Guide To Your First Bridal Appointment
You found the love of your life, what's next? Falling in love with your dream dress! Bridal salons are equipped to have everything you would need to say yes to your dress, but you still need to prepare for your bridal appointments.
From deciding on who you are going to bring with you to styles you love, there are some thoughts and questions to ask yourself when it comes to finding your dream dress. Here's a guideline with key tips we've created on everything you can expect before arriving to your first bridal appointment!
Create a Budget
One of the most important decisions you'll need to make prior to buying a dress is deciding on how much you are willing to spend on your gown. If anyone is helping you purchase your gown, have a conversation with them and set a number or ranger prior to arriving. During your appointment, your bridal stylist will ask you in advance about your budget and will only pull dresses for you that fall around that number!
Who Do I Bring Wedding Dress Shopping?
Who you bring to your bridal appointment can make or break your shopping experience. We recommend you surround yourself with 2-3 loved ones who will support and encourage you when trying on wedding dresses - whether that be parents, siblings, bridesmaids, in-laws, or friends. You can always book another appointment with your salon after choosing your dress to show your other guests who couldn't come in person!
Most bridal boutiques limit your guest count from the experience they've seen of having too many opinions complicating the bride's decision making. At the end of the day, bring whoever knows you best and makes you feel beautiful and loved!
Consider your Wedding Date
When deciding on your wedding dress, you want to consider your wedding date. Buying a wedding dress is a process that can take several months. Each bridal salon is different, but all salons often have to order your dress from the designer in your size and once it arrives, you'll have alteration appointments to make sure that it fits like a glove before taking it home. If your wedding date is around the corner, you might want to consider purchasing a gown off the rack or from a sample sale, so you can take it home the same day.
Research Wedding Dress Styles
Bridal salons typically offer a wide range of bridal styles, from elegant and simplicity to romantic and whimsical. Spend some time researching different designers and styles in advance to determine what features you are looking for in your dream gown. Most boutiques give brides the option to scroll through the designers they carry on their website to help brides decide if they like any of the collections before booking an appointment.
You don't have to have every single detail picked out before you arrive, but just having a few "key words" in mind for example lace, dramatic train, fitted when you arrive for your appointment will help your bridal stylist pull styles and lead you in the right direction for you! Also, feel free to bring in photos that you've found to show as inspiration to your stylist which can be a big help to pulling dresses close to what you love! However, don't feel like you to have to commit to any style prior to your appointment - keep an open mind as your idea might evolve!
What Do I Bring to my Bridal Appointment?
Nothing is mandatory to be brought to your appointment! But, there's a few accessories we've seen brides bring to their appointments that can be helpful! Even if you don't have your wedding shoes yet, bring a pair with a heel height similar to what you want to wear on the day of your wedding to get the most accurate image. You'll also want to bring in skin-colored undergarments and any shape wear you plan on wearing with your dress. Packing these items will help create the most accurate image of what you are envisioning for your wedding day.
Questions to Ask When Trying on Wedding Dresses
Once you have booked your bridal shop appointment, you may want to have an idea of some questions to ask your bridal stylist ahead of time or during your appointment.
- Can I make any customizations to this dress?
- What designers are available with my timeframe?
- What styles do you think would fit my vision?
- How would you bustle this dress?
- Can I request a sample gown if you don't carry it in-store?
- Do you offer in-house alteration or any recommendations?
- What are your payment options?
- After the dress is ordered, when will it arrive in store?
- Do you offer any preservation services?
What Can I Expect During My Bridal Appointment Experience?
It is finally time for your bridal appointment! Once you arrive to the bridal boutique with your guests, you will have a personal bridal stylist working with you through your entire appointment. They'll introduce themselves and show you to where you and your guest will be sitting at. Then, they will ask you a few questions to get to know you and your vision for your wedding day. Your stylist will then guide you on their designers, styles and budget based on your timeline.
Once you have gotten to know each other, you and your stylist will pull dresses for you to try on. Each salon is different, some have the brides pull their own gowns and sometimes just the stylist will pull gowns- it'll vary but make sure to ask the boutique. You will then begin trying on gowns, compare and eliminate ones that are out of the running. As you get closer to finding your dream dress, your stylist might dress you up in some accessories like veils, belts and jewelry to get a better idea of the complete look.
You found YOUR dream dress, it's time to celebrate! Take all the pictures you want of you in your gown, pop some champagne and celebrate with your loved ones! Your bridal stylist will then have your measurments taken and will take care of all the details needed to order your gown. Once you discuss payment terms, that's it! You did it, you said yes to your dress!
We hope these tips will help you feel more confident with going into your first bridal appointment! This is such an exciting time for you, enjoy it!