• ABOUT
    • SERVICES
    • CORE VALUES
    • PROCESS
    • APPROACH
    • MEET THE TEAM
  • EVENTS
    • FEATURED
    • BRIDES + SOCIAL EVENTS
    • CORPORATE + BRANDS
    • CURATED EXPERIENCES
  • BLOG
    • WEDDING BLOG
    • CATEGORIES
  • FREE WEDDING PLANNING KIT

Wedding Planning Resources | DIY Guides | Tips | Events

Fashion•Guides•Social Events

How to: Prepare for Your Wedding Dress Shopping

November 29, 2020

Ready, set, go! How to: Prepare for Your Wedding Dress Shopping.

  1. Set a Budget
  2. Visualize Your Dream Dress
  3. When to Start Bridal Dress Hunt
  4. Print out
  5. Consider weather and location
  6. Your entourage
  7. Undergarments
  8. Minimal Make Up
  9. Documentation
  10. Add to calendar
  11. Share the details

It’s finally here! Prepping to shop for THEE dress! After months of research, pinning, and figuring out your style and vibe, now you actually get to try it on – and of course, have a glass of bubbly with your entourage!

From your dreams (Pinterest board) to reality, here is a complete guide to your wedding dress shopping.

1. Set a Budget

This goes without saying. Any bridal shops you walk into will first ask you about your budget. This will help your bridal dress consultant pull the dresses that will meet your budget.

I mean, we’ve all seen Say Yes! To the Dress! – and it might be tempting to try out your “dream” dress even if it outside your budget. But this will have a not very settling consequence – you will most likely fall in love, and it will be hard to get over it!

Research the bridal shops that you booked. The best bridal shops also have great consultants and selections. They will be able to pull something within your budget that is similar to what you have in mind (or on your Pinterest board).

PRO TIP: Be realistic. If you want all Swarovski crystals and unique hand made materials, expect your dress to be on the higher end and require a higher budget. As mentioned earlier, your bridal consultant should be able to pull something similar that is within your budget.

PRO TIP 2. Know what you want, but be open. There will be lots of variations of your dresses. Some of them might be good on paper, but you might actually find something that will surprise you, and you might fall in love with it unexpectedly!

TIME-SAVING WEDDING PLANNING TIPS

2. Visualize Your Dream Dress

Have a look at your Pinterest board for your dream wedding dress. Do they look cohesive? Is there a style that stands out?

Before booking your appointment, narrow down your choices. Set your non-negotiables – like a modest neckline, sleeveless, etc. Does the brand/designer matter more than the style? What are you ok being flexible with?

You might be surprised by other things that might be a better choice than what you initially think. Know what you like, but also be open to surpises!

PRO TIP: If you have already shopped for your wedding shoe, or at least know how high your wedding heels will be, bring a similar shoe! This will give you an idea of how the whole outfit will look like!

A-LINE STYLE BRIDAL DRESSES UNDER $800: TOP 10 FROM DAVID’S BRIDAL

3. When to Start Bridal Dress Hunt

Typically wedding dress shopping should start at 10-12 months before your wedding. Choosing a wedding dress is not easy to finalize, and even if you are good at making decisions, it takes at least 6-8 months for it to get ready. It may need some alterations, which can take up some time as well.

PRO TIP: Set a max number of bridal stores to visit. Shopping for dresses can be a great time and sometimes we might take longer to decide than expected, and it is ok. Setting the maximum number of bridal stores to visit will help you commit better. The more you go to many stores, the more you see, the HARDER it will be to decide.

4. Print out

When you get to your appointment, it will be easier to print out instead of showing your phone on your Pinterest board.

Having a printout also helps you narrow your top 5-8 choices and stick to it. Your consultant will also have an easier time understanding your vision and pulling the closest dresses to your vision.

BALLGOWN STYLE BRIDAL DRESSES UNDER $800: TOP 10 FROM DAVID’S BRIDAL

5. Consider weather and location

Great consultants ask you about your wedding details, like when and where. Your dress choice in the hard winter will be slightly different if you are going off to the Bahamas for a destination wedding.

Let your consultant know when and where you are getting married. They will have great suggestions that will complement your dress of choice.

6. Your entourage

Choose your friends whose style sense matches yours and understand you enough to bear your indecisiveness or specific style. They should be as excited as you are about your wedding dress. They should help you with your decisions and not force their choices on you.

No negative vibes on your wedding dress shopping! You can even go as far as to set some rules – like no use of negative words or no sly comments. Setting the mood and the vibe is essential.

