Making the Most of your Dress Shopping Experience

Now that the holidays are over it's time for many people to get back to their everyday routine. This does not, however apply to brides-to-be. It's officially the season for dress shopping! The majority of weddings take place in the Summer and Fall months. Many gowns are by order only and can take up to six months to come in. Therefore, it's important to start dress shopping very early.

Being a consultant at a bridal salon, I work with brides and their entourages on a regular basis. Brides want their dress shopping to be memorable. It's heartbreaking when they leave disappointed.

Not everything about your dress shopping excursion can be controlled, but a little bit of planning can go a long way.

Here are my tips to help the day go smoothly:

1. Do Your Research
Your dress shopping doesn't start once you enter a bridal salon, it starts at home on your computer! Be sure to check out the salons in your area before making an appointment. Read the reviews and see which designers they carry. All this information will help you decide which locations you should visit and keeps you from trying to jam in five appointments in one day. Which brings me to my second point...




2. Less is More
I know it's tempting to bring your entire family and your six closet friends along for the day, but the more people you bring the more opinions and personalities are a long for the ride as well. You can always invite others to cake tastings and dress fittings to make sure everyone is included in the planning process.

3. Come Prepared
 Make sure you make any appointments necessary a couple weeks in advance. Salons will have to turn down a walk-in if they are already booked for the day. Also, you're going to be seeing yourself in a wedding dress for the first time: You need to look the part! Have your hair and makeup done and bring a pair of heels. Often dresses dictate which style hairstyle looks best. It's easiest to come with your hair down and bring a clip to quickly pull it up if necessary.

4. Be Open Minded
Often brides come in knowing exactly what they want and will not try on styles that stray from their vision. This becomes a problem when they try on numerous similar dresses and nothing seems to impress them. Be open to trying something completely different and trust your consultant and their suggestions. Maybe a style you never pictured yourself in could be the one!

Happy dress shopping!