Bridal consultants are seasoned experts who are the best people to advise and help you with your wedding dress decision. Their years of working in the field enable them to identify what a bride wants and how to get her the right dress that fulfills her vision.
Their job is difficult, as they come across hundreds of different brides: different in their attitudes, preferences, likes and dislikes. Scouring through thousands of wedding dresses to find the one right gown that will make a bride’s wedding dreams come true is no easy feat. Bridal consultants have to consider several factors when suggesting dresses for brides; this includes the budget, fabric, style of wedding, personal preferences and style of the bride, the opinions of her entourage and much more.
Although they will ultimately guide you to the wedding gown of your dreams, a few things can make your wedding shopping more enjoyable. Here is a list of ten things bridal consultants wish their customers would be aware of. These factors will not only allow them to help you find your dress a lot easier but will also help you make the most of your shopping session. Let us find out what they are.
1.Bring along a small group of helpful people
Many brides make the cardinal mistake of inviting too many people to their dress appointments. Well, most of the people you invite would like to have a say in what you wear on your wedding day, and you may be too kind to deny them the opportunity. But we say, just don’t do it! More people mean more opinions, and this can get too confusing. It will only ruin your chances of finding a dress that you truly like.
Our bridal consultants think that you should restrict your entourage to no more than three people, and they should be able to help you make the right decision. If you aren’t certain whether you should invite a certain person, think of whether the person on your mind shares your taste for fashion. Remember that your wedding dress should be an extension of who you are. So, you need people who understand you and know what looks best on you. Well, if someone like your mother or grandmother will be paying for the wedding dress, you may feel obliged to bring her along. Nevertheless, decide where you draw the line on going with what they say is the dress. Also be ready to step and let them know when you cannot accept certain suggestions if you both don’t agree on what is good on you.
2.Do your research first
If you just scroll through our bridal section, you will see the variety in gowns available today. Our store is simply an extension of the same. So, you can easily drown yourself in the hundreds of choices if you do no know what you want. Rather than going in for your session with absolutely no idea in mind, it will be better if you do your research and gather an idea of what you want before you go shopping. You must consider where the wedding will be held, the time of year when it is planned and the style. Additionally, you should also have a general idea of what dress silhouettes will suit you, as well as the necklines you favor and whether you would prefer a sleeveless dress or one with sleeves. This will give you a starting point for the fabric and styles. For example, if you have a beach wedding, you should consider what dresses will be practical and convenient in an outdoor location and start your search with this idea in mind.
Your bridal consultant will be able to help you identify the best style and pattern for your figure, based on the inputs you provide about the wedding you have in mind. Nonetheless, it is much easier if you have a few ideas than just trying on several dresses and then determining what you would like. Our previous articles can guide you in this direction. Check it out here and here.
3.Be open to ideas
Although you should attend your appointment with a general idea of what you want to see in your wedding dress, don’t be too fixated on definite patterns or designs. Remember that what you see in pictures may not translate well, when you wear it. On the other hand, there are also dresses that may not have hanger appeal—they do not look good on the hanger or mannequin—but can transform you into a ravishing bride when you put them on. Your bridal consultant is the best judge on this. They know a dress for how it looks on the hanger and how it will look on you. Since they’ve worked with hundreds of brides before, they will also know what you may choose to overlook but will end up loving when you try it on.
So, go for your wedding dress appointment with an open mind. Allow your bridal consultant to suggest dresses that may not really match the idea in your mind. You never know, but you may be pleasantly surprised with the results. One of our customers Melissa Filice had such an experience. She wasn’t sure when our sales consultant asked her to try on a certain dress, but our consultant was certain this was the dress. She was right! The minute Melissa saw herself in the mirror, she knew she had found the dress. So, just trust your consultant and she is bound to get you what you want.
4.Be honest and open about what you feel
Be honest about your feelings when your consultant asks you for feedback after trying on a dress. It is your feedback and concerns about the dress that will help them direct you towards the right one. You do not have to hold your feelings in if you don’t like what you see, just because your consultant asked you to try on a dress. Through trial and error, you will finally arrive at a dress you love. Your consultant is banking on your opinion. Tell her what you like and what you don’t, about the dresses you try on. Also, don’t feel obliged to agree with the opinions of your entourage. If they think that a dress feature you love isn’t right, think objectively and decide whether you would like to see the same feature on another dress instead. It could be that the same translates into a beautiful feature on another dress, and everyone will actually love it.
