You said “yes” and now it’s time to pick out your wedding dress! One of my favorite wedding planning memories from our wedding was dress shopping with my mom. I think every bride dreams of having a wonderful shopping experience while hunting for that perfect dress, and it can absolutely be that! It can also be stressful!

Here are a few tips that I have found help to make the trip much more enjoyable and much less stressful:

1. Choose wisely who you invite to go with you! Look, I get it! I know everyone has been dropping hints to you about going. But, you’ve seen those reality shows when brides bring a whole entourage, right?! I think it’s best to bring no more than 2-3 people with you to avoid too many opinions. In most situations, it’s a good idea to bring a mom and a trusted friend. You want people that will respect your desires and give solid input without being too opinionated.
2. Be mindful of your budget. If you’ve been following along in this series, you saw my budgeting tips a couple of weeks ago. Hopefully you have your wedding budget set by now and have a specific wedding dress budget. This is so helpful when you get to the boutique to begin shopping. It really helps your stylist pick budget appropriate gowns for you to try. Also, keep in mind of all of the extras that go along with your dress, like alterations, the veil, undergarments, etc.
3. Know what you like . . . but be open to trying something new. I think it’s helpful to do a little “shopping” on Pinterest or other sites to come up with some idea of what you think you like. I also firmly believe that you should be open to trying on something completely different! You may have a mermaid style dress in mind and get to the shop to find that you hate the way that style looks on you! Tell your stylist! They will be able to help you figure out what you don’t like about it and suggest another style. Be open, and then don’t be afraid to say “no” if you don’t like what you see.
4. Bring along your shoes and/or any accessories that you have already chosen. If you have your shoes picked out, this will help tremendously when trying on your dress and getting fitted. I know that when I go shopping for anything, I have to bring the right shoes along. Trying a dress on with the right shoes is going to be a much better option than trying on that gorgeous gown without shoes, unless you are getting married on the beach sans shoes.
5. Wear the right undergarments! Remember that you’ll likely be getting dressed with someone else in the room. More importantly, you don’t want your bright pink bra straps ruining the look of the dresses you are trying on. I suggest wearing a nude strapless bra and nude seamless underwear.
6. Look your best, or at least put together. You’ll be more excited to look in the mirror to gaze at yourself in a wedding dress if you have your hair and makeup done. You don’t necessarily have to have fake eyelashes on and pay for an up do, but a little hair styling and makeup will make a huge difference.
7. Don’t settle. Most of the time, brides don’t have to get a dress the first day they go shopping. Unless you are on a huge time crunch, allow yourself the freedom to leave without a dress if nothing feels like “the one”!
8. TRY SITTING DOWN. This is one tip that gets overlooked way too often. You don’t want to get to your wedding reception and not be able to eat or sit down. Try sitting down and moving around in your dress when you first try it on AND after you’ve had it altered.

Once you consider these few tips, you’ll be all set! Have fun and happy shopping!