Choosing your wedding gown can be a daunting task, but mostly it should be fun. My best advice is again to just relax and enjoy this process. Research the bridal boutiques in your area and ask your married friends for recommendations on the best place to go. Every boutique is different so finding one that caters to your needs is going to be your best bet.
Be prepared to answer a lot of questions when you get there. What is your budget for the gown? What is your venue? What fabrics do you like? Do you like beading, lace, bows, or flowers? How about straps or do you prefer strapless?
A gown should be something you love and feel beautiful and confident in. It should be comfortable – we can all suffer a bit for fashion, but be realistic if it’s heavy, hot, and itchy in the bridal store it will be all those things multiplied the day of. Most importantly it should be something you love and couldn’t wait to put on and show off to your friends, family and fiancé.
Here are my top 5 tips when bridal gown shopping…
- Follow your gut! You know yourself best, if it feels right, it is! This is an emotional decision – it’s different than shopping at the Gap.
- Bring only a few friends, this process can be overwhelming if you bring too may people and the fewer the people the better. Make sure you choose your friends wisely – and always remember you have to love the gown, no one else, so listen to their opinions, but don’t let anyone sway you from what you really love!
- Once you find the gown stop shopping! It might not take 100 gowns to find your perfect dress, despite what your BFF, Mom or anyone else says. It could be the first, third or twentieth dress you try on.
- Be open-minded and let your consultant guide you no matter how much you think you know. Your consultant is a professional.
- Lighten up! This should be fun, it’s a fancy dress you get to wear on a special day. Details are important, but it’s the big picture that really matters. If you feel beautiful, and comfortable and would be so excited to wear the gown, you found the winner.
If you are in the Portland Area I strongly suggest AniA Collection in Downtown. Their service and selection makes them the best store in town, hands down. They have a number of exclusive designers and are a full service couture bridal boutique so be prepared to be pampered.
Side Note: Most gowns are made to order which means it could take up to six months to get a gown. Plan ahead. It’s never to early to get the gown of your dreams, once you find it buy it! Prices go up and gowns do get discontinued so just do it!
Happy shopping!
Xo
Images via Pintrest, Anne Adams Photography and Nate Broshot Photography