Picking out your wedding gown is one of the most exciting parts about being a bride to be! It can also be a little bit overwhelming. There are so many styles, silhouettes, and designers to choose from. And social media doesn’t make it any easier! There is such a huge pressure put on brides to “look perfect” or “the most beautiful they have ever been” on their wedding day, and what they wear plays a huge part in this. I am here to tell you that wedding dress shopping doesn’t have to be that stressful! You will look stunning regardless.
Something you might not know about me, is that I worked as a bridal consultant, in both luxury and regular bridal, for half a decade. I worked closely with both brides and designers, and learned all the ins and outs of the business. However, just because I went into my shopping experience with plenty of knowledge, didn’t necessarily make my decision any easier in the end! Like so many brides before me, I was completely torn between two dresses at two different shops. In the end I know I made the right decision, and I hope to help other brides to be on their journey by sharing my experience and industry knowledge.
So, where should you start?
First you will want to research bridal shops. You can do this one of two ways, either start by looking up bridal shops in your area, or if you know of a wedding gown designer that you already love, you can look at their website to see what stores in your area carry their dresses. For example, I knew that I wanted my dress to be designed by either Mira Zwillinger or Galia Lahav, so I went to these designer’s websites and found all the stores in my state that carried these particular designers. Next, I read reviews on google and The Knot, about the bridal shops to make sure there weren’t any horror stories, and found two that I wanted to visit. I also looked at the shop’s social media pages and website to gather more information.
I recommend visiting two bridal shops in the same day. If you only visit one, you might not feel like you were able to make an informed decision. Visiting more than one is overwhelming, exhausting, and frankly unnecessary if you have done proper research. Most bridal shops do require you to make an appointment to try on dresses and will probably have you leave a card on file. This is totally normal and you will only be charged a small fee if you no show the appointment. Be very wary of any shop that does not require an appointment or ask for a credit card to be left on file. These types of bridal stores are often very commercial, and you will probably not get a personalized experience, be trying on cheaply made dresses that aren't unique, or even have to share a dressing area with other brides! A good bridal shop will conduct a mini interview with you on the phone and ask questions about your wedding, your dress budget, and what styles/designers you love, so that they can prepare for your appointment.
Another factor to consider when making your appointments is your dress budget. I know talking budget is the last thing you probably want to do, but it is so important that you remain realistic so that you aren’t disappointed. I worked at a bridal shop where we asked that brides have a budget of at least 3k for the dress, but honestly, there wasn’t much there for under 5k. When brides would come in and not have a budget appropriate for the store, it was always a very difficult appointment and I felt that as a consultant, I could not provide them with the dream experience that I wanted to, and that they deserved. Realistically, once you have tried on a high-end/designer dress, nothing else will compare. So please please please just do not do this to yourself if you are not looking to spend 8k or more on your dress.
When planning your dress budget, you also have to factor in accessories, shoes, and alterations. Even if a dress is custom made for your body, it will still require alterations that typically cost $500+. When looking for bridal salons, try to find one that offers in house alterations, as this can sometimes be more cost effective. On the other hand, I worked for another shop that had a huge selection of beautiful dresses for under 2k! There are also so many great online bridal stores like Azazie and BHLDN if you want to skip the bridal boutique experience all together and try on dresses in the comfort of your own home. I actually LOVE Azazie not only for their huge selection of inexpensive wedding dresses, but for cute everyday dresses and more formal dresses too! The white lace crochet dress I am wearing in a few pictures throughout this post was gifted from Azazie, it's my favorite place to shop for bride to be clothes! For brides it's also perfect because you can order several wedding dresses for only $10-20 each, to try on at home without having to commit to buying! They also have super fast shipping and custom sizing. (Azazie discount code KelseyH10)
The two stores I visited where both located in Miami, Florida. I HIGHLY recommend Florida brides visit both Chic Parisian and the Galia Lahav Flagship. You will have an amazing experience and have plenty of gorgeous dress options to try at both stores. The consultants at these stores are very attentive and will do everything in their power to get you the dress of your dreams. I felt like I could trust my consultants and did not feel rushed or pressured to make a decision at all. I knew they had my back, and my appointments at both stores where extremely personal and exclusive. Honestly it was the wedding dress shopping experience of my dreams, and I am a very harsh critic because when I was a consultant I always took pride in providing a perfect experience, and expected nothing less than perfection for my shopping experience as well. Perfection is definitely what I got at these shops.
Ideally, you should book your bridal dress shopping appointment a year from your wedding date. Dresses typically take 6-8 months to be made, and you will need at least a month for alterations. Especially now with literally everything being delayed and labor shortages, it is best to do your dress shopping ASAP. This is what has always been industry standard, and what I have always consulted brides to do, but it isn’t what I did! Although I did do my dress shopping 4 days after my engagement, I also planned my wedding in less than three weeks. I was very lucky and got my dress within a week of my appointment, so I am here to tell you it can be done! Just expect to pay rush fees on the dress. If you are a size 00-2 in regular clothing, you might also have the option of purchasing your dress off the rack at certain bridal shops. If you have a quickly approaching wedding date, just talk to the consultants on the phone when you book the appointment. They will be able to tell you if their shop can accommodate a quick turnaround.
