Preparing for your first visit to a bridal shop

It’s not a stretch to say many brides dream of shopping for wedding dresses. I was definitely one of them. I was so excited to finally be able to put on dreamy dresses and feel like the best version of me.
I was surprised to find that I didn’t enjoy shopping for wedding dresses and that I bought a gown I wasn’t comfortable in, which I ended up not wearing. (Big mistake, huge!)

The dress that I ended up wearing and adoring as I said “I do” was a rescue purchase made after the original gown I ordered didn’t look like what I had imagined.

In hindsight, I see that I made many mistakes when I was shopping for wedding dresses. Here are my top tips for finding the perfect wedding gown for brides-to be.

These are the things I wish I knew before I said yes to the (wrong!) dress.

8 Things to Know Before You Go Wedding Dress Shopping

Do your research

Although this is a simple point, I didn’t fully grasp it before I started. I was so excited to shop for wedding dresses that I didn’t have a clear idea of the style I wanted when I went to my first boutique.

I was aware of the shapes that would suit my body and I had a long list to choose from for my wedding gown. However, I expected the shop assistants and their magic to create dresses that were perfect for me.

Many stores stock a lot of dresses, and the staff don’t have the right knowledge to match your style. I wish I had more options online to find the style, theme or designer I was looking for in wedding dresses.

Even if your ideas aren’t clear, bringing a Pinterest board with you to the store will allow you to show the assistants what you like and inspire them.

2. These dresses don’t fit.

This is especially true for ladies like me who don’t have the opportunity to try on sample sizes. Although I had hoped for a variety of sizes in bridal shops, I was disappointed to find that most available gowns were between a 8 and 10 in Australia. I would be extremely grateful if someone could fit me into a 12!

This means that a lot fittings will have you pinned or tucked in a small item and you need to visualize it fitting you correctly.

Some shops are great at this, and will discreetly and expertly corset you and lock you in. Others, however, will expect you to flaunt your clothes in front of your friends, with your pants out, or with only a cold assistant holding it together.

There were some stunning gowns I tried that I was willing to pay the high price, but I wish they had shown me one that would fit my hips.

3. Be sure to check the size of your dress

If the sample that you tried on in the store does not fit perfectly, the store may order you a new size. This, as I discovered, can change the overall look of the dress.

Talking to other brides, I learned that bridal shops are used to measuring you and ordering the dress to be as wide as possible. This is common in many cases. A bride wouldn’t want a gown that is too small. However, for someone like me, who is 2 sizes larger on her top than her bottom, it is an issue.

I fell in love with a size 10 sample dress, which was admittedly a little too small for my petite bust but had the perfect proportions to hide my larger bottom. Unbeknownst, a dress was ordered to fit my bottom half. The gown did not cover my bum. I was then given a bodice that was 2 size too large. It barely touched my sides at my first fitting. The dress was finally made to fit me after 4 rounds of adjustments and the addition cups that were a size larger than mine breasts. The proportions of my sample dress were not visible, and multiple alterations had created creases in my bodice that were not on the one I ordered.

This style of ordering seems to be standard in wedding dress shops, but I was able to meet 2 brides who didn’t like this approach. I wish I had A) asked the bride what size they wanted and B) demanded a smaller size or paid more to have a custom made gown made just for me.

4. Choose your bridal shop carefully

After finding a boho-inspired designer I liked, I searched for a stockist in central Sydney so I could get to appointments. Now that I have reasseassed my decision, I can tell you that buying your gown on-site is a bad idea.

Although I knew from the beginning that the shop was not the best in customer service, I continued to persevere and later regretted it. Their poor service eventually affected my feelings about my wedding dress, and the overall experience of our wedding.

It is important to pay attention to details such as how long they keep you waiting, if they listen to you and the lighting in the fitting rooms.

My experience at a Sydney bridal shop was not pleasant.

As the fitting rooms were full, it was convenient to have alterations done behind closed doors in the storeroom. This was an appointment for alterations that I had pre-arranged and paid $550.
I was asked to move the box halfway through by someone who was cutting my hem for another bride (whom they were trying to convince into buying a product).
My worst dress experience was when I complained about the creases in my bodice. An assistant pulled my knickers up and held my skirt up to fix the problem. This took place in a shop with a glass front. Lovely!

I wish I had been more selective about the $4k I spent on my wedding and how I used it to build up!

5. Do not let the store’s timeline scare you into buying something.

Every bridal shop I visited told me that I had to make a decision quickly if I wanted my gown to arrive on time. This pressure made me make the same mistakes that I have already mentioned.

My experience is that it’s better to continue looking until you find the right thing than to settle for something you don’t like because you were pressured into making a decision.

It is a good idea to wait until the last minute. Your wedding details may change, and your preferences might change as new gowns become available.

6. Sometimes you might not get what your pay for

Sorry to say, but any bride-to be will soon discover that there is a special tax on weddings that doubles the cost of everything once you mention the word “wedding”.

This was especially true when I was shopping for wedding dresses. Some dresses can be stunning, and if you are feeling special and have the money to spend on your wedding dress, go for it!

What frustrates me the most about my bad experience with wedding dresses is that I spent $400 in a designer shop to get better customer service than I did spending $4k on a gown.

7. It’s an emotional purchase

It was a well-described statement by a friend. She said that your wedding dress is one of the most important garments you will ever buy. She is absolutely right. The gown you choose is only one part of the story. It can affect how you feel, what your parents think, and how you see your groom. It’s important to pay close attention to what I have mentioned in points 1 through 6.

While the wedding dress is not the main point, it can have a huge impact on how the bride feels about the day. Make sure that you feel great every time you look at the wedding photos!

8. Ask for help from your friends

There are many articles out there about why you shouldn’t bring too many friends (and their opinions). Although I have been through the process of wedding dress shopping mostly by myself, I can attest to how important it is to have your friends and family along.

The family and friends waiting to help me in the changing room were extremely supportive and I was enthralled with the gown. Although it was nice of them to help me, if they were my mom and bridesmaids, they might have said something like: “This is gorgeous Jayne, but did you not say that you didn’t want any train?” or “Won’t it get hot in Thailand?” They didn’t make me stop and they had my credit card details by the time I woke up in the UK.

These are just a few of the things that went wrong while I was shopping for wedding dresses. I hope my mistakes can help other brides avoid them.