How to Prepare Before your Bridal Gown Appointment
I recently sat down with Afton, of Annelise Bridal Boutique, to talk about all things wedding gowns. The process, what to expect, and how to prepare before your bridal gown appointment. Here are the most important ways to prepare before you start your search for the gown!
Timeframe
The first and foremost thing to prepare before you begin looking for your gown is timeframe. Most couples are very surprised to find that when shopping from a local boutique, it’s important to give yourself plenty of room for ordering and alterations. The most recommended time to find your gown would be 6-8 months before your wedding date! This way you’ll have time to find the dream dress, think on the decision if you need to, and have plenty of time to get your order in and any final alterations finished – without stressing and nail biting at whether your dress will be here by your wedding.
Groups
Next when planning your appointment (and yes, you probably need to book appointments!) is your squad. Many television shows give us the idea that we should bring all 45 women we know to these appointments, but the reality is that the smaller a group you have the better! You won’t want too many opinions weighing you down (and let’s face it, some stores can’t fit 35 people!). Ultimately it really is a stress relief to have your closest four or five people with you. This could be your mom and sisters, your three best friends, or maybe your mom and maid of honor! These people will support you in whatever you like, be honest when you want feedback, and keep you confident and relaxed at the appointment.
Shapes
Before your appointment it might be a good idea to study up on dress shapes and silhouettes. You’ll probably find that there are some you don’t even want to look into, and a few that you really like. When you begin trying on dresses, if you’re finding right away that a certain shape just doesn’t do you any favors, skip it! There are flattering silhouettes for everyone!
Be Open
Along those lines, though, go into your appointment with an open mind. We all know there are clothes and dresses that look great on a hanger but horrible when put on, right? Well it can go the other way too! Trust your boutique owner to help you find shapes or fabrics you love, that you might have never thought you would! Be open to new things, and be open to finding “the one” at your appointment.
Accessories
When you’re shopping for your wedding gown, you might have a pinterest board filled with veil options and hairdos you love. You may leave surprised by the dress you loved most, though, and unsure now how you want your hair to look or if you even want a veil after all! Along the lines of being open, Afton recommends not necessarily worrying about your accessories before or even at the gown appointment. You shouldn’t stress yourself out about making another decision on the day, and you should give yourself time to figure out what your hair and jewelry desires are now that your dress is figured out! You’ll be coming back into the boutique to pick the dress up, after all… you can always decide on accessories then!
Hopefully these tips for how to prepare before your bridal gown appointment were useful! So many couples go into the process without any information or knowing how any of it works (we’ve all been there!) so we hope this was a good starting resource for you. If this left you with more questions, click on over to the Annelise website for their FAQ page full of great information!
