Five Tips for Gown Shopping

Inside The Ivory Suite

You have likely thought about shopping for your wedding gown before your engagement.  Some brides think about it for years.  Others dread the experience, worrying whether they will find anything they like, look good in, and can afford.

As my mom used to say, great people come in all shapes and sizes.  And I can say from experience that no matter what type of style you are aiming for and what type of body you have, you can find a fabulous gown that is right for you and your wedding.

Here are my top Five tips for wedding gown shopping:

Top Five Tips for Wedding Gown Shopping

1. All Quiet on the Western Front: take a personal day and hit the shops mid-week, when they are less likely to be full of other brides, bridesmaids, and flower girls.  You will be able to get more personal service because you will not be competing for the attention of salespeople.
2. Crowd Control: for support and advice you may wish to bring your mom, your sister, or a friend.  I encourage my clients to bring no more than two people when you shop.  It’s perfectly acceptable to shop alone too—shop owners are delighted to deal with just the bride, rather than her entire extended friend group.
3. I see London, I see France: when trying on gowns, it is best to go with nude or flesh-colored panties, and a strapless bra.  Think about what you will wear underneath the gown on the big day.  You can also get suggestions and guidance from the shop assistants.
4. Pennies From Heaven: it is not advisable to start the gown hunt without any sort of budget.  Your wedding gown and all its accouterments (veil, shoes, undergarments, jewelry, etc.) need to fit within your wedding budget.  Spare yourself the agony of going to a gown shop which deals exclusively in gowns you cannot afford.
5. Slow And Steady: it is fine if you do not find your gown on the first 2-3 shopping trips.  Start early (8-12 months out) and be easy on yourself.  Within those first few trips you should have a good idea of styles you are not interested in.  Also, trust your gut.  If you find “the one” reasonably fast, that is okay as well.  Sometimes when you know, you know.

Finally, try to enjoy the experience.  It goes by faster than you think!

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