So as well as designing and creating wedding dresses, I also meet some wonderful brides to be when they come in for appointments at the fabulous Rock the Frock bridal boutique in Battlesbridge, Essex. Each appointment is unique! I really feel like I’ve gained some useful insights whist seeing each process as a bride chooses her perfect dress.
So I thought I would share some useful tips and advice for wedding dress shopping.
There are so many bridal shops around the UK so finding the right one could be a challenge. You may have to travel far to find the perfect shop for you.
Think about style! Search for the type of style dress you think you will want. This is important as if you’re looking for a Boho/vintage style dress you may be very disappointed if you head to a very traditional shop with lots of ball gowns and fishtail dresses. Search for designers of dresses you love the look of. Some dress designers will only have one or two stockists in the UK so have a search and see what you find.
Think about pricing! If you have a lower budget then it might be an idea to find out the dress price ranges for certain shops. Don’t go to a crazy expensive shop if you don’t have the budget. There is no point in teasing yourself and finding the perfect dress and realising you can’t afford it.
Look for reviews! I’ve heard a lot of horror stories involving customers being made to feel crap about their weight. This is disgusting and shouldn’t happen! Trying on wedding dresses is meant to be fun! So don’t put up with any bad customer service! Looking for reviews is nice and easy. Some have reviews on Facebook pages or you can have a good Google.
Who are you bringing? Your mum and bridesmaids are the usual merry bunch you want to bring. I would not recommend bringing a busload of people! This can get a little crazy with everyone giving their opinions and preferences. Obviously it’s nice to get other people’s opinions but remember you are the one getting married and wearing the dress so your opinion matters the most. Don’t let other people convince you to get a dress you’re not 100% happy with. You don’t want to pick a dress that’s not you! You don’t want to feel like you’re wearing a bride costume on your day. It’s important to still feel like yourself and let your individual style show through the dress. Having good friends and family there to support and cheer you on is just what you need. If someone is being a little over opinionated just tell them to ‘pipe down.’
Make sure you wear the right underwear! Go for a nude colour and make sure you wear a strapless bra. This will give you a better understanding of what the dress will look like on the day without big bra straps and bright coloured knickers clouding your view
Some dresses will be too big, Some dresses will be too small. A shop can’t stock every dress in every size but if they are professional then they will have the tools and tricks to make them fit as best they can.
Dresses can come in a range of different colours and lengths. Trying to picture them in a different colour can be hard but try and put the different colours up to your skin to see what best suits your tone.
Remember that you can always get alterations done! If you love everything about a dress but you don’t want the sleeves or you want a lower neckline then these are easy alterations that can be done by a seamstress. Things can mostly be changed to make the dress perfect for you. If you are not sure if something can be altered then ask a seamstress for their advice.
I have noticed that a lot of people come in thinking they want one style and then they leave will something completely different. Just because you have an image in mind doesn’t necessarily mean you will pick that. Body shapes can make dresses look very different than they do in the images. I would advise trying on as many different shapes and styles as possible. This way you can really get to know what suits your shape and style. Be brave! Some dresses look so different on the hanger than on a body. If you like the look of it, then try it on! You never know!
Ask for recommendations! If you get a good assistant then they will be able to suggest other dresses you might like once they understand your style and preference.
A very important thing to understand is that everyone is different!
Brides come in excepting to have that emotional ‘I found the dress’ breakthrough where everyone cries and sobs at how beautiful everything is. You may see this reaction on TV but in reality things are different. Some brides think that if people haven’t cried then it’s not the dress. Not the case! Everyone reacts differently in situations. I think I would say 30% of people get slightly teary. Most people are just really happy.
Actually deciding on the dress is different for everyone too. Some people will go to one dress shop, try on a dress, know it’s the one and buy it there and then. Some people will go to lots of bridal shops, try on hundreds of dresses and then pick.
EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT!
I’ve found the best way to know you have found the one is when you get that feeling where you try on other dresses but can’t stop thinking about that ‘one’ And it won’t go out of your mind. Whether you try on one dress or 500 dresses it does not matter. As long as you find a dress you love then that’s all that matters.
I hope this helps you with any dress buying queries. If you have any questions then please send me an email
Lucy <3