Ten Tips for Finding Your Perfect Wedding Dress

Now that you’ve said, “YES”, it’s time to find the perfect wedding dress. Following are a few tips to assist you during your search for the bridal gown of your dreams:

1. Budget
   Establish a budget and stay within its limits.  No exceptions.  Don’t forget to include the cost of altering your wedding gown.
   
   
2. Location, Location, Location
   Will your wedding ceremony be held in a chapel or a cathedral, in the backyard of your childhood home or on the lawn of a grand hotel, on the steps of city hall or in the capitol rotunda, in a meadow beside a babbling brook or along the sandy shores of a tropical paradise?  What does the location of your wedding ceremony have to do with your dream dress?  Everything!  Your bridal gown should fit the setting. 
   
   
3. Time
   Is your wedding day eighteen months away or two days after tomorrow?  If you have four months or more, you have some time to shop for a special ordered designer wedding dress. You might even consider a custom bridal gown. If time is not on your side, the internet can be your best friend.  Surf the web to see what’s out there.  Find a salon or major department store that carries “in-stock” or off-the-rack bridal attire.  You might also consider renting your wedding dress.  Renting a bridal gown can be very cost-effective whether you have one year or one week to prepare for your special day. The greatest benefit of renting your wedding dress is that you can wear the latest in bridal industry fashions without breaking the bank.  After your wedding, you will probably never wear your wedding dress again, and chances are neither will anyone else.  So, why not rent instead of buying?  If you are not internet savvy, let your fingers do the walking through the “Yellow Pages”.  Gowns can be rented from a number of wedding related vendors (wedding consultants, photographers, etc).
   
   
4. How to find the perfect bridal gown (when time is on your side)
   Depending on the manufacturer, the delivery time for a special ordered designer wedding gown can range from 6 to 30 weeks.  The internet is the best place to begin your search.  There are many online wedding magazines, catalogs and bridal gown designer/manufacturer websites from which to choose.  Once you have an idea of what is available and what you think you might like, make an appointment at one of the bridal salons in your area.  Be prepared for a long day.  Don’t forget to wear your best undies because you will be spending a lot of time in various states of undress while in the company of a perfect stranger.  Also, bring along a girlfriend who isn’t afraid of “telling it like it is”.  You need an honest opinion.  Free food is always a good incentive. Finally, make sure you have a camera – digital is best, but a Polaroid, disposable camera, or even the camera on a cellular phone will do.  And make your girl work for that “free” food.  Have her take notes as well as pictures to help you recall your top picks and narrow the selection until you find your perfect wedding dress.

Again, if you are not comfortable with the internet, you can find a variety of traditional “print” bridal magazines at a bookstore, newsstand or your local library. You can also locate bridal salons by using the phone book.

5. There is no perfect wedding dress for me!
   Wedding gown shopping getting you down?  You don’t believe that you will ever find the bridal gown of your dreams?  It’s not you.  It’s the dress.  Stop for a second and think.  Are you trying to put a square peg into a round hole?  Just because that designer wedding gown looks good in a magazine, does not mean that it will look good on you. You have to consider your body type and find a style that is complementary.  Don’t set yourself up for failure by selecting a style that just isn’t you.  Your perfect wedding dress is out there.  Give yourself time.  Do a little research, and ask for help.  A seamstress or other bridal expert can help you select a style that accents your beauty.
   
   
6. Eureka, I found it!
   You did it.  You found the wedding gown of your dreams.  Now what?  Measure, measure, measure.  It is very important to be measured properly.  It is best to have your measurements taken by a seamstress or other bridal expert.  Never take your measurements by yourself.  If you do not have access to a seamstress, have a friend take your measurements. Always measure twice, if not three times.  You are responsible for selecting your gown size based upon your measurements.  The bridal expert will not choose your size for you.  Most formal wear is cut differently than street clothing.  Therefore, the size of your wedding gown might be larger than your typical dress size. A size is just a number.  Think of it as mind over matter.  If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.  Also note that under most circumstances, it is always easier to take a dress in than it is to let it out.  Additionally, most wedding dresses will require some alterations.  And remember, although your gown is not custom made, it is special ordered and cannot be returned (there are a few exceptions).  Choose wisely.  Also, remember, it can take anywhere from 6 to 30 weeks to receive your bridal gown, and you might not have time to find another dress.
   
   
7. Sticker Shock
   Eureka, I found it, but am I seeing things or are there actually three zeros behind the five on that price tag?  No, you are not seeing things, and that decimal point is not in the wrong place.  Does beauty have to be expensive? It can be, and, unfortunately, it is what it is.  If you have your heart set on an exclusive designer wedding gown, work it into your budget.  Always stick to your budget.  But, don’t forget that you might be able to rent a bridal gown that would otherwise be unattainable if you had to purchase it.
   
   
8. Are there other options?
   Yes, of course there are other options.  If you don’t have to keep up with the Joneses, you can find an equally beautiful gown that is nearly identical to that exclusive designer wedding gown.  If your gown is not exclusive, but just a tad bit pricey, try shopping around.  Make a few phone calls and compare prices.  Ask your local bridal retailer if he or she will meet or beat a lower price that you found at another authorized dealer.  If they can’t lower the price, they might offer you other incentives like discounts on bridal accessories or attendants’ dresses.  If they won’t work with you, buy your wedding gown from someone who will.  It doesn’t hurt to ask, nor does it hurt to use the internet.
   
   
9. What about the internet?
   I’m glad that you asked.  The internet is a wonderful resource.  Through the World Wide Web, you have access to authorized designer wedding gown dealers across the globe.  Numerous traditional brick and mortar bridal salons offer significant discounts if you purchase your wedding gown via mail order or over the internet.  Additionally, there are virtual bridal salons on the web through which reputable authorized dealers sell designer wedding gowns at discount prices.
   
   
10. Are all bridal retailers created equally?
    Do you truly believe that all bridal gown nightmares are exclusive to the internet?  Well, they are not.  Whether you choose to purchase your gown over the internet or at the salon down the street, do your homework.  Check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB Online) or online resources like Insiderpages.com and Yelp.com. Ask friends, family and neighbors.  Make an educated decision. If you shop like a smart bride, your special day will be exactly that, special.