When you try on a dress, you will know if it is “The Dress”. If you have your doubts, go with your intuition. Your consultant will mostly ask you to specify what you like about the dress and what you prefer to be different. Depending on your answer, she will seek out another gown that will be one step closer to the dream gown you had in mind. But all this is possible only if you are open and certain about what you want.
5.Wear the right undergarments
Most bridal stores carry undergarments and shapewear to go under the gown. Nevertheless, it is always best that you are prepared for your wedding dress appointment wearing your own innerwear. Since your wedding dress will most likely be white, nude-coloured undergarments are ideal. These will be concealed under the white, allowing you to visualize the dress’s appearance. So, put the pink and yellow undergarments aside and wear a nude bra instead.
Although you needn’t wear shapewear with all gowns, you may prefer to do so. If you already have purchased it, it is a good idea to wear it when you go wedding shopping. This will give you a better idea of how the dress will drape around you when you wear it and help you decide better.
6.Restrain yourself from trying on too many options
Many brides make the mistake of trying on too many dresses and simply confusing themselves in the process. This is especially true if their entourage is very active and takes the initiative in pulling off dresses off the racks to try on. It is not necessary that you should find your dress at your first appointment. Attend your session with this in mind; it will be much easier.
Our bridal consultants suggest that if you reach a point where you are no longer sure of what you want, it is time to stop looking. Go home and sleep over it, and go back for another appointment. You will hopefully have gained some clarity by then. This will save you from making a mistake that you may later regret.
7.Attend your appointment with a relaxed mind and make sure you have fun
Many brides walk in the door all excited, but if they can’t find a dress soon, they begin to panic. We want this to be a fun experience; the only way a bride can enjoy the process is if she relaxes. For this, she should come in with a clear mind and not be worried about anything else during her session. So, our suggestion is that you make your appointment with the bridal salon well ahead of time, and on a day when you are free and have no other tensions. This way you can communicate your vision better, and we will be able to help you find your dress easily. You should have sufficient time to shop around and get your fitting sessions completed on time, if you start gown shopping six to nine months ahead of the wedding.
A bride with a general idea of what she wants and is open to ideas will most likely enjoy the shopping experience. Don’t be pressured into making a choice that you don’t like. Make sure you are certain that the dress you pick deserves to be the one you wear on your wedding day. Once again, remember that your entourage also has a huge role in helping you arrive at a decision. So, invite-only the right people to come along.
8.Always go with your current size
Most of the brides we see are sure they will be two sizes smaller than they currently are, on their wedding day. If you do manage to achieve this target, good for you. But trust us, it isn’t easy getting into a dress that is too small for you, if your workout plans fail to Work Out! Although most bridal gowns are available in all sizes, your best option is to buy one that fits you now. You can always take out extra fabric during your fitting sessions, but it is nearly impossible to add extra inches to a gown. So, don’t take a risk. If you are pretty certain that your dress size will change drastically in the coming months, we suggest that you schedule your alteration sessions closer to the wedding, instead of getting it done right away. This way, you can still achieve the right dress size in time for your wedding.
And don’t be worried if your wedding dress size is greater than the size you normally buy your clothes in. It is only because wedding gowns are sized differently; your actual dress size may correspond to a higher number on this scale.
Now that you have all the expert advice you need, you can begin preparations for your bridal salon appointment and make the most of it. To look at the different wedding gowns we have in-store, we suggest you visit our online bridal gallery at Best for Bride and shortlist your favorites. We can also help you find your bridesmaids dresses, wedding accessories and more, all at our Best for Bride stores. Fix your appointment with us by either calling your nearest shop or by booking it online at this link. Get ready for the experience of your lifetime, as our trusted bridal consultants will make sure that you have the best time possible when you come to us to shop for your dream dress.
Winter presents a unique set of challenges for every bride, and the last thing you want is to look pale and washed out in an already all-white wedding scene. Both your skin and hair will have to be prepped very well to stay fresh throughout the day. Warm autumnal colors are a favorite in winter, and will warm up your overall look, however white your wedding gown may be. Dress up your eyes and highlight it with defined make-up to look ravishing and to get noticed. This is the time to have 
