7 Tips Before Saying Yes toYour Wedding Dress
When you wake up on the morning of your wedding day, and will soon step into the perfect gown-you should feel like you are putting on the most beautiful dress you have ever beheld. I am here to help you find it! I have been a bridal consultant for four glorious years now. Two spent in Windsor, Ontario, my hometown and two in Toronto at a large bridal store. I confess, I am a romantic, I love weddings and especially wedding dresses. Cue the violins, scatter the rose petals and pass me a tissue, you can see why I do what I do! The best is getting to be right there the moment a bride says “YES” to the gown of her dreams.
Ontario is in lockdown number two, and when we are able to open up, it’s going to be crazy busy. Many couples have already had to make significant compromises regarding dates and numbers of guests. In my experience, most brides are not going to compromise on their dress. So, with that in mind, here are my top seven tips…
- Be ready to tell your consultant what you like. You may not know all of the answers, but have a look on Pinterest and save some pics of dresses that you like. Many brides-especially those who are not into dresses arrive and say “Pick whatever you think will look good on me”. Well, I can do that, but if we don’t have the same taste, you may not like it. I will usually ask if you have a silhouette in mind (ballgown, A-line, fitted etc.) and I will ask you to tell me how you feel about lace, and sparkle to get a general idea of your bridal style. If you come in with absolutely no idea, it’s going to take a lot longer to figure out what you like.
- Try on your favourite first. If it is what you are looking for, great then our appointment is off to a strong start. If it is close but not quite right, your consultant can find other dresses that have the things you like, minus whatever parts you don’t like. Sometimes those changes can be made in alterations, which is done closer to the wedding. I suggest alterations start 6–8 weeks before your wedding day. That way the dress fits the shape you have now, not the body you had a year ago, when you ordered the dress.
- Ideally, start shopping about a year before your wedding. Most gowns take 6–8 months to be cut, sewn and shipped. This will leave time for alterations to be done properly, and hopefully not rushed. Brides don’t complain if the dress arrives a month or two early, she usually happily tries it on and feels great!
- Bring supportive people to your appointment. This is not usually an issue, however it can be. Bringing someone who states “I’m just being honest” as they cut down the dress of your dreams does not make a fun appointment. Honestly, I’ve been there, it isn’t fun. If you have a sister-in-law from hell or a cousin who is single and jealous do not invite them. This is not their wedding. Come on a day when they have work, or are on a vacation-whatever. Please do not feel obligated. They are not wearing this dress-you are. You will have to look at pictures of this dress for years to come. Make sure you love it and it reflects your style.
- Make a seperate appointment to shop for your accessories. Finding your dress is wonderful and exciting, but can also be a little overwhelming. Come back another day, you’ll get to try on your dress again (provided the store still has the sample) and you can figure out which veil, comb, headpiece, earrings, or necklace feels just right to you. This is a perfect appointment to bring along anyone who missed your dress appointment. It takes about four months for accessories to come in. If you are having a hair and make up trial, and you wish to have your hair accessories for the trial, remember to order at least four months before that appointment. Bonus tip-wear your wedding earrings for your first anniversary dinner-and maybe your rehearsal dinner-if you are cheeky-I would!
- Which size dress should you order? Bridal gowns do not use the same sizing as regular street clothes. It is approximately two sizes smaller-you have been warned. Even from designer to designer no two size charts are exaxctly the same. A good consultant will measure you and show you the size chart for the company that makes your gown. They should measure bust, waist and hips. If you have a ballgown or a flowy A-line, the hip measurement won’t really matter as there is lots of room in the skirts of those two cuts. When being measured for a wedding dress, they will fit you into standard sizes. This means the company makes dress sizes and you pick the size that is closest to your measurments. This does not mean they take the measurements from your body and custom make a dress. Your dress will be fitted to you in alterations. If you plan on losing or gaining weight, take that into consideration. Dresses can be altered up to two sizes. Any more than that and the proportions will be off. In the bridal fashion world about 15lbs is a size.
- Sharing details about your wedding theme, colours & vibe can help your consultant pull dresses that fit that mood. If you want a royal wedding and to feel like a princess-maybe a ballgown and tiara are for you. If you want an enchanted forest wedding, something light with 3D flowers might be a good start. Sleek, modern and a gold theme in an art gallery will look different than a couple getting married in a church, on a boat or in a barn. It’s fine if you are keeping it simple or don’t want a theme, but this info can help us get it just right for you.
Be open to your consultant’s recommendations. Be honest if you just figured out that you don’t like long sleeves as you expected to or that the fitted gowns look amazing and you want to try on more! Your wedding dress appointment should be enjoyable, memorable and a once in a lifetime moment. I hope your dream dress leads you and your partner to happily ever after for both of you.
