Saying Yes to Your Dress
For some women, dress shopping is the most exciting part of planning a wedding. Others dread every second of the experience. Whichever camp you find yourself in, do yourself a favor and read these tips on how to make wedding dress shopping the best experience possible.
We all know that moment when you try something on in the fitting room and can’t get past your greasy hair, unshaved legs, a new pimple, or whatever it is that makes you self conscious. Banish those thoughts by preparing yourself ahead of time: do your makeup. Do your hair. Shave your legs. Wear spanx if that’s something you want to do. Set yourself up for success by bringing the best version of you to the bridal salon and back yourself up with some items you wouldn’t normally think of when shopping. A strapless bra, hair ties, maybe a water; are some small things you can bring along to make sure you are totally comfortable and ready to shine.
Try on dresses you’re not sure if you like. Trust me. You may think you want a tulle ballgown but end up with a lace A-line that hits you in all the right places. It’s basic fashion advice, to try lots of things on, but it rings especially true when it comes to wedding gowns. You really never know what something is going to look like until it’s on your body. And if the worst thing that happens is you were right and you don’t like it, you can move on (and be smug about being right).
One last thing brides don’t realize is that most wedding gowns run at least two sizes smaller than traditional dresses. Yes, you heard me right. TWO SIZES SMALLER. AT LEAST. Not to mention that most of the dresses on the show floor are something like a size 4 or 12 so if you’re anywhere in between or over that, the sample might not fit. That can do a lot of damage to your self confidence but just remember that you will order your dress in the size that fits you, regardless of what that number is, and all that matters is that you’re happy. You are beautiful and so is your body. Don’t let a silly number ruin your day!
The biggest thing to remember when wedding dress shopping is to trust your instinct. If you’re tired, take a breather. If you think you’ve found the dress, speak up. If you need to walk away and come back another day, you can do that. This time is about you and everything else can wait. Now go out there and rock that bridal appointment!