Finding THE Dress

Finding your wedding dress can be an exciting but daunting task. Which style should you wear? Off-white, white, or colored? Do you bring your future mother-in-law? Trust me. I've been there. Let me give you some tips on how to find the perfect dress without the stress.

Tip One:

Do not bring a large entourage.

Keep the group to a bare minimum. Usually, bridal salons do not have a ton of seating, and too many mouths with too many (sometimes unwanted) opinions can stress you out unnecessarily.

When I was trying on dresses, I brought my MOH, mother, soon to be mother-in-law, my aunt, and my cousin. While five people does not seem like a lot... it is. While my entourage helped me find my dress for the first appointment, it was very overwhelming. Too many opinions can be a lot to take in. I was told several times "If you don't like it we can move on," "We can go to another store," and "You don't have to get anything today." While these comments were intended to be helpful, they just made me think "I don't know if I like this one," "I don't know if I'll look good in anything I try on," and "If I don't find something today I won't find anything." These thoughts are all ridiculous of course, but at the time they were all I could think. I was trying to focus on breathing and crying in the dressing room trying to have a minute to think to myself.

My point being, keep the dress shopping group to a minimum.

Tip Two:

You really don't have to find the dress the first place you go.

Shop around. Your wedding dress is the most exceptional item of clothing you are probably going to wear in your life. I have deliberated over a bathing suit in my online shopping cart for at least a week before. 

Take. Your. Time. You'll know when you find the one. If you need to make a few appointments or go to a few stores, do it! There is nothing wrong with exploring all of your options.

Tip Three:

Be flexible.

We have all been there.  You have an important event. It's finally time to slip on the bangin' outfit you have been planning in your head for the last week. You look in the mirror, and a burlap potato sack would look better. It happens! Sometimes our visions don't turn out the way we think they will. Every one is different, what might look good on you, might look awful on me.

If the dress you've been dreaming about your whole life gets pulled over your head and you end up hating it...That's normal!

Try on a dress you wouldn't even think to try on! Listen to the professionals, they could probably merely look at you, and a few dress options come to their mind. Give other styles a chance. You may be surprised by how it looks.

Tip Four:

Do not let people rain on your parade.

Being flexible does not mean, however, that you should let people tell you what to wear. If you love something and you feel beautiful in the dress you've chosen. Do not let anyone tell you to go with something else...Unless of course, they're paying for it, and even then take it with a grain of salt.

Tip Five:

Buy the right size dress!

I touched upon this in a previous post, but I cannot stress this enough! If you buy a dress that is too big or too small, you are setting yourself up for failure. Not only is trying to starve yourself psychologically and physically damaging, but it is also creating unnecessary stress on yourself for what is supposed to be the best day of your life. If you lose a ton of weight before the wedding then great! If not, don't sweat it. I promise that the only thing that people will notice is your confidence and the beautiful smile on your face. Alterations are expensive; the dress is pricey enough on its own. If your dress needs to be reconstructed to fit you in either scenario, you're going to be charged a pretty penny. 

With Love,

Macy