Is the wedding really all about the dress? Seems to me so much more goes into a wedding other than the dress. But for many brides it does come down to this one thing. It is amazing that a dress can have such an impact on an event or have so much meaning but it can. So with that said, I can share some observations and reflections I can share from shopping for my own dress, and with my daughter and listening to others when shopping.
Rule number one, do not try on 500 dresses and expect to find the perfect dress. First of all you already found it but you are in love with trying on wedding dresses so you talked yourself out of it and all you have done now is overloaded yourself and you are totally confused by it all. Pick out 3 designers you really like, 2 to 3 dresses per designer, and you should be able to pick your dress out of those 10 or less dresses you try on.
Rule number two, don’t feel like the venue should dictate the kind of dress you are going to wear. Wear what the heck you want, my goodness, it is your wedding! A bride told me once her maid of honor told her that she had to get a dress to go with the venue, don’t get something that will not match the vibe of the venue. “Are you kidding me?!? I am going to wear the ball gown with sequin top and tiara in a barn if I want to,” the brides words exactly, more power to you girl!
Rule number three, when you make an appointment to go try on the dress the fewer people you take the better. Definitely take the person who is paying for the dress, mom, sisters, but don’t feel like you have to take ALL your bridesmaids. It can make it very confusing, hard to make a decision and you really only need to please yourself.
Rule number four, stay in your budget. Do not, I repeat, do not try on a dress that is over your budget. You will fall in love with it and then agonize over the fact you can’t afford it and what could I cut to be able to afford it, etc. But with that said, I knew a bride that wanted a certain dress and a certain venue. Luckily the venue offered a weekday package that was so affordable that she could by the $3000 dress she wanted. She didn’t care if people had to come to the week day wedding it was her wedding to have when she wanted. I like these kinds of brides! She prioritized her wish list and the dress was the number one factor and she made everything else fit into the budget after that expense! Great way to make the whole wedding work!
Rule number five, try dresses on that are out of your comfort zone. I know you might have a vision of what you really want but it might not be the right dress for you. Case in point I suggested to my daughter not to try on a strapless dress. There is always lots of tugging going on during the night when I have observed other strapless dresses at events, I hate seeing that tugging going on all the time! Anyway, she tried on only 5 dresses, which I was amazed, but she loved Vera Wang and so she picked 5 of hers. They all looked beautiful on her, every one of them was a different style, ball gown, mermaid, sheath, but before she came out in the last one she warned me, “Mom, I picked a strapless because I really love it and it’s my favorite.” So I strapped myself in and was prepared for the tugging lecture. She came out, I was breathless, her sister was too and we all cried. She said yes to the dress!
Rule number six, pick a dress that suits your personality and your taste. Yes we all fell in love with Princess Kates dress and we all want that dress. But that might not look good on you or be your style. Have your own sense of style, and what looks good on you. A wedding dress is one of the ways to make the wedding your own. Step out there in wedding dress that says you, not Princess whomever!
I love weddings and I love seeing what the fashion trends are in wedding dresses, and there are a lot of traditional and nontraditional dresses to choose from. So have fun shopping, don’t stress over your decision, or about pleasing everyone, stand up for what you want for your wedding dress and have fun finding your once in a lifetime dress!
