-law you didn’t invite her.