7. Undergarments

One more important thing to remember in preparing for your wedding dress shopping is to make sure you wear the undergarments that fit you properly. Nude is the right choice of color to keep it neutral and not add too much contrast when trying your dress. Going strapless helps a lot when you are trying to envision yourself in a dress.

Remember that most dresses in the rack are not always going to match your size, so there will be clippings on the dress to make it fit your body shape. Choose undergarments that are tight to your body to avoid any mishaps.

MERMAID STYLE BRIDAL DRESSES UNDER $800: TOP 10 FROM DAVID’S BRIDAL

8. Minimal Make-Up

Do minimalist makeup when you are going to try out dresses to avoid makeup stains. Understandably, you might want to see yourself in full makeup and the dress together, but you can still do that on your final fitting.

You can bring your make-up artist and stylist (as applicable) if you like to help you with your overall look!

9. Documentation

Don’t forget to take pictures in every dress you try on from all the possible angles. These pictures will help you compare the dresses and help you decide which one suits you best. You can also show these to your stylist and have their opinion as well.

PRO TIP: Why not dance in it? Try and see if you are comfortable moving around with it! Be a little cautious to avoid any rip or tear on the dress, but worth feeling if you can move around with it!

10. Add to calendar

Set reminders and add important dates to your calendar.
Suppose you are making second appointments and you have your entourage to accompany you. In that case, you can also invite them on your calendar reminders so it will be easier to update them.

11. Share the details

You should always talk to your makeup artist, hairstylist, and stylist about your dress and decide on the makeup and hairstyle to complement your dress. It is essential to determine the overall look so that you will not scramble on the wedding day.

There you are! How to: Prepare for Your Wedding Dress Shopping! Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below! xo

RELATED POSTS

  • Wedding Reception Seating Configuration Ideas: Top 10
  • Wedding Registry: Living Together
  • Wedding hacks that will save you money: Top 30
  • Cocktail Party Wedding Entertainment
  • Destination Wedding Planning Tips
  • Do I Need Wedding Insurance: Why and Why Not
  • Why you should have an intimate or a micro wedding even when there is no pandemic
  • Make your wedding shoes more comfortable
  • Tips for Making Wedding Planning Easier: Top 10
Enjoyed this post? Please share! xo

COVID-19 UPDATE

Consult your local public health professional to ensure that your wedding/event plans follow health and safety protocols and government-mandated by-laws during pandemic times. Read more..

FREE WEDDING PLANNING KIT

[ Planning Binder, Day-of Coordination Sheets, Budget Tracking Spreadsheets, Full Wedding Invitation – Greenery Style, Minimalist Wedding Signs, and Seating Plan Spreadsheet ] See samples here.

ABOUT US

Plan a wedding and event you’ll LOVE and ENJOY with the help of our resources, design ideas, DIY guides, creative concepts, and amazing tips.

xo,
Maria Chi, Lead Wedding + Event Planner & Designer
& The Peppermint & Co. Team

Featured in Canada and the United States, we have collaborated with clients to produce events of all sizes.

With a combined team experience of over 10 years in wedding + event planning, including logistics and design, as well as a collection of insights from fellow industry experts, we’ve curated these guides to help make your wedding planning journey manageable and fun!

LATEST ON THE BLOG

  • Fashion

    Make your wedding shoes more comfortable

  • Fashion

    Bachelorette Weekend Essentials

  • Guides

    Cocktail Party Wedding Entertainment

  • Fashion

    Bridal Lingerie: Top 10 picks from BHLDN

  • Discussions

    Why you Should NOT do a Long Engagement

  • Guides

    DIY Make your own Wedding Cake Hacks and Tips

  • Discussions

    Why you Should Do a Long Engagement

  • Guides

    DIY Cocktail Micro Wedding: Top 20 Easy Appetizers + HACKS. Part 2 of 2.

Previous How To: DIY Wedding Calligraphy
Next How to Plan a Weekday Wedding

Primary Sidebar

Wedding Registry: Living Together

Beautiful Wedding Bar Signs: TOP 14

DIY Cocktail Micro Wedding: Top 20 Easy Appetizers + HACKS. Part 1 of 2.

