The Perfect Dress

When you picture your wedding, what is the first thing you see in your mind’s eye? If it is you, wearing the world’s most perfect wedding dress as you walk down the aisle to meet your groom, you are not alone. That is every bride’s dream. Even though, between the engagement and the wedding march, there will be months of preparation, thousands of choices, and at least a million details, it is the dress that captures your imagination.

Whether it’s a long or short, affordable or sinfully expensive, formal or informal wedding dress, it must be special. It must be YOU.

Shopping for the right dress is a time-consuming process, so start early. Picking out your dress is one of the most important decisions you will make. Not only will the dress be remembered by everyone, it will star in your photo album and set the tone for the whole wedding.

Why you need a checklist

If you think you will know it when you see it and never forget what it looked like, think again. Unless you buy the first dress you see, after awhile they will all run together in your memory. So, before you do anything else, print out a checklist (our checklist) to help you keep track of every detail of every dress, as well as a host of other important information.

A good checklist should include places to record estimated and actual cost of your favorite dresses, designers’ names, order and shipping dates, sizes, exact colors, names of shops or other sources, alteration details, and accessories. A checklist will keep you organized and serve as a handy reference in the months before your wedding.

12 Wedding Dress Shopping Tips

If you want your big day to be flawless, leave nothing to chance, especially the dress. In fact, begin shopping for your wedding dress eight to twelve months ahead of time. No matter what anyone tells you, there are some lessons you can only learn from experience. But here are several suggestions to make that experience a positive one:

Realize that shopping for your wedding dress can be an emotional experience, both for you and your mother!
Do your homework. Clip and save pictures of gowns from magazines and the Internet, and bring them with you when you shop. Collect examples of different styles, investigate various designers, and keep notes on your preferences.
If you prefer the good-old-fashioned way of getting your information — from books —you’ll probably want to start with the biggest bookstore in the world, amazon.com.
You can also browse through Barnes & Noble, pick up an inexpensive paperback at an online discount store, such as walmart.com, or download an e-book.
Try on as many styles as you can. (It’s been reported the average bride tries on sixteen wedding dresses before she makes her decision.)
Take at least one other person with you when you shop for your dress, so someone objective can describe what your gown looks like from every angle.
Narrow down your choices of style, color, and cost. Make a list of the accessories, lingerie, and shoes you will need to complement the dress.
Don’t rely on memory. Bring a photo of you in your dress when you shop for accessories and to the hairdresser or makeup artist.
Expect to pay fifty percent of the price tag as a non-refundable deposit when you place your order.
Plan on at least two, probably more, fittings. Bring your shoes, headdress, veil, lingerie, and accessories to the first fitting.
At the second fitting, be sure you are completely satisfied. If you’re not, schedule a third appointment. If you’re still not happy, continue to have fittings until you are. Don’t settle for less than you really want.
Bring your mother or maid of honor with you to your last fitting. One of them will probably be helping you get dressed.

How to translate industry terminology

Once you begin your search, you may feel like you’ve wandered into a strange land where you don’t speak the language. Every business has its own terminology, and the wedding business is no exception. Next to your checklist (link to our checklist) you might want to have a glossary of bridal terms handy to help you communicate clearly with salespeople or dress designers.

Special thank you to writing coach, editor, and ghostwriter Bobbi Linkemer, who contributed the original material throughout MyOnlineWeddingHelp.com.