Now your appointments are booked and you are ready to find the dress of your dreams! What should you do to prepare for your appointment? First, mindset is everything. Go into your appointment with an open mind. Trust that you did good research on the bridal shop and that your consultant will guide you through the process. Be open to trying on different styles. I knew I wanted a fitted, sexy, plunging v neck gown. However, I still tried on one sweetheart neckline ballgown just to be sure, and I am so glad I did!
In my prior experience I learned that more often than not, brides would end up falling in love with, and buying, a dress that was the complete opposite of what they came in saying they wanted. This is ok! I had the privilege of trying on many wedding dresses in my life because of my past career, so I did know what I wanted, but once you start tying them on, you never know!
The people who come with you to your appointment are also important. Even if you have a large wedding party, do not bring more than 5 people to your appointment. Make sure everyone is there who you will need with you to “say yes” but don’t bring anyone who will cause you to doubt your decision or be negative. When brides would bring large groups with them, they seldom had a positive experience. It became more about the group and less about them. Remember you are the bride, it’s all about you! After your appointments it is customary and courteous to take your guests out to eat as well, so you probably do not want to many people with you!
I brought my fiancé and future mother in law. I know there is sometimes a stigma about the groom seeing you in your dress. To each their own I guess. My fiancé and I have been together for 7 years, we own property and run businesses together, he is my best friend and my soul mate. It feels like we have already been married for years, so it wasn’t a big deal to me. Honestly he is the only one who’s opinion mattered to me, and I wouldn’t have been able to make this decision without him.
When you arrive at your appointment, your consultant will interview you again. You can show them your Pinterest board and dress inspo pictures. They will go over the details of your wedding a little more in depth, and get to know you so that they can make your experience as wonderful as possible. Be completely honest with them with everything from what you are wanting to spend altogether, to what you are liking and not liking. Let your consultant make all the dress selections for you. Do not let members of your group pick dresses and cause chaos! Trust the expertise of your consultant and know they are picking the dresses they are picking for a specific reason. You will not hurt their feelings if you put on a dress and tell them you hate it! They didn’t design the dress, so no worries. This will help them edit their selections and put you in a dress that you will love.
Expect your consultant to be in the dressing room with you, getting you in and out of dresses. You will most likely be braless, to ensure the samples fit well, but please wear light colored underwear! The dresses you try on will most likely not be the dress you take home. Instead, you will be trying on the shop’s dress samples, and a brand new dress will be ordered for you in the size and color you want.
Don’t be afraid to ask what modifications can be made to the dress! Many designers offer a range of colors, strap and neckline changes, and other customizations. Love the dress but wish it had more or less sparkle? Ask your consultant what can be done! Usually, the dress can be changed to make it into your vision.
As is the case more often than not, the first dress I tried on ended up being the one! Honestly, I knew it the second I put it on. Then I saw the look in my fiancés eyes and that about sealed the deal. However, I held back the tears and just told my consultant that “I loved it, and we should keep it around.” You will most likely try on between 4-10 dresses per appointment. Usually, you will have 2 favorites at each shop. At the very end of the appointment, you will try on the favorites again, and try to narrow it down to one favorite. Just trust the process, I promise it works! My advice for you is this, if you have another appointment go to it. Sleep on your decision. The saleswoman part of me cannot believe that I would suggest this, as I was very good at closing a sale in the first appointment. But, the fellow bride to be in me is telling you just to take a step back. This is one of the biggest and most important purchases you will ever make. You aren’t buying a new pair of jeans, this is your wedding dress! The most self-expressive garment you will ever buy. Take your time making a decision.
Like I said, I knew the moment I put my dress on it was the one. But I had another appointment and I wanted to be sure. At my second appointment I of course fell in love with another dress completely and my heart was so torn. I could really see myself getting married in either dress. By the end of the second appointment, I was feeling too overwhelmed to make a decision, and I started to second guess myself. My fiancé had luckily taken videos and photos of every dress I tried on, so that night and the next day I studied them very carefully. I also thought about how each dress had made me feel, and envisioned walking down the isle in both of them. I kept going back and forth, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the first dress I had tried on. It was a beautiful Mira Zwillinger gown that looks like flowers floating on a sparkling ocean. That night I dreamed of this dress and by morning I had made my decision!
The next day I kept thinking about it. I texted with my consultant telling her what I was feeling, but told her I wasn’t ready to say yes just yet. I wanted to make sure I was 100% certain, and that I was going to get the best price on the dress that I could. Finally I was ready. I called and bought my dress! It was so perfect because I was able to go back with my brother the following week to officially say yes. My fiancé has decided he doesn’t want to see me in it again until our big day, which I think is so sweet.
Because I did my research and went into the appointments with the right mindset, I have no regrets and am so in love with my gown. This is what I wish for every bride to be. Next week the alterations will be finished, and she will be in my closet again where I can sneak peeks at her again! My hope is that you can take some of these tips into your own bridal shopping experience.
I cannot wait to keep you all updated on the wedding, planning, and share the big day with you once it arrives, so make sure you are subscribed to my blog! You can also connect with me on Instagram @_sincerelylovely
The bridal shops I visited in Miami Florida:
Chic Parisen - where I ended up finding my gown!
The designers I tried on were: