585wedding.com

17 / 32

January/February 2021 17 Wedding Planner®
wedding gowns | bridesmaids | mothers gowns
wedding gowns
When buying a wedding gown, you are not just buying the gown,
you are buying the entire ensemble - including the gown, the
headpiece, jewelry, undergarments, and shoes. Make sure that all
the different pieces work well together!
Be Prepared
• Look through bridal magazines for ideas. Most manufac-
turers list shops where the dress can be found locally.
• Don’t fall in love with the first dress you try on. You might
like the look of yourself as a bride better than the actual
gown. It’s easy to be swept away by the first gown! Try on
a couple more, and then go back to the first one. You may
still love it best, or you may find it isn’t as fantastic as
you had thought.
• Bring shoes the height you want to wear at the wedding
with you when you shop. This will give you a good idea
of how the gown will actually fall on you. Also - wear a
strapless bra so that you can get a good idea of how the
dress will look.
• Bring only one person with you on your first few trips,
someone you can trust to tell you the truth about how
the gown looks on you.
•You may want to take some attendants with you, once
you have narrowed down your choices. That way you can
get different opinions of how the gowns look on you. Of
course, you get to make the final choice!
• Be well rested. If you are tired and less than patient, the
shopping trip is guaranteed not to be a success.
• Have a list of the following for your bridal consultant: the
date and time of the wedding, the formality, the theme,
and the location of ceremony and reception. Also, you
should have already asked your officiant about dress
restrictions.
• Allow several weeks or even months to visit shops and try on
dresses. If you try on too many dresses at one time, you’ll
get tired, and may wind up getting something just to be
done with it.
• Try on different types and styles of gowns. Some may not be
as impressive on the hanger as they are once you get them
on. You’ll always know when you have found the perfect gown!
• Ask if the gown can be customized. Perhaps you love every-
thing but the sleeves — can they be changed? Remember,
this may involve additional costs.
• Before you buy — Beware! Has the shop been in business
for a while? Does it seem well taken care of, the people who
work there professional?
• Keep in mind that during the ceremony, your guests will mainly
see the back of your gown, so be sure you like that as well
as the front!
• Know your budget before you tart looking. That will give the
consultant a place to start.
• Don’t try to do everything at once. Shop for the gown first, and
when that decision has been made, look for the accessories.
When To Shop
This is one of the first details you’ll want to attend to — because it’s
so much fun! As soon as you know what season your wedding
will be you can start to look. You should make sure you start looking
at least seven months before your wedding, to allow enough time
for everything that needs to be done.
continued on page 22