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Dresses & Wedding Attire Information

Shopping for the perfect wedding dress should be an enjoyable experience for all brides. The following article will outline some helpful tips and suggestions, courtesy of Dori Samanka, owner of local bridal shop Trousseaux, to make the experience less stressful and more enjoyable. After all, many women dream of the day when they can start shopping for their wedding gown.

Pre-Shopping Research & Planning

Before heading out to a bridal shop, sit down with your future husband and decide on a wedding date and a location. Selecting a date will let you know what season you will be getting married in and a location can help set the theme for your wedding. Are you getting married in a formal church or on the beach, will your ceremony be inside or outside, etc.? Typically, dresses should mirror the overall style and theme of your ceremony and reception.

According to Dori Samanka, owner of Trousseaux, allow 9-10 months when shopping for a custom dress. Even if you plan on purchasing a dress off the rack, the dress will still need altered. Alterations may take longer in the spring months since June weddings are popular and prom season & spring dances begin in April.

Determine a budget for your dress. Remember, besides the dress, you will also need to take into account the cost of shoes, jewelry, lingerie to wear under the dress, and alterations. Once a budget is established, don’t waste time trying on dresses outside of your budget. Falling in love with a dress you can’t afford will make it harder to select a dress in your price range. Also, be prepared to put down a deposit as high as 50% when ordering a dress.

Look through bridal magazines & bridal websites and save pictures of the dresses you like. Make notes on the pictures about what you like and don’t like about the dress. Be sure to take these pictures with you when shopping.

Finally, call some local bridal shops and set up an appointment to try on dresses. Mrs. Samanka recommends scheduling an appointment with bridal shops because brides will receive more attention from the shop’s dress consultants. Bridal shops are often busy on the weekends and appointments book quickly. If possible, take a half of a day off work and schedule an appointment during the week.

Time to Shop

Remember to bring along any pictures of wedding gowns you like along with a pair of shoes with heels that are similar to the heel size you will wear the day of your wedding. It is recommended brides wear a strapless bra and appropriate panties when dress shopping. This is very important for brides planning on shopping at a sample or bargain basement sale. You may not have an individual dressing room and will need to change in front of others. Most shops will have an attendant to help brides in and out of the dresses. Also, go easy on the make-up. You don’t want make-up to rub off on any of the dresses. Finally, bring only one or two people with you when shopping. Having too many opinions can make selecting a dress nearly impossible.

When at the bridal shop, show the dress consultants the pictures you like, discuss your wedding theme & location, and be specific with your likes and dislikes. Tell the dress consultant if there are any areas of your body you would like to accentuate or hide. Make notes about each dress after you try it on. This will be helpful when you leave the store. After the dress is on, note how comfortable the dress feels. If the dress is too tight or too heavy, it will only become more uncomfortable the day of your wedding.

Ask if you can take a picture of the dress, some shops allow cameras while others do not. Another helpful tip from Dori at Trousseaux is to limit the number of dresses you try on to five or six in a day. After trying on too many dresses in one appointment, they can start to blend together. Trying on five or six dresses in one fitting is a good start to determining the style of dress you like best.

Also, it never hurts to try on a dress you think you may not like. Dresses fit each individual body differently. The way a dress looks on a certain model in a magazine can look much different on your body.

Modern Wedding Gown Trends

More and more couples are moving away from traditional weddings and receptions. As part of this movement, brides are not always choosing to wear traditional, white gowns for their ceremony. When trying on dresses, don’t be afraid to try on an ivory or pale pink dress. A wedding dress should be a reflection of the bride’s everyday image and style. If you’re not comfortable in long dresses, buy a shorter length dress.

Brides choosing to wear a less formal dress can have grooms and groomsmen wear matching suits versus tuxedos or matching dress pants and shirts. Choosing to have a less formal ceremony and reception is also a benefit to couples who need to adhere to a strict budget. An informal wedding can be just as classy and stylish as a traditional wedding.

Wedding Showcase Fashion Show

At last year’s Wedding Showcase, three local bridal shops, Diamonds & Lace, Formalities by Tracina, and Trousseaux participated in the first annual Wedding Showcase Fashion Show. Once again, this year’s showcase will have a runway-style fashion show choreographed to music which will feature wedding gowns, bridesmaid dresses, mother-of-the-bride dresses, flower girl dresses, etc.

Be sure to visit WeddingPage.com in the upcoming weeks to view a list of bridal shops participating in the showcase and fashion show.