One of the most exciting parts of wedding planning… wedding dress shopping! It’s every girls dream to walk down the aisle feeling so confident in beautiful to the love of her life. It can be overwhelming not knowing where to start or how to know when you’ve found “the one.” But we believe just like you knew when you found your dream partner for life, you’ll know when you’ve found your dream wedding dress! In case you need a little assistance though, we’re sharing some insight with the help of Irene of WED Bridal Boutique!

Basic Information

Before heading to any dress boutique here are a few key things to make note of:

Budget
Style of Your Wedding
Research and get an idea of dress Styles You Like (Pinterest will be your best friend!)
Anything specific you want your dress to include (lace, embellishments, etc.)

Biggest thing to keep in mind: if you’re unsure of what you want, that’s perfectly okay! Not every bride knows until they start trying dresses on.

The Process

Once you’ve narrowed those few things down or what you think you’re looking for, you can then look into which boutiques you’d like to visit. Make sure you make an appointment for the places you want to visit. This way you’ll know for sure that you’re going to have an optimal experience. (Also a lot of places are appointment only, so be sure to keep that in mind!)

Then the search begins! Don’t feel pressured to say yes to the dress the first place you’ve been to, however if you’re feeling it and you know, well then don’t hesitate to say you’ve found the one!

Timeline

You don’t want to go dress shopping too early, but also don’t want to wait super late – because let’s be real that can cause some excess stress! So, what’s the sweet spot?

From Irene of WED Bridal Boutique: “Appointments are usually 1 ½ hrs long. Gown orders typically take 12-16 weeks, depending on the designer. Also, you’ll want to accommodate anywhere from 8-12 weeks for alterations and make sure to find a tailor who has strong experience in tailoring gowns. If you need a gown sooner, no worries!  We are here to help come up with a game plan for tight order timelines!”

Tips + Tricks

Make an appointment!

Choose a few things you’d like to see in a dress (ex: back detail, lace, and a sweetheart neckline)

Often times brides try to choose a dress that goes with the style of their affair (i.e. formal, laid back, vintage, boho, etc.)

Trunk shows are often a good way to get designer dresses with a discount.

Questions + Things to Consider

Have ideas in mind, but be open to suggestions – try various styles. You may be surprised! Often times brides end up getting what they never thought you would.

Bring family and friends, but don’t overwhelm yourself! Too many opinions is destined for chaos.

Consider the season. If your wedding is in the summer, chances are you don’t want a heavy fabric.

Stay away from gowns that aren’t within your budget.

Try on multiple gowns, but don’t go overboard. You may start comparing too much and get overwhelmed with the choices.

With these tips, we hope you feel confident in knowing when to say yes to the dress and have no doubt that you’ll be walking down the aisle in style!

Need help finding the right vendors or interested in more of our services at Alexa Kay Events? Let’s chat!