Choosing a wedding dress

7 Top tips for choosing your wedding dress.

Picking the wedding dress, it’s the most enjoyable part of the wedding planning process right? For some perhaps but not all brides have the same experience, I have had clients and friends really struggle with this and stress themselves out trying to find their ‘dream dress’.

Advice I would give is to not pin all your hopes on experiencing that OMG moment when you have found ‘the one’, as this does not happen for everyone. Programmes such as   ‘Say Yes to the dress’ often encourage the idea that there is one dream dress for everyone, with the bride sobbing at her beauty along with her entourage when she finds hers. This can leave the rest of us feeling unsatisfied if we have not experienced that moment ourselves when hunting for our own dress.

Although these make good television moments, the truth is not everyone has that emotional light bulb moment and sometimes it just comes down to finding a dress you feel comfortable and beautiful in, of which there may be many, but it’s the one you don’t want to take off that sticks.

There is so much choice available now when it comes to bridal attire, with designers constantly releasing new styles and such a range of beautiful fabrics, it can be a bit if a minefield when you start out. Some brides have a clear idea of what they want (which can often change or develop) and some have no clue.

Shortlist bridal boutiques which stock your top three designers and ‘get your style’ then have a read of my top tips before you go on your visits.

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  • Comfort is key! So many times I have seen brides in a dress which they are clearly not comfortable in, whether it’s too tight fitting, too stiff, does not fit correctly or has a very long train which they are constantly hitching up. If you plan on spending a lot of time on the dance floor consider if dancing is practical in your dress and will you still feel comfortable in it after eating a large meal? The more comfortable you are in your dress, the happier you will be and happiness radiates beauty, simple!
  • Trust the experts. The advice given from bridal consultants can really help in decision-making. Guiding you through the whole process, listening to your brief and picking out dresses that would suit your body shape and shades that would suit your skin tone is very helpful. Remember they have the experience of all different body shapes and sizes and often know better than you do what will work with your figure.
  • Wildcard. Do not be afraid to try on a dress that would not be what you would normally choose. Some dresses the consultants may suggest, you may have never picked out but may love.
  • Who to take with you. Taking too many people with you can mean too many opinions, which can lead to confusion and stress. You want someone who will give you honest opinions and not just tell you what you want to hear. One of my brides went dress shopping completely solo and found her dress on her own!
  • Take pictures. This is really important, after trying on many dresses, your memories of them can become faint. Include pictures of the designer label also and ask the consultant to write down prices for you to take away. Store in a secret album on your phone to ensure you other half does not stumble across them. You can look back on them, especially useful when considering accessories to accompany your chosen dress.
  • Underwear. Think about what underwear you will wear with which dress, it’s worth taking a few options with you to try on’s so you know what works with which dress.
  • Enjoy it! You are hoping to only do it once, so enjoy the experience. Some people feel nervous at first, a combination of not knowing what to expect and the focus being completely on them. But a few dresses down and a few glasses of prosecco in, you will be loving it!

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Written by Jenny Granlund of Jenny Wren Wedding & Event Planning. Photography credits in order: Kirstin Prisk Photography, Taylor & Porter Photography, Nick Walker Photography,Liberty Pearl Photography, Ashley Hampson Photography.