Guide to buying your perfect wedding dress

Finding your dream wedding dress can be hard work. It’s not something most of us would have shopped for before. Add a little pressure of
finding one that is perfect and things can become stressful. There is a whole world of shapes, styles, fabrics, designers and accessories to navigate. So where do you start? What is the right shape? What’s a Bustle? How do you know what will look good? Well the best way to start would be a guide to buying your perfect wedding dress.

I have teamed up with the experts from Naomi Bridal Boutique, a luxury Boutique supplying the latest designer dresses, to create an guide to help navigate your way to buying your perfect wedding dress. What Naomi doesn’t know about wedding dresses isn’t worth knowing.

When thinking about a guide to buying your perfect wedding dress I would always recommend you visit a bridal Boutique. Every other part of your wedding day will have professionals guiding you and making sure everything goes to plan. Wedding planners, florists, photographers and bands are all experts in their field. Picking your dress shouldn’t be any different.

Approach with an open mind

When starting to look for your dream wedding dress its tempting to only look at the style of dress you have stared at on Instagram for months on end. However the trick is to be open minded and try on other styles. You may find the perfect dress for your body shape in something you never even considered. Research your styles save some pictures of your dream dress. Show them to your bridal stylist so they can get a idea of what you like before your appointment starts. Try and be open minded, listen to your bridal stylist as they can put you in a style to suit your body shape. Your favourite dress could be a style that you probably, never even considered.

Book an appointment ahead of time

This is such an important one. Bridal boutiques offer a personal service that is in high demand. My boutique can get booked up months in advance, so it is essential that you plan ahead. Plus there is the ordering of dresses. Some dresses need to be ordered 12/18 months before the big day. If you are starting to look for bridal dresses then get that first appointment booked in as soon as possible.

What to bring with you for an appointment

If you haven’t been to a bridal boutique before it can be daunting. It’s not everyday you get to try on beautiful wedding dresses. To get the most out of you appointment I always allow some time to discuss your options and look at any inspiration you bring with you. Once we have that in mind we can start to work some magic. There are some things that will help us both out.

Nude underwear is a big help.

Minimal make up and no tan as this can come of on the dresses you try on.

You don’t need to worry about the right shoes as we have a stand.

People are important too. Bring the right people with you. You know how hard it is ordering a takeaway when there is a lot of you. It’s chaos. Herding cats would be easier than trying to get a group of friends to agree on pizza toppings and sides. Well imagine that when trying on dresses. Everyone has an opinion and not everyone will be as valid or as welcome. Bring people who genuinely have your best interests at heart. Someone you trust to tell you the truth.

Budget

Everyone has a different budget and we welcome brides with smaller and larger budgets. Our wedding dresses start at £699 and go up to around £2500. So their is potentially a dress for everyone. It is important to have a limit so you can set your expectations. However if a dress you love is slightly over budget you could see if there are other less important areas you can cut corners. Either way you need to be realistic on what is important to you.

Decide on your Silhouette

Your bridal stylist will help you find the best styles that suit your body shape. Once you have tried on a few, we can see which style suits you best, you can select a collection of dresses to try based on that. It’s not always easy trying on gowns if you are a bit shy, but we are on hand to help and advise to make the experience as enjoyable as possible.

Remember the season

If you book your appointment with your bridal Boutique early enough (at least 12 month in advance), then you will have more time to shop for the season you are getting married in. If you are a winter wedding then you will be able to add some accessories like faux fur wraps or shawls for bridesmaids. If its a summer wedding you may want to consider something a little lighter or flowy. Having the time to find exactly what you want is important.

Anything else to consider in a guide to buying your perfect wedding dress?

Bustle? What are they and do I need one?

In short no you do not need one. They are put in dresses so you can party without standing on your dress. If you have a long train a bustle will help lift it so it doesn’t drag on the floor while you are dancing. All very helpful, but it will alter the overall look of your dress. A dress with a few inches of train an easily have a loop added to the underside which wont compromise the design.

Alterations

Alterations vary for each bride, depending on what needs to be done. My seamstress will charge between £50 -£200 for alterations and will need between 6-8 weeks. Its important to factor this in when choosing your dress as these appointments will also need to be booked.

TOP TIP

For me this has to be go with your heart. If you put a dress on and instantly feel amazing and you cant stop looking in the mirror then that’s the one.