One of the most exciting steps after becoming engaged is that anticipated trip to the bridal gown shops with your bridesmaids, family and other closest friends. Here are a few tips that will help you on your way at selecting the perfect bridal gown to show off all of your beauty!

Breakfast First:

Don’t forget that breakfast is still the most important meal of the day, especially when you are filled in a room with your closest girlfriends and we wouldn’t want anyone to become moody from being hangry! Keep snacks on you just in case. This will also help with making sure your dress fits perfectly since you will be eating before your wedding anyways!

Who to bring with you?:

It’s best to limit your first trip to your closest friends and family because the more people you bring, the more opinions will be in the room and you want to choose the dress that you love and not the dress that made other people happy! I like to suggest to my brides to limit it to four people on this trip to keep it controlled and intimate.

 Ask for help:

In ever bridal gown salon, there is plenty of sales professionals and dress coordinators to help you find the perfect fit for you. They are experienced in these stores and know exactly what is in stock and can point you in the right direction. Don’t forget to ask for help when it’s needed.

Don’t be quick to say no:

Oftentimes we look at things by the cover and not realizing that book actually has something amazing on the inside! With your wedding dress, try it on anyways because you never know, it may surprise you and become your #1 choice in the end!

The Dress:

When finding the dress of your dreams make sure to select a dress that compliments your body shape. There are many options to the details of a dress. Do you want a ball gown, mermaid or A-Line? Capped sleeves, spaghetti straps or strapless? What type of material are you looking for? These are some questions that you should ask yourself and maybe have a few answers upon your arrival of your appointments.

Make sure to select the dress that works well with your body shape. A lot of women choose to wear a strapless dress but sometimes these dresses don’t always compliment women that are top heavy. Remember to check that bra cup and ensure that you have adequate support in that area when you put on the dress. I have seen many times where a bride’s dress was dropping because it didn’t have enough support, and on the flip side where the bust of the dress was baggy because this area could have been altered more. You can ask for a seamstress to sown in your own bra to the dress and that makes for a perfect fit!

When opting to wear a dress with straps whether it be spaghetti straps or capped sleeves, make sure that your seamstress or dressmaker alters your straps to fit you perfectly, even when you walk. There is nothing more annoying than your straps constantly falling!

Think about the details that goes along with the dress, if you want a sparkling belt to make everything pop. Maybe you want to have a dress that has a lot of stones so you may not want to add a necklace. Do you want to show off some shoes that you have in mind, you may want to have a shorter dress or have it altered in the front of the dress where you can make it a little shorter so when you walk you can show off your shoes. Consider if you are going to wear a veil, is it going to hid some of those details that you love most or is it going to accentuate it. Also think about your hair style, do you want your hair to be up or down? Wear your hair similar to the way you may won’t it when you go to the gown shop and you can see how it will look when you are trying on the dress. There are different little things that you can consider so think about all of the possibilities. 

When you do find that perfect dress make sure to learn how to put it on properly to avoid messing up your hair and make up on the day of as well as sometimes it can be tricky to tie up a corset or button up those hundreds of buttons. For the buttons you can buy this little tool to easily button them up. If you need help on the day of I am more than willing to assist, I have helped several beautiful brides get into their dress.

And lastly, think about if the dress you are trying on will pair well with your venue and the style of your wedding! You are going to be beautiful on your special day with whichever dress you choose and I am sure that when you see it, you will know.. and you will say Yes to the Dress!!