Wedding Dress Shopping Tips

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Thanks Michelle! Luckily beforehand I had been looking a lot on pineterest and instagram so I had found not only a few dresses I really liked but a designer I liked. I had one dress in mind I had to try on by Madison James and while I did like the dress I ended up finding a different dress by her and ended up loving and buying it!

I'd suggest taking a look at specific designers that you like beforehand, not just the style of dresses that you like. I personally became overwhelmed in the process of trying to narrow down exactly what I was looking for. Eventually one of the consultants at the 3rd store I visited said, 'I think you're looking for dresses by these designers,' and she gave some recommendations. When I finally went to one of the stores she recommended, it was a huge relief for me to discover that the dresses I loved DID exist. I just wish I had known that from the start!

View quoted message I thought that also but they they loved everything. So I choose out my favorites and went back again with a a good friend and tried a few more on and my favorite one at The end. One of the ladies that was in the store I'd know it was the one When I put it on. You won't want to take it off.

I just put the deposit on mine and i love it more everytime i see it or look at pictures of it

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Exactly.. it might be literally the only time we get a chance to kinda just relax.. so I definitely want to be comfortable!!

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Thanks Amanda! That's really good advice! It's so easy to forget you will be sitting down for at least a little while and I definitely wouldn't want to be uncomfortable sitting down. Since dinner time is probably one of the few times I'll be off my feet.

Oh and sit down !!! Any dress you put on that you think you love, find a chair, and sit down.... No you won't be sitting down a lot on your wedding, but at the very least you will be for dinner.. you want to be comfortable and be able to breathe so always do the sit test !!

I made sure my hair was done (just straight and down) and I had a little make up on... My every day is brushed hair and chapstick... I wanted to make sure I sort of got the whole look when I had dresses on. It would be hard to envision it if I had a fancy dress on and otherwise looked like a slob. The only other tip I would say is keep an open mind, try on things that aren't your style. I brought my mom, sister in law and 2 bridesmaids and asked each of them to pick anything in the store for me to put on... you will be surprised at the things you like. What I thought was totally NOT me when I put it on it looked amazing. So be open, but don't let anyone push you around (family or bridal store staff)

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Thank you Kelsie! I have my shoes already so I figure I might as well bring them if I have them. I definitely worry I'll love a dress and the people I bring with me won't like it. But it's my dress and I'm the one who has to wear it.

I was told to bring seamless underwear and shoes.

thw shoes didn’t really matter as they just took my measurements - the length will be altered later.

For the appointment itself - bring photos of stuff you like but keep an open mind cause you may not like what you thought you would.

keep your group small if you can. Lots of people means lots of opinions and it can be overwhelming.

most of all have fun! If you don’t find something your first go around, don’t worry! The perfect dress is out there.

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Thanks Casey!

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Thanks for all the great advice Brittany!

I'm counting myself really lucky that my mom doesn't care what I wear so long as I'm happy. I know some moms want their daughters in a specific silhouette and that can be stressful.

View quoted message All of this 100%!! Make sure you have on a strapless bra just to make it easier for you to picture the dress without crazy bra straps.
And wear a pair of underwear you feel comfortable in!

Know what you want, and go for that first. But as mentioned don't be afraid to try on a few different silhouettes to be sure.

However once you have your style down, and what you like... don't let anyone talk you in to something else. Listen to your likes and wants first. Not your mom or whoever else.

Make sure you can breathe and dance, and feel great.

And as mentioned... do not try on a dress over budget unless you are willing to drop that much more. There is a reason some dresses cost more than others.

Go to a few different places. Try on different styles etc.

But try not to overload yourself either. And most important... enjoy it!

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Thank Janaya! I definitely want to take my time picking a dress even if I think I find one I love. With my grad dress back in 2011 I picked the 2nd dress I tried on and I regret it. So I want to go to a few appointment before I decided even if it means going back to somewhere I've been to buy my dress.

Wear nude bra and panties! lol, I totally forgot this and wore black... oh well!

but also, make sure you have fun! and don't feel pressure to buy the dress asap, go home and think about it and take as many pictures as you need!

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Thanks Tori! That's really helpful! I have been leaning towards an A-line dress but I agree with you it is best to try on every style that way you find out what looks best on you.

I would say that you should try on EVERY style of dress - you never know what might look best on you.

Another thing that I tell a lot of others is that they should pick the dress that they can imagine walking down the aisle in and feel like a bride in. Not just one that hugs their curves a good way and makes them look pretty. You have to FEEL good.

Oh, and don't try on dresses that are out of your budget!