First things first

The first thing you need to decide before even thinking about your dress is your wedding location venue. Focus on deciding where you will get married first, and then, based on that decision, think about your dress. We highly recommend this due to the fact that the location and date of your wedding will determine the style that will go best with the overall theme and the fabric that will be most suitable for the weather.

How to Pick the Ideal Wedding Dress

When it comes to wedding dresses, well, this can many times be a very difficult and even stressful decision because brides want to look perfect on the day they have dreamt about their whole lives. If this is you, let us give you one piece of advice: drop the perfection expectation and follow some tips and tricks to help you find the ideal dress that will suit you best. Scroll down to find out step-by-step what to consider before finding the one!

Budget

So how much do you want to spend on your wedding dress? We recommend you set a budget to narrow down from a million options to maybe one hundred, lol. No, seriously, budgeting will help you know what stores you can visit, and also it will be greatly appreciated by the person helping you out pick and choose gowns that are within your budget. So after saving you some time with this tip, let’s move on to the next one!

Choose a wedding dress for your body type

We recommend creating a board on Pinterest and choosing your preferred gown looks. Research magazines, websites, and social media accounts to help you learn the different silhouettes, fabrics, embellishments, necklines, sleeves, skirts, and train details. Once you become a pro on wedding gown anatomy, you will feel more determined and confident with your pick.

Planning time

Now it’s time to start looking at all your notes and pinboards. Based on your needs, you can start researching the stores in your area that suit your guidelines, and once you identify them, make appointments. Try to schedule for weekdays to avoid waiting too much, but if that doesn’t work for you, then aim for an early Saturday morning dress hunt. Pick two stores max in a day to avoid getting overtired because, hey, trying on wedding dresses is a workout!

Where are my girls at?

Try and have your most intimate circle of two or three friends and family helping you out. Having a couple of friends with you can help you see your choices from other perspectives, so choose wisely who you want to bring with you, and make sure that your mother or whoever will be helping you get dressed on your wedding day can try and be there in order for them to know how everything must be done. This is tricky because sometimes you might want to make your decision based on others’ opinions. So if you prefer to go solo on this one, then do it!

A positive state of mind
Get your happy feet moving and stay positive. Nothing better than walking into that wedding gown store with a good attitude. Let the person helping you at the store know your budget, and show her your boards on Pinterest so she can see what style you are looking for, your size, and, very importantly, your wedding venue location. She will walk you through the store and show you options, so even if the dress doesn’t look appealing on the hanger, try it on; you may be surprised by how good it may look on you. You should also keep in mind that it may take more than one store visit, so forget that “love at first sight” movie stereotype it doesn’t always happen that way, just saying.

Don’t forget
So the main focus is the gown, but don’t forget the accessories. Remember, a gown isn’t complete without a veil, undergarments, jewelry, and shoes. There are also possible additional costs like alterations, shipping fees, and professional pressing or steaming. If you have a budget set keep in mind these additional costs

Yes to the dress!!!
Once you are absolutely sure you love your dress almost as much as you love your hubby-to-be, go ahead and say yes to the dress by making that first deposit to reserve your gown. Be sure everything is in writing and all your requests, like size, brand, color, modification, accessories, delivery date, and address are correct. Finally, pop some champagne to celebrate finding the one!

Just Checking
This is a matter of being extra cautious, so for that, we recommend you try your wedding dress one month prior to your big day. We advise this especially if you bought your dress with lots of anticipation, but even if it’s not your case those wedding nerves might have you munching on more chocolate than usual, so try your dress on and just rest assured that you won’t have any surprises the morning of your wedding.

Last but not least
There are no doubts that the day you say “yes to the dress” is an exciting one, with that being said we have one more tip for you and it’s probably the best one yet: Wear your best attitude on your wedding day, embrace the good and the not so good and just really live the moment that will never be replicated. After all, this wonderful day will make great stories for your grandchildren in the years to come, so be present and make it your day!