We know how exciting it is to be a newly engaged bride to be & you’re now entering the unfamiliar territory of shopping for the dress of your dreams ! Its so tempting to book as many appointments as you can & frantically start to try gowns on, in the quest of ‘The One’ moment, where every member of your family will burst into tears, angels will appear playing their harps & this ‘feeling’ where you instantly know its ‘the one’, (which has been said to you time & time again by people you know), this is when you have found your dream gown….or is it ?

The first place to start looking is in wedding magazines or online for you to get ideas on style’s, fabrics & designer’s. This will give you an idea on which gowns you feel reflect your style & personality, when you have found the gowns you love, take a look at the bridal designer’s website which will help you locate your nearest stockist, for you to contact to get an idea of the price bracket this designer’s gowns retail for, this will help you to allocate the correct budget for your gown.

Setting the budget for the most expensive gown you will ever wear always causes a bit of a debate ! We always advise that you discuss with the person who has either offered to buy your gown or the person(s) who are in charge of the wedding fund. Please remember to make allowances for accessories, shoes & alterations without forgetting about wedding day make-up & hair too ! If you discuss this before trying any gowns on, this will save you having any embarrassing or awkward moments later on having to revise your budget.

Before you make any appointments you need to have your date set & wedding venue booked, you must research the shops that you intend to visit, no two bridal shops are the same, some work by appointment only & some don’t. Typically they are all independently owned, offering a wide spectrum of customer service whilst stocking different bridal labels too ! Checking that they have a good choice of gowns in your size & within your budget will make your trip a success, its also important that whoever you choose to do business with, they will look after you & you won’t just become a number. Recommendations from friends / family are very helpful, don’t forget they have already done the leg work for you !

We often get asked when is the best time to start trying gowns on, this is easy ! It’s when you are ready to buy & have access to your dress fund but remember designer gowns are made to order, taking up to six months to arrive whilst bridal designer’s regularly discontinue gowns. When you find your dream gown you need to order it there & then or you run the risk of the gown being no longer available. Ask about deposits, alterations & lead times when you book your appointments. Twelve months before your wedding date is an ideal time to order, but if your wedding is less than twelve months away, don’t panic most designers offer a rush cut service.

The next step is deciding who do you take with you to your appointments ? Most bridal shops have a limit on the amount of entourage they can comfortably seat, we recommend that you bring just one or two people with you, anymore than that & its a recipe for disaster ! Too many opinions will only confuse you whilst clouding your judgement, the final decision has to be yours, not what you think other people want you to wear, its important you trust your own mind.

Now its time to book your appointments !  Don’t forget to leave a break for lunch & plan to visit two shops on the same day. Saturday’s are the busiest days whilst booking in advance will ensure you get the date that suits you & your guests, don’t be tempted to book back to back appointments at multiple shops, this will only confuse & stress you out. By booking one appointment in the morning leaving a break for lunch with another appointment in the afternoon, will make sure you all turn up refreshed & on time for your appointments, arriving late will only make your appointment time shorter, this is the part of shopping for your dream gown you don’t want to rush.

At Elegance Bridal Studio we offer a one to one personal service working by appointment only, all our brides receive professional & honest styling advice, our Award Winning enviable reputation is your guarantee of you having a bridal experience you will treasure forever, along with the most beautiful gowns in the World !

Call 01226 786527 to make your appointment, we look forward to meeting you, Julia xx