Getting Your Gown - Top Ten Tips!
We stumbled across this blog post by the oh-so lovely UK bridal shop, The White Room bridal boutique. There is so much wonderful advice in the post we just had to share! Here's what the White Room team has to share with brides all over from their experience and expertise -
"Ok, so you’re engaged, the ring is fabulous, the date is set and now it’s time to find the gown for your wedding day! This can either be a very exciting prospect for brides or sheer terror for those who have no idea where to go, what they want and believe that walking in to a bridal boutique is like a trip to the dentist. We are here to make all the pre-conceptions of bridal gown hunting go far, far away and invite you in to a haven of happiness where bridal gowns are unique & memorable and the service is relaxed, focused and all about you.
Chloe says “Wedding gown shopping is exciting, it’s beautiful and it’s massively important, so it needs to be done right. I would always recommend the start of your gown search to be within 12 months of your wedding day and order with no less than 6 months until your date to ensure delivery and production of your gown is achievable. For brides with more than 12 months to go, my advice would be this… If you are ready to make a commitment to a gown then begin the search. However if you do not want to purchase a gown until closer to your wedding date, then please hold off. I say this as 2 things could happen… 1 – being that you fall in love with a dress yet don’t want to commit as ‘something better might come along’ and then when it doesn’t you find out the gown has been discontinued. Or 2 – you try on so many gowns searching for the one, that you lose all feeling of the excitement of stepping in to your gown and then feel let down when nothing quite hits the spot. This is stressful and not needed; it should be a fun and positive experience!”
xoxo,
The Dress Theory
"Ok, so you’re engaged, the ring is fabulous, the date is set and now it’s time to find the gown for your wedding day! This can either be a very exciting prospect for brides or sheer terror for those who have no idea where to go, what they want and believe that walking in to a bridal boutique is like a trip to the dentist. We are here to make all the pre-conceptions of bridal gown hunting go far, far away and invite you in to a haven of happiness where bridal gowns are unique & memorable and the service is relaxed, focused and all about you.
The White Room Bridal Boutique, Sheffield has been open a whole 11 months now (!) and as a new business, we have learnt massively what works as a boutique and also what works most importantly for our brides. We have listened to your needs and your thoughts and with that in mind are planning to introduce a new designer, more trunk shows so you can be the 1st to see new collections, designer weekends, meet the designer evenings and flexible opening hours!
Chloe says “Wedding gown shopping is exciting, it’s beautiful and it’s massively important, so it needs to be done right. I would always recommend the start of your gown search to be within 12 months of your wedding day and order with no less than 6 months until your date to ensure delivery and production of your gown is achievable. For brides with more than 12 months to go, my advice would be this… If you are ready to make a commitment to a gown then begin the search. However if you do not want to purchase a gown until closer to your wedding date, then please hold off. I say this as 2 things could happen… 1 – being that you fall in love with a dress yet don’t want to commit as ‘something better might come along’ and then when it doesn’t you find out the gown has been discontinued. Or 2 – you try on so many gowns searching for the one, that you lose all feeling of the excitement of stepping in to your gown and then feel let down when nothing quite hits the spot. This is stressful and not needed; it should be a fun and positive experience!”
So, here are some words of wisdom to all the brides coming to see us and how we can hopefully help you find your gown in a stress free and wonderful way!
Tip 1- Three shops are more than enough! Unless you are a shop-a-holic, going to too many shops can create confusion and also no idea of how you felt in one gown to the next. It may be very tempting to go to every boutique in the area but do your research 1st, ensure that when you do pick the boutiques that you know the designers, the budget and the service you can expect to receive! They vary massively and you need to ensure that if you have a budget of £500 or £5,000 the level of fabric, service, design and quality will vary lots
Tip 2- Keep an open mind! You may come in with an idea of a look you think you love, however you should always try on many fabrics, styles and silhouettes as you will be surprised what suits you. So many of our brides end up going for a gown that is the complete opposite of the original idea they had! Be brave too, step outside your comfort zone and try something you believe you can’t wear (you will be surprised!)
Tip 3 – Don’t believe in the myth of “the one” as this can only lead to disappointment and searching for a feeling that may never come. It can happen, and it’s lovely when it does, however if it doesn’t, that does not mean you do not have the gown for you. Focus on the fabric, cut, quality & style. My belief is ‘How does it feel’? I the answer is simply better than all the rest, you have your gown. Don’t over think it, don’t worry what your H2B nan will think… Go with what you want to marry your fiancé in! What you feel sexy, attractive, memorable and wow in!
Tip 4 – Like the boutique… This may sound silly but you are not just buying a gown. You are investing 6-18 months in a boutique and their staff. When you worry about the colour, want to check a bridesmaid dress with the gown, wonder when it’ll arrive, do your shoes match, can you show your nan, can you ask a question/have a wobble etc then you need to know that the money you have spent is valued to get the answers and support as quick and concisely as you can. Yes, boutique owners are human (weird I know, and we do make mistakes) but at the same time, we understand the value and importance of your gown and that is what you need to feel trust and confidence in! If you get a feeling they don’t care, then chances are they don’t! To read about The White Room brides experiences, read here: http://www.whiteroombridal.co.uk/news/read/Recommendations
Tip 5 – Make sure you have an idea of budget and what you are able to and willing to spend. There is nothing worse than falling in love with a gown you just cannot realistically afford or one that you will have to then find something to compare to moving forward. Also, remember accessories, shoes and alterations will be on top of your gown, so bear this in mind too! At The White Room, our gowns start at £1450 and go up to £3,000. Of course, we totally understand that this is a lot of money but we represent who we do simply because they are the best. They offer the best design, quality and style, as do we!
Tip 6 – Don’t bring your entire friend circle, take 1 or 2 people whose opinion your trust and who you can ask to keep those opinions to themselves until you have said how you feel in a gown. If you bring too many, opinions get thrown about and then it all becomes very confusing, especially when what you imaged you would wear varies from your mum! It is your gown and your wedding, so do what you need to do!
Tip 7 – Work with who you are! Don’t try to dress like ‘a bride’ or however you see a bride looking, dress you for you and that will make you radiate! Work with your personality and body shape and try on many styles, even those that on the hanger don’t always appeal, you may be surprised!
Tip 8 – Don’t take photos! The lighting won’t be right, you’ll have just been rained on so won’t like your hair and the chances of the sample gown fitting you are slim to none! The length will be too long, the bust not fitting and the straps too long, therefore not giving you the finished look. If you take a photo and keep referring back to this, chances are you’ll focus on all the wrong parts and forget how you felt, which is why you chose the gown! You have to remember the gown when it’s made for you will fit like a glove!
Tip 9 – Once you make your choice, stop looking!! If you try on too many this will confuse you and if you keep looking after you have made your choice, you will only question your decision and forget the feeling of how much you loved your gown.
Tip 10 – Enjoy it! Have fun searching for the gown, focus on the job in hand and give yourself time to make a decision based on your gown choice, the boutique, the service you received. Never feel pressurised or rushed into buying a gown (unless you are time restricted) and ensure you always feel happy with your choice!"
Good advice right?! Something we'd like to add to this list somewhere... Trust your gut! Once you let yourself decide on your dress, it's incredible how much you will fall in love with your dress!
The Dress Theory