Stress Less Dress Shopping 101
Wedding dress shopping naturally has some pressure attached to it, and that’s fine! It is a big purchase! But there are some simple things we can do to make the process of finding THE dress a little less stressful.
Here are a couple tips, tricks, and common misconceptions about the wedding dress shopping process.
Book your venue, and then go shopping!
Dress shopping is a lot easier when you have your venue in your head as you shop. You’ll be much more able to get a clear sense of your setting, vibe, and style if you have the venue nailed down, and you’ll able to visualize yourself in the dress much more easily when you know where you’ll be!
Buy your dress 1 year out! (especially if it’s Loulette!)
I know it sounds crazy, but for real. A made to order dress takes time and patience to make. Beautiful fabrics take time to produce and get delivered from our mills in Europe, and we like to take our time to do your fittings. Just like your appointment, we like to keep everything here stress-free, so nailing down the dress a year out is ideal for us AND for you!
Be selective with who you bring with you!
We’ve all seen Say Yes to the Dress, so you know what I mean here. Bring those important people who are going to cheer you on, support YOUR vision, and point out your features and not your “flaws.”
Be open about trying on different things!
Many brides come in and tell me they want something “not too big.” And then I make them try on a “big” dress, and they LOVE IT. You truly don’t know how you’re going to feel about a dress until you put it on, so try on some things you may not be immediately drawn to on the rack and see how you feel! It may reinforce what you already thought, or totally change your vision!
Don’t expect to look like those Instagram and Pinterest pics!
This is SO important. While looking on Instagram and Pinterest is helpful for inspiration and some visual direction, it is never helpful to compare ourselves and our bodies to what we see online.
Don’t try on every dress ever made!
Don’t overwhelm yourself with options. You will be burnt out, confused, and you won’t enjoy the process anymore by store number 12. Select 2-3 stores that speak to your style, beliefs, and budget, and go from there.
Trust your gut! You’ll know when THE dress feels right!
When you try stuff on, you’ll get a sense of what feels right and comfortable for you to be in. You may not cry, but you’ll get those feels when you can visualize yourself on the day of in the right dress! Trust yourself!
Most importantly, HAVE FUN! It’s just dress-up!
xo Marteal