Probably one of the most fun parts of wedding planning is shopping for the wedding gown. With the advent of so many reality shows dedicated to brides-to-be finding their perfect wedding gowns, there is a lot of expectation that comes with these appointments.
I am no stranger to the experience of wedding gown shopping. For 10 months I worked as a bridal consultant at the largest bridal salon in New Jersey, Castle Couture. It was truly a magical experience and the scenes created from Say Yes to the Dress are just as real and exciting in person.
But this time I was on the other side of the appointment. Finally I was the bride and it was my time to shop for the wedding dress of my dreams. I went back to my old place of business and brought with me my mom and my sister. It was an experience that we've been dreaming of and talking about for years. Two is the perfect number of opinions as well, it's not too overwhelming but it offers some great perspective.
I often joke about the stamina I had to wait so long into my engagement to finally go wedding gown shopping. I got engaged on December 8th and made it all the way to March 22nd before slipping into a wedding dress. It was fantastic though, because in that time I was able to find a venue, book other vendors and have a solid foundation for what the wedding would be like. It also gave me time to do research and have firm ideas in what I was interested in trying on.
I came in with 3 buzzwords for my consultant: traditional, classic and elegant. I had in mind two styles but was truly open to trying anything on. Of course I had my Pinterest pictures out and ready and that gave my consultant a great visual of my overall taste. She also let me walk around the salon and pull some dresses too, which I really appreciated.
When we started getting the first dress clipped, I could tell immediately that this would be the dress to beat. It was spectacular to say the least. I practically ran out of the room to show my family and it couldn't have been longer than 30 seconds before my mom and I were crying. I could not believe how perfect the first dress was. I was so relieved that I found something I actually loved so much. We tried it with a veil and it just solidified the whole look for me.
But it was the very first dress and it's always a good idea to try on a few others before committing. Plus it's also so much fun and you should never rush the appointment, after all, how many more chances in life will you get to do something like this?
We tried on a few other dresses, all of which were beautiful and there was at least one that I also really loved. My mom and sister gave great feedback and were so positive and encouraging during the whole process. It was so fun seeing other silhouettes. Since I wasn't locked into trying on only one style, it was really important to get a taste of everything, all the way from a ballgown to a mermaid. But that first dress just spoke to me. I could actually see myself walking down the aisle and getting married in that dress.
Finally we put it back on and matched it with a great veil and side comb. It was so exciting to put the whole look together. If you have the time to do it, I definitely recommend selecting everything all at once.
My sister asked me if this was the dress and I laughed nervously. I loved this dress but I think it's a little scary when it's time to make the decision. It's a gown that I've dreamed of my whole life but to actually say the words is harder than you might think. But in my heart I knew it was right so after a moment I said "Yes, this is totally my dress!"
I am so thrilled to have had such a positive experience and to have shared it with my mom and sister makes me feel incredibly blessed. My advice for anyone about to start this experience is to stay open-minded and positive. Wear a strapless, nude colored bra and nude colored underwear. Wear heels similar in height to what you would wear on the day of your wedding. Think of general buzzwords that capture your style. Try on different silhouettes, get a taste for everything. Also have your hair and make up done extra nicely so you can see the whole look come together. But most of all have fun, laugh and enjoy every moment, because these are the moments that you look back on and cherish forever.
