Shopping for your wedding dress is arguably one of the hardest decisions you’ll have to make while you’re planning for your wedding. What style of dress do you choose? Should you go more traditional, or opt for a more modern look? How much should you be spending on a wedding dress? The entire process can be a bit stressful if you’re not prepared or don’t know what you’re looking for. If you’re starting to plan for your dream wedding, here are just a few tips to keep in mind while you’re looking for the perfect dress. (Image Credit: Jonathan Borba/Unsplash)
Figure Out Your Budget
The first thing you’ll want to determine when you start your wedding dress shopping is your budget. Wedding dresses are one of the most expensive pieces of clothing out there. In a global clothing and textile industry currently worth an estimated $2.56 trillion, you should expect to pay a hefty price for a designer wedding dress most of the time. However, that’s mainly for designer wedding dresses – not all gowns are going to cost a fortune. Ultimately, your budget is up to you; pick a price that’s reasonable for your budget, and you’ll be able to find a dress for that price somewhere.
Look In Unexpected Places
If you’re on a stricter budget, you might have to get a bit creative with where you look for your wedding gown. While many brides look to specific designers for their gowns, don’t entirely rule out more conventional shopping methods like retail stores. According to the U.S. Census, retail sales in 2017 hit a record of $5.7 trillion. As retail stores grow, they’re more likely to offer affordable gowns for brides on a budget. Some stores are now even selling high-quality wedding dresses online! Try checking out some smaller stores or stores that don’t specialize in wedding looks necessarily for surprising savings.
Don’t Stress The Size
Plenty of brides stress out over what they eat and how they work out leading up to the wedding, all for the sake of fitting into the smallest dress size possible. At the end of the day, the number on the tag of your wedding gown really doesn’t matter, especially since most wedding gowns end up being tailored to the bride’s specific measurements anyway. Instead of stressing yourself out over the dress size, feel free to live your life the way you normally do day-to-day leading up to your special day. Nearly one in four American adults will choose to have at least one piece of candy every day of the week. Go ahead, have some chocolate to celebrate the fact that you’re getting married; the occasional treat won’t hurt. Weddings are supposed to be fun celebrations, not stressful events – enjoy yourself, skip the diet, and don’t deprive yourself of the good things in life leading up to getting married.
Find What Fits Your Style
No two brides are the same, so why should you feel limited in your wedding gown options? Look for a dress that fits your personality and showcases who you are, rather than what a style guide says will look best for your body type. Love traditional romance? Go for a classic ball gown that will make you feel like a princess. Want a more modern take on your vows? Many brides are skipping gowns entirely in favor of wedding suits. Pick out something that’s going to help you feel great as you get ready for your ceremony. You should wait until about 30 to 45 minutes before the wedding ceremony to get dressed if possible, but even if you get dressed before then, you want to feel great from the beginning to the end of your big day.
Choosing the right wedding dress can be a challenge, but these tips can help. How do you plan to shop for your future wedding dress? What do you see your dream gown looking like?
