7 Tips for Finding Your Perfect Dress

@elizabethwarrick_

So you’ve created a Pinterest board with your favorite looks and you may be wondering where to begin. We’re here to help you navigate the process and give you our best tips for finding your dream gown.

1. Give yourself plenty of time.

We recommend beginning your dress search about a year before your wedding. This may feel far in advance, but most wedding gowns are made-to-order. What does made-to-order mean? Most bridal shops will carry sample gowns which are available to try-on in the shop. Once you find your perfect dress, we take your measurements and order the gown in your closest size. From order to delivery, most designers have a 4-6 month lead time for production! Then you want to leave at least a few months for alterations.

Starting the process early will allow you to enjoy it and avoid any rush fees. Once you find the one, don’t wait to order it. You will be so happy when your wedding gets closer that your dress is sorted and it’s not something you need to worry about amidst everything else that comes with wedding planning.

2. Start a vision board.

You may have no idea what kind of dress you are looking for, and that is totally okay. Start by doing some research online - Pinterest and Instagram are a great place for this. Save the dresses you like and you will start to notice some trends. Maybe you are drawn towards off the shoulder gowns, or you know you love a low back. Communicate what you are looking for to your stylist and share your vision board in advance of the appointment! This will give them a better sense of what you are looking for.

With that said - so many brides end up falling in love with gowns that are very different than what they imagined (more on this below).

3. Do research on the boutiques in your area.

Take a look at the bridal shops in your city and see which designers they carry. Do some research into these designers to see which ones you love. Then you’ll decide which shops carry dresses that fit your style and price range. You may also want to read some reviews and see what kind of vibe the shop has. The experience is a huge part of the process!

4. Keep an open mind.

Once you begin trying on dresses you may find you fall in love with a dress that’s totally different than what you thought you were looking for. This happens way more than you think. Keep an open mind and you may surprise yourself by falling in love with a gown that’s totally different than your initial vision. If that happens, embrace it!

5. Bring people who uplift you.

This may be the most important tip, especially right now when you can only choose a couple people to dress shop with you! Wedding gown shopping can feel intimidating, but it should be fun and empowering. Bring people who make you feel your best and will uplift you. People who will help you to make the decision that’s best for YOU. Who will love a dress the most because they can see how excited you are about it and how your eyes lit up when you first saw it on in the mirror.

6. Stay true to yourself.

It can be challenging to make a decision with lots of different opinions. Your parent may see you in a certain dress, and your best friend pictures something else for you. Look inside and think about what makes you feel like your favorite version of you. Which dress do you picture having the best night of your life in? You are the only one who knows how you feel in a dress, and that is the most important thing!

7. Have fun!

It sounds cliché, but don’t forget to enjoy the process!

Extra pro tip:

• Wear nude underwear, something that makes you feel comfortable and confident! It’s hard to tell how a gown will look if you have hot pink underwear shining through. ;)