THE Ultimate Guide to Choosing Your Perfect Wedding Dress
The wedding dress is easily the most memorable aspect of any wedding. Your dress sets the tone and speaks volumes about your personality and taste. Choosing a wedding dress that aligns with your style and vibes with your wedding theme is crucial! We’ve put together THE ultimate guide to selecting the perfect attire for your special day.
First and Foremost, Set a Budget
Trust us here, if you don’t set a budget BEFORE the salesperson starts bringing out gowns, you’re gonna end up falling in love with the dress that you simply can’t afford. Be upfront with your salesperson by telling them your budget right off the bat and stick to it.
This not only keeps you on track financially, this narrows your options and makes the decision so much easier.
Consider Your Location & Theme
Where will your wedding be? You can easily rule out elaborate ball gowns with long veils if you’re hosting your ceremony on the beach, while you can also eliminate short-cut, more casual dresses if your wedding is based in a marble cathedral. By choosing when and where your wedding will be before looking for a dress will drastically ease your search for your perfect gown.
Do you have an idea of what your wedding theme will look like yet? Will you be displaying a romantic, candlelit beach ceremony? A more casual, flowy, and perhaps shorter dress will suit the occasion. Will you be hosting a gorgeous, light and airy, vintage wedding with beautiful scenery? A light, lace-y gown could be your first pick! Or are you planning a ball-themed event? Browse various ball-gowns and fancier dresses with long trains. Choosing your theme will narrow down the style of dresses you consider.
Research, Research, Research
This is something you’ve probably already started, whether you’ve browsed a magazine or created a Pinterest board. Browsing wedding themes and dresses is the easiest way to detect your style.
Create a Pinterest board if you haven’t already and sift through the styles that come through your feed as you search “wedding dresses.” Purchase some wedding magazines, whether they’re for brides in general or a niche theme that you’re interested in. Cut out the ones you like and create a mood board. By doing this, you will begin to see common themes in the dresses you lean toward. Do you find yourself loving dresses that are floor-length and have laced sleeves? Find your common patterns from your compiled research.
Go in Prepared
When going to actually try on dresses based on your research, go prepared. Grab your closest friends and/ or relatives who know you and your style like the back of their hand. A pallet of differing opinions can be both confusing and frustrating. Invite only two-three people whose judgment and style you trust. Take along your color pallet, some props that will be used in your wedding, and the jewelry you plan on wearing to ensure that the dress you choose fits well with everything else you have planned.
The Fit is Everything
Keep an open mind as you start trying things on. Maybe you were set on a certain style but it just doesn’t fit you quite as well as the girl in the magazine. The way your dress fits you will make the biggest impact. Don’t worry about what “size” you usually are or what size you intend to be on your wedding day. Buy the fit that you love on your body now, this will keep you from second-guessing your choice and won’t force you to lose 100 pounds before your wedding. And remember, it’s easy to bring your dress in, but difficult to bring it out.
