Most women have been imagining their wedding since they were little girls, planning all the details in their head and, of course, picturing the perfect, most beautiful gown imaginable. Now the time has come to make those dreams a reality. Shopping for a wedding dress can be a joyful experience full of exciting choices and realized dreams, but it can also be frustrating when you can’t find exactly what you are looking for, or can’t afford the dress you really want. A lot of the stress and anxiety involved in looking for that perfect dress can be alleviated by a little research and a lot of planning on your part.
Here are some hints to help you find the dress of your dreams while avoiding many of the common mistakes that can dampen your spirits during your quest for a dress.
Research
Before you go store to store looking for a gown, do some research to find out what it is you want in a wedding dress. Some of this may depend greatly on the location you are planning to be married in. If you are getting married in Hawaii, for example, you might want to reconsider a long sleeved dress and likewise if you are going to be married during the winter in Maine, long sleeves are most likely a must. If you are looking for a place to start, try buying a few bridal magazines and looking through their dress pictures to get a better idea of what’s out there. By having some general guidelines for your dress before going store to store, you will save yourself a lot of time that could have been spent planning other aspects of your wedding.
Budget
Wedding dresses can be extremely expensive and it is important to have an idea of how much you can afford to spend before trying on gowns. Trying on dresses that you know you can’t afford is a sure way to add to the anxiety and frustration of the dress hunting experience, so let the people at the bridal store know your budget and ask them to help you stick to it. You can also get a good general idea of dress prices by looking through bridal magazines beforehand.
Cost Cutting
Uh oh, so you ignored the previous advice and have fallen in love with a dress you can’t afford. What now? Don’t panic, you still have options. Prioritize. What do you feel is the most important aspect of your wedding? Is it the dress? The cake? The honeymoon? If you consider your dress to be the most important thing in your wedding, then consider cutting costs on other features of the wedding. Get a two tier cake rather than a four, get a family member to take the pictures rather than a photographer, have a buffet rather than a sit down meal. You might also want to continue looking. If the dress you have tried on is designer, there is a good chance that a very similar, non-designer, dress might exist that is less expensive but just as pretty.
Other Considerations
Finding the right dress is extremely important, but the work doesn’t end there. Following is a list of things to do after finding your perfect dress. Check them off as you go…
- Plan alterations if necessary. You might want to do this closer to the actual date in case your weight changes.
- Schedule appointments to have your dress pressed before the ceremony as well as appointments after the wedding to have it cleaned and stored.
- If traveling with the dress, find out about the appropriate care and pressing process once you arrive.
- Make sure you have friends to help you put the dress on and take it off after the wedding.
- Arrange for someone to pick up the dress after the reception or the next morning so you can enjoy your honeymoon without having to worry about your dress.
Above all, have fun with your wedding dress and take lots of pictures, after all, you only get to wear it once!