Congratulations on your engagement! One of the most exciting parts of planning your wedding is choosing your wedding dress. But when should you start shopping?
The ideal time to start shopping for your wedding dress is around 10-18 months before your
big day. This might seem like a long time, but many brides use their wedding dress as the starting point for all style decisions. Your choice of dress could shape your theme, colour scheme and even your venue.
Here are a few reasons why it's important to start shopping early:
You'll have more time to find the perfect dress. The longer you have, the more time you'll have to try on different dresses and find the perfect one for you.
Its often a HUGE relief. Once you know you are going to look fabulous, the rest can easily fall in to place, you can visualise your wedding coming together once you know how you will look.
You'll have more options. The earlier you start shopping, the more likely you are to find the dress of your dreams, however only shop if you are ready to buy, as you may fall in love with a dress, only to come back in 4 months to find its no longer here.
You'll have more time to get the dress altered. If you find the perfect dress you will also want it to fit perfectly, you'll have plenty of time to get it altered before your wedding day, this often takes a couple of months working around work schedules and seamstress appointments
You can often save money. Each year, as with everything else, wedding dress designers increase the price of the dresses.
Of course, there are some exceptions to the rule. If you are planing to loose weight, or if you are more flexible in the style you are looking for, you can often buy a fabulous wedding dress off the peg at a bargain price! But do remember the samples go fast so if you find one, dont take too long to think about it, we sell a sample off the peg most days so hesitate if you find the one! But in general, the earlier you start, the better.
How to Start Shopping for Your Wedding Dress
Once you've decided to start shopping for your wedding dress, there are a few things you can do to make the process easier:
Do your research. Before you start shopping, look for the bridal shops in your area. if you shop in leeds, liverpool and Doncaster, you are more likely to find the same dresses in the popular boutiques than if you shop at all 3 wedding shops in Doncaster. This sounds crazy I know, but designers put a radius clause on the boutique, stating nobody else in the area will sell that same dress.
Set a budget. It's important to set a budget before you start shopping. This will help you narrow down your options and avoid overspending. Be honest, we don't try to make you spend all your budget, but if you tell us you have a £3k budget when its only £1500 just so you can try on posh dresses, it can lead to heart ache, we happily will dress you in any dress, but if you fib about your budget, you might fall in love with a budget busting dress, which will spoil your dress shopping experience, if you are comparing every other dress you try on to it. Trust us, we have seen this happen.
Try on different styles. Don't be afraid to try on different styles of dresses. Let us go off Piste a little, if only for fun, you may be surprised!
Don't be afraid to ask for help. If you're feeling overwhelmed, don't be afraid to ask for help, we get this, there is so much choice, so many fabrics, etc. We are here to hold your hand and help you look fabulous. Our advice if you are feeling overwhelmed is, dont bring a large crowd, stick to one or two guests at you bridal appointment.
Shopping for your wedding dress can be a lot of fun. By following these tips, you can make
the process easier and find the perfect dress for your big day.
Here are some additional tips:
Bring a friend or family member with you. Shopping for a wedding dress can be a lot of fun, but it can also be overwhelming. It's helpful to bring a friend or family member with you to help you make decisions and give you moral support.
Be prepared to try on a lot of dresses. It's not uncommon to try on 10 or 20 dresses before you find the perfect one. Don't get discouraged if you don't find the perfect dress right away.
Don't be afraid to walk away from a dress. If you're not in love with a dress, don't feel obligated to buy it, sometimes, you may just feel dress fatigue, in this case take a few weeks off then come back with fresh eyes to try your favourites on.
Trust your gut. Ultimately, the most important thing is to choose a dress that you love. Trust your gut and don't let anyone else tell you what you should or shouldn't wear, if you are feeling emotional or fabulous or simply excited, trust that feeling, you might not get it a second time.
If you would like a little look through our latest brochure, feel free to down load this below, remember we have many more in store and more arrive each month!