Weddings > Katie's Wedding Planning Blog > Dress Shopping
Dress Shopping
I marvel at how Brides love to go shopping for their Wedding Dress. For many, it’s the first thing they do after getting engaged. For some, they may be engaged for months on end with nothing but a date, location, and, of course, a Wedding Dress. After all, this is her Wedding Day and the Bride should look her best. Really, what else matters??
A couple tips I want to share for you excited Brides:
SHOP EARLY! Most dress shops prefer you come in at least 9 months before your wedding. If you’re already at 6 months, be prepared for salespeople to give you a hard time and possibly charge for expedited shipping. The exception: those who buy it off the rack or at a trunk show; or those who have it custom made for them.
Know where you’re shopping. If you don’t have a wedding planner to guide you, ask your friends for referrals and research the history of the store. Wedding dress shops are notorious for going out of sale and leaving brides stranded before their big day. You want to choose a store that has been in business for a number of years with a good standing reputation. Caution: sometimes the store that’s been in business twenty years can also be the store with attitude! You may encounter long waits and rude salespeople.
Backdate your Wedding Date. I know it sounds odd and there is no other time I would encourage a Bride to “fib” but this could save you much stress. Wedding shops are busy and they handle hundreds of brides at a time. They tend to wait until the last minute to call you when the dress is in, to make alterations, etc. You could avoid this hassle if you tell them your wedding date is a few weeks earlier than scheduled. Just a suggestion.
Be warned against all Wedding Dress internet purchases. A few years back, my bride fell in love with a dress that was over her budget. She decided to look online only to find the same dress, size, color, etc. for much less money at a small shop in Texas. They charged her credit card and never shipped the dress. Apparently, this shop went out of business and disappeared. Not only did my bride have to rush order another dress, but she spent hours with her credit card company trying to get her money back.
Consider WHO you take shopping. Whether it be your mom, your aunt, best friend or bridesmaids, you want to be encouraged and supported through this process. Choose loved ones who will be honest with you but also make you feel like the most beautiful Bride around!
