Secrets of Wedding Dress Shopping

You got engaged!

So now you have to go hunting for that special dress, and this should be so exciting. BUT, its scary and knowing a few inside secrets before you go will definitely help.

1. Call your local boutique and book an appointment, check how many people they will let you take along for the fitting. Most keep the number a little lower than 5 as it can get to be heated in there and I don't mean in temperature. Everybody will possibly have an idea of what they would like you to wear and let me assure you, it probably won't be what you want to wear. Don't be put off by their opinions if you fall in love with a dress but if the consensus is 'no' then ask yourself why.

All styles are different and suit various body shapes

2. You may have an idea of the dress you like, even seen it on Pinterest or Instagram and 'know' this is what you are looking for. Please keep an open mind and try at least 3 styles, I have rarely sold a dress that someone has seen and it works for them but either way, they look stunning. If your bottom half is larger than the top, you want always suit the fitted styles as they can accentuate the lower half.

3. Sizing, now there is a crazy thing! All dresses are labelled with their size for the UK but rarely do they meet the exact measurements of our average young lady in that particular size. Don't be offended if we grab a size bigger as no-one sees the label on the day. Most wedding dresses come up small and this is one of life's mysteries.....who is sizing them? Well, quite often these dresses are made abroad and the brides to be there may have a different scope, matching the sizing may be difficult.

All wedding dresses seem to come up smaller...

4. The day has arrived for the appointment and your stomach is churning, but remember that this is your special day. Try to wear a strapless bra and maybe be prepared to take that off if it will make the dress fit better. Most dresses have a built in cup so no worries about exposure!

Please don't wear fake tan, even if you know that you will on the day. The dresses you try on will be sold at some point and the mess can reduce the value. Also, most dresses are stepped into so although you can wear some make up, try to keep it to a minimum.

5. Set a budget for the dress.

Believe me when I say, dresses can come up at above £3000 these days and for the average person, this is a huge amount for one day. Try not to try the expensive ones on as it will be inevitable that you will fall in love with it, they are expensive for a reason and more often than not its sheer quality.If you have the funds to spend, try dresses up to that limit

6. Start shopping a good year before the wedding as dresses can take 6 to 10 months to make (especially if they are coming from abroad). Then there will be alterations for hem and maybe elsewhere if you lose or gain weight.

Dresses can be taken in around 2 sizes (some up to 3) and they can be taken out just one size.

This also means you can put down a deposit and then pay the rest off later.....

7. Take along some shoes, ideally the ones you want to wear on the day but if not then something with a heel size you know you may wear. This will give an indication of how the dress will sit and give you a great feel for walking in it....now thats fun!

Wedding Shoes

8. Ask to take pictures of the dress when you are wearing it, some bridal houses really don't mind. It gives you an opportunity to look back later and see if you really love the look. Don't be afraid to say yes to the dress if you truly love it, a lot of brides will find their dream dress on their first outing and thats wonderful. Remember, there is no rush.

9. Go back to the boutique on your own a few weeks after you have tried the dresses on and retry the dresses that you truly loved, then you can make a decision with the Style Consultant, that what they are there to do. Remember their experience and they will understand your body type and how you want to feel, without a doubt they will find the perfect dress for you.

10. Keep the dress at the shop for as long as you can, it reduces the risk of damage. We offer this solution to the bride so she knows no-one will be peeping at it and if there are children around - it won't get dirty. We always allow 3-5 dress fitting leading up to the wedding as its hard to buy the dress and leave it until a few weeks before to remember what it looks like!! Then, collect and enjoy your very special day.

Don't forget, we are Reflection Gowns offer the same styles (2019 season at the minute) in brand new dresses with at least 50% off the retail price....feel free to check them out when you pop over. Our designers range from Enzoani, Enzoani Blue, Jesus Peiro, Rosa Clara, Stella York and so many more.

Wedding Day Joy