One of the most exciting parts of wedding planning is picking out your dream dress for your special day! Read on to learn some tips about how to prepare for wedding dress shopping, what to expect, and what to do after you’ve found the one.

Preparing for Your Wedding Dress Appointment

You’ve scheduled your wedding dress appointments, now what?

Start with inspiration pictures and bring them to the appointment with you. Make sure you can highlight what you like (and don’t like) about the dresses so you know what to tell the stylist.
Invite only your closest people to come with you - I usually recommend capping the guest list at 3 (plus you) because the more opinions floating around, the more confused and frustrated you might get.
On the morning of, style your hair so that you can see what it might look like with the dresses, but don’t put on makeup that could rub off on the sample dresses. Put on skin-color undergarments or go braless so that you’re not distracted by anything while you’re trying on dresses.

Starting Your Wedding Dress Appointment

When you arrive at the bridal salon, your bridal stylist should great you and ask you some preliminary questions. This is a good time to:

Share your budget. Be honest about what you’re willing to spend, and remember to factor in alterations costs.
Show your inspiration photos. Talk about what you’re looking for, what are absolute no’s, and the vibe you’re going for.

If the bridal stylist allows you to pick out dresses, invite your guests to stay in the waiting room (or wherever you will show them the dresses). Having too many cooks in the kitchen when selecting dresses can lead to disagreements - picture Say Yes to the Dress when mom wants a princess ballgown, but the bride wants a mermaid - yikes!

When you’re looking at dresses, keep an open mind. It is quite common for brides to fall in love with a dress that’s different than what they pictured walking into the store.

Trying on Wedding Dresses

Now that you and your stylist have picked out a few options, it’s time to put them on and see what you think! Does it make you feel beautiful? Can you picture yourself walking down the aisle in this dress?

Besides the look, you’ll also want to think about the fit - is it comfortable? Can you sit and walk in it? Is it too scratchy, too poofy? Don’t worry about the sizing of the dress - bridal sizing is all over the place, and the stylist can use clips and other tricks to help you imagine what the dress will look like when the measurements are correct.

When you find the right dress, you will know. You may not cry, but you’ll know deep down that this is the dress you’re meant to say “I Do” in.

Buying Your Wedding Dress

Congratulations - you have found your dream dress! Make sure to take a photo of yourself in it so you can remember what it looks like, especially for buying undergarments and accessories. You might want to save it in a hidden folder so your partner can’t see, though!

After you’ve purchased your dress, buy everything you need (underwear, bra, shapewear, shoes, veil, jewelry, anything you’ll be wearing) and bring or wear them to your fittings so that you can see how everything comes together, or if you’ll need to find alternatives. Once alterations are over and you’ve picked up the dress, have a thick garment bag and a good storage plan (no crumpled dresses or humid closets please!) so that it stays picture perfect.

In between purchasing the dress and putting it on the morning of your wedding, my biggest piece of advice is don’t overthink or second guess your choice. You chose this dress for how it made you feel and it will be perfect for the big day.