Outdoor Fall Wedding Essentials: For Your Guests

DIY Christmas Centerpiece Ideas

How to: Plan a Backyard Wedding

Evening Outdoor Wedding: Do’s and Don’ts

Why you Should NOT do a Long Engagement

Step by step: Planning a wedding: Breaking it down

Burgundy and Greenery Wedding Design Guide

Wedding Makeup Tips: Wearing A Mask, Acne-Prone, Oily, Sensitive Skin

Cocktail Wedding Planning Guide: How To

Lush Greenery Wedding Design Guide

Pre-arranged Wedding Flower Designs (budget-friendly and affordable)

Bridesmaid Dresses: Sexy Style

FREE WEDDING PRINTABLES: Planning Binder, Invitation Suite and Minimalist Signs

How to DJ your own Wedding

DIY Make your own Wedding Cake Hacks and Tips

DIY Cocktail Micro Wedding: Top 20 Easy Appetizers + HACKS. Part 2 of 2.

Cocktail Party Wedding Entertainment

Cocktail sandwich station: Elevate & Enjoy

How to Plan a Wedding on a Small Budget

Destination Wedding Planning Tips

Make your wedding shoes more comfortable

How To: DIY Wedding Calligraphy

Tips on Planning a Wedding During a Pandemic: Extra 10

How to make a day-of wedding timeline

Why you should have an intimate or a micro wedding even when there is no pandemic

Indoor Wedding During a Pandemic. Part 2: Reception.

Easy cookie dessert bar: Quick DIY (also budget friendly!)

Planning a wedding: Do’s and Don’ts

Easy Sangria Bar: DIY guide

How to Plan a Weekday Wedding

What Perfume to Wear on your Wedding Day

Mermaid Style Bridal Dresses under $800: Top 10 from David’s Bridal

How to plan an elopement

What to do after your wedding

Time-Saving Wedding Planning Tips

Pastel Wedding Design Cocktail Event Guide

Creative and Fun Wedding Exit Send-off: Top 13 Ideas

A-Line Style Bridal Dresses under $800: Top 10 from David’s Bridal

Wedding Entrance Decor (also for your aisle!) DUPES: TOP 5

How to Plan a Garden Wedding

Bachelorette Weekend Essentials

How to Decide on Wedding Guests’ Dress Code

Bridal Party Expectations

Creative ways to save money on your wedding: How To + Top 21

How to make a wedding seating chart plan

Wedding First Dance Song Ideas: 25 Classic & 15 R&B

DIY Wedding Planning Guide + Checklist

Top 10 Wedding Planner Secrets

Micro Wedding: Rustic Glam Design Guide

Wedding hacks that will save you money: Top 30

Best Disposable Plates for your Wedding

What do bridesmaids pay for?

Easy DIY Pool Flowers for your poolside wedding (floaties!)

Wedding Ceremony Seating Configuration Ideas: Top 10

How to plan a virtual wedding

DIY Brunch Wedding: How to (budget-friendly)

How to: DIY Dried Flower Arrangements: Wedding

DIY Micro Celebration: Set-up & Design Guide

Why you should consider having your wedding at a restaurant

Do I Need Wedding Insurance: Why and Why Not

How to: Plan your own wedding 2021

Wedding Reception Seating Configuration Ideas: Top 10

Easy Wedding Color Combos: Top 14

How to Entertain your Wedding Guests

Food Station Ideas: Easy DIY Dessert Station

Easy DIY halloween Wedding Decor

How to plan a BRIDAL SHOWER (budget friendly)

How to plan a Micro Wedding

Writing Wedding Vows: The Dos and Don’ts

How to plan a micro picnic-style wedding

Modern Minimalist Wedding: Inspirations & Ideas

How to Choose a Wedding Venue

Wedding Menu Options that Will Save a Lot of Money

Ballgown style bridal dresses under $800: Top 10 from David’s Bridal

How to: Prepare for Your Wedding Dress Shopping

Indoor wedding during a pandemic. PART 1: Ceremony.

Wedding Registry: Living Separately

Tips for Making Wedding Planning Easier: Top 10

How to Plan an Engagement Party

Designer Bridal Dresses over $5k: Our top 10 favorites

Classy Fake Flower Arrangements: How to make it less tacky

Bridal Lingerie: Top 10 picks from BHLDN

Wedding Welcome Bag Ideas: DIY Top 10

Tips for a DIY wedding

How to stick to your wedding budget

Why you Should Do a Long Engagement

How To: Greenery Wedding Centerpiece: Step by step guide

Get weekly wedding guides and discount codes from your fave brands!

By signing up, you agree to these terms and conditions.

PO Box 91156, Bayview Village M2K 2Y6

Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions

Contact | Advertise with us

Guides
Themes
Social Events
Registry Picks
Fashion
Discussions

Copyright © 2021 Wedding Planning Resources | DIY Guides | Tips | Events
Theme by SheShoppes