Shopping for your wedding dress has got to be one of the highlights of wedding planning! It is also one of the most daunting experiences if you don’t know what to expect. It can easily feel overwhelming when you consider the number of styles, fabrics, designers and silhouettes to choose from. There are so many gorgeous options and you have no clue how to choose your wedding dress. If this is you, you are in the right place. We’ve broken it down so you know exactly what to think about before you try on wedding dresses…
Do your research
You know all that scrolling you’ve been doing on Pinterest? Keep it up! This is part of your wedding dress research. You want to familiarise yourself with different styles, fabrics and silhouettes. Keep track of any recurring themes amongst the dresses you love. Are they all embellished, lacy or A-line? They all have open backs? Make note of what you love and take that information into your wedding dress appointment.
Know your silhouette
Before you start nitpicking the details (you know, the ruffle or the row of pearl buttons), get to know your silhouette first. These are the options you’ve got to choose from:
- Ball-gown: The true “princess dress” has a fitted bodice and a full skirt.
- A-line: Slightly more fitted than ball-gown, A-line is fitted at the waist and cascades down to the ground.
- Trumpet (AKA fit-and-flare): It’s fitted across the whole body and flares out mid-thigh.
- Mermaid: It’s fitted across the whole body and flares out close to the knee.
- Sheath (AKA column): A narrow shape that flows down from the neck to the hem.
- Jumpsuit: A one-piece with the bottom falling into trousers or shorts.
Don’t be trendy
…unless the trend is something you love and look great in! The main point here is that you should always pick a wedding dress that suits you, not just the most trendy option.
Remember the top of your wedding dress
The bottom of your dress is going to be beautiful, but the top half is what people will see most of the time. It’s also what will be the focal point of most of the photos.
Know your wedding theme
It’s important to know what your wedding theme is going to be, so you can match your dress accordingly. If you are having a beach wedding, then a long, tight-fitting dress may not suit the theme as much as a shorter, flowy dress would.
Be familiar with your budget
Before going in, know what you can spend on your wedding dress. Don’t forget to include the extras, such as veil, shoes, underwear, jewellery and alteration costs.
Choose your crew wisely
TV shows make us think that brides need to have an entourage with them when trying on wedding dresses. The truth is that it’s less stressful to have fewer people with you. It means you’ll have fewer opinions to deal with! Some brides choose to go wedding dress shopping on their own.
Try on as many dresses as you can
Don’t feel limited to finding ‘the one’ immediately. You may need to try on a few dresses to familiarise yourself with what you like and what looks good on you! But don’t feel tempted to try on everything. After a while, you’ll begin to feel confused if you try on too many dresses.
Wear the right underwear
You’re going to be in just your underwear a lot! You’ll feel more beautiful and confident if you’re wearing underwear that looks good and fits you well. So ditch the ripped grey bra you’ve been wearing all week.
Don’t worry about sizing
Bridal boutique sizing is a different ballgame. Wedding dresses are often a lot smaller so you’ll probably have to size up significantly. Ignore the size on the label and buy something that fits you! Don’t feel tempted to buy a smaller dress so you can lose enough weight to fit into it.
Sit down in your dress
Seems obvious, right? You’re going to be sitting at some point on your wedding day, so it’s important that your wedding dress fits you while you’re sitting.
Be open
Try on dresses that you might not have considered. You may be certain that a mermaid silhouette won’t suit you, but you won’t know until you try. So be open and you never know what you may end up falling in love with!
Find a great bridal store
We’ve got you covered here! Click the link below to take a peek at the best bridal stores in Ireland. They would be delighted to help you choose your wedding dress! You won’t be disappointed…
