Your wedding day is undoubtedly one of the most important days of your life. Committing to one man for the rest of your life is a big event and the big day is something you hopefully will never repeat – so it makes sense that everything needs to be just right.
That includes everything from the location, to the number of guests you have, colour scheme and theme to, what else? Oh, yes, the dress. Every bride wants to look and feel like the most special person in the room for the entirety of the wedding, so choosing your wedding dress is probably at the top of your wedding plans, second only to the location, but more important than your groom’s suit, the rings and wedding cake.
Most brides, due to just how important it is, like to turn choosing from the many different wedding dresses there are out there into something of a mini event itself. If you’re at the wedding dress buying stage of your wedding plans, then you are probably a bit of a hot mess. Full of warring hormones and emotions and then you have to find that perfect garment that will make you like the Belle of the ball and remind your significant other just how lucky he is to have landed you.
Don’t fret or worry too much though, because in this post we are going to offer you some great tips, three to be precise, that will help you choose the best wedding dress.
Location is Important
The reason at the outset why we said top of your list is probably location is simple. The location of your wedding is the one thing that determines everything else, more or less at least. Even the brides that have a dream frock for the occasion, still need to find a location that really gives the right setting for such a momentous occasion. So, if you haven’t found a wedding dress before choosing your venue, then that’s okay. Now, about the location and type of wedding you are going to have. Is it going to be held at daytime in an outdoor location, at the beach or something similar? A ball gown-style dress with a long train and OT embellishments might not be a good fit for that kind of wedding.
However, if you are going full-hog and having a candlelit ceremony in a cathedral or somewhere similarly majestic, you will want to avoid anything too short that looks like it’s designed for cocktail parties. Although the majority of fabrics can be used and worn at any time of the year, there are some that are better suited to warmer weather, like oragandy and linen for instance. Whereas, the likes of brocade and velvet suit winter best.
Set a Budget and Stick to it
Wedding dresses, as you are more than likely aware, can be incredibly expensive. therefore, it is important that you figure out way before you even start looking at dresses, just how much you can actually afford to spend and even how much you really want to spend on a frock. If you are going down the rout of visiting wedding dress shops, you need to make sure you tell the salesperson the budget you are working with before she starts bringing out dresses for you to try on. This will help you to avoid wasting her time and will stop you from falling head over heels for a dress that you cannot afford.
It is estimated that a wedding dress and all of the accessories required, such as the undergarments and veil will account for around 10 to 15% of the wedding’s total cost. Extras also need to be considered, such as alterations which could add another few hundred or even thousand to the cost, and shipping fees too. Yu may also have to have it pressed or steamed professionally which could add to the total price.
Start Shopping as Early as Possible
You should start shopping at least six to even nine months before you are due to walk down the aisle. It normally takes around four months to make a brand-new wedding dress and then another two or so months to finish any alterations that are required. The more elaborate the dress, the longer it will take. If you don’t have a lot of time, you may find that for a bit of extra money, a shop will rush an order, but you may have limited choice. You may even be able to find one in the sale section that just needs minor alterations.
It can be stressful looking through wedding dresses, but hopefully with our tips it won’t be too bad.