Avoid these common Bridal Gown Shopping Pitfalls…
1) You could shop until you drop...BUT DON’T!
Shopping for your bridal gown should be an experience that you cherish forever. Not a bunch of jumbled up memories of the 15 different stores you visited and the 75 gowns you tried on. It really is possible to try on too many dresses contrary to what some newly engaged brides have been told. By no means am I suggesting that you only visit one store and say yes to the first dress. Ask your friends for recommendations and read reviews. Pick no more than 3 stores. Narrow down your favorite gown from those three boutiques. If you like them all equally then it should come down to which store gave you the best customer service. That being said...if the first gown you try on is “THE ONE” enjoy that moment! Don’t be afraid to say yes.
2) Pinterest and Google and Insta...Oh my!
Let social media be your inspiration..but NOT your expectation. Unless you have someone following you around with a light, a fan and a step stool to stand on, you are NOT going to be able to replicate many of these looks. What many brides don’t realize is that the models in these pictures are not even standing on the ground! This creates an unrealistic idea of how a bridal gown is supposed to look in the store and ultimately in your own wedding pictures. Additionally, many of these gowns are no longer in production or even offered in the United States. We all love social media but remember it’s for inspiration and entertainment. Allow your bridal consultant to see your boards. Just because they may not have the exact dress in the picture, they will be able to understand the look and feel you are hoping to evoke in a way that translates to the real world.
3) Don’t let one bad experience ruin your following appointments
So you had your first bridal appointment and for whatever reason, it didn’t go well. Maybe the consultant wasn’t listening to your requests. Maybe the salon didn’t have enough of a selection in the size or style you were looking for. Maybe the stylist was brand new and didn’t have enough experience to give you the amazing appointment you expected and deserve to have. Sadly, we have all heard those stories. However, one bad appointment shouldn’t set the tone for your following appointment. As an industry insider I have seen this many times. All salons want to give you the most pleasant and memorable experience possible. It’s true some are better at it than others but I can assure you we all want our customers to be pleased at the end of the appointment even if they didn’t find their bridal gown that day. So take a deep breath and allow yourself the opportunity to fully embrace the moment and your consultant just may give you the best shopping experience of your life!
4) You can cry but you don’t have to!
Finding a wedding dress for many brides is not only about the “feeling” but it is also a financial decision. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all afford any dress we wanted without consideration of our other wedding wishes? The bridal gown often is one of the biggest ticket items ever purchased to date and can cause a great bit of stress.
For some the final decision creates a feeling of relief rather than being overcome with tears. Let your feelings be your feelings and your reaction be your reaction. It’s true many girls cry, but more of them don’t.