There is nothing as dreamy as walking into a bridal boutique for the first time. Each store is enchanting; but, before you head out with your family and best of friends, there are some important things to consider. Brush up on these tips before making an appointment. 

1) Keep Your Shopping Team Small

You have all seen those episodes of “Say Yes to the Dress,” where the bride brings her whole family and every single one of her bridesmaids to her appointment. And, how does that normally go for her? Bad, with many tears involved. Instead, I would pick two to three people, whose opinions you trust; no need to have too many comments from the peanut gallery.

2) Dress Terminology 101

Mermaid, illusion, ballgown, etc. Yes, it is important for every bride to brush up on their dress terminology, so you can communicate to your consultant. As you are pulling out dresses from Pinterest, make sure you pick out types of dresses that would look good on your body. Instead of thinking about size here, think about things such as length, curves, body shape, etc. 

*Tip: Do not let bridal dress sizes scare you. It will not be your normal size. For example, I was a size two-four when I got married, and, my bridal dress size was a ten. 

3) Do Your Research, But Don’t

Obviously, in my last post, I talked about doing your research, because you need to know your terminology and different types of styles you are looking for. However, you should, at all costs, avoid over-pinning. The fairytale world of Pinterest can be alluring, but, if you spend time scrolling through too many styled images with costly gowns, you might end up disappointed. 

4) Come With A Budget

Before you walk in the door to your appointment, you need to have a budget in mind; in fact, it is probably the first thing your consultant will ask. Also, it is important to go ahead and factor in extra costs, like alterations, veils, shoes, and belts. 

xoxo, rebecca