When it comes to getting wardrobe for a wedding, the wedding gown is a special item. The wedding chapel, type of wedding package, and other things don’t compare to how perfect your wedding dress has to be. Don’t worry, these tips can ensure you have an easier time getting the dress of your dreams.
1. Get Started Early
You should begin shopping as early as you possibly can whether your buying off the rack or getting a dress made custom. This makes sure your fitting can be modified if needed, and you’ll have time to make changes if you decided to change anything.
2. Decide on a Budget
Try to spend no more than 5 percent of your total wedding budget on a gown and accessories (veil, shoes, jewelry, and so on). Wedding dresses prices vary greatly, so set a range & make sure you include room for adjustments, modifications, and accessories.
3. Make an Appointment
It’s worth it to schedule an appointment at a bridal salon or at a department store with an in-house bridal boutique, like Macy’s or Saks Fifth Avenue. Doing so will get you one-on-one attention from a sales consultant who will be able to pull the right styles for your body type, help get you into the gowns and give you her undivided attention.
4. Plan Salon Visits Wisely
Most appointments last about an hour. You can avoid feeling rushed by limiting yourself to trying on just five gowns per salon trip. Try to avoid Saturday afternoon (when the salon is likely to be mobbed) and your lunch hour (you may end up feeling pressured by the pull of the office).
5. Love the Fit and Feel
Comfort is important — make sure you can breathe easily and move around in your gown. Raise your arms up above your head, sit down, boogie a little. Do you feel constricted? Is that tulle skirt starting to prickle? Another way to decide if this is the dress: Designers and brides swear you’ll have an immediate, in-your-gut feeling when you see yourself in the mirror.
6. Read the Fine Print
You’ve probably heard the horror stories (the bridal salon that mysteriously goes out of business, the dress that doesn’t arrive on time), and that’s why you need to ensure that you have all the details of the sale outlined in the contract. You should make sure it includes: a dress discription (style number, manufacturer, color, and size); deposit and balance amounts; special requests (such as removing the train); alterations information and estimated cost; the store’s cancellation policy, and the anticipated delivery date.
7. Pay Up
A 50-percent deposit is standard practice. Be sure to pay with a credit card — then if you are wrongfully charged, your card company will go after the store and (as long as everything about the transaction checks out) you won’t be held responsible.
8. Bring it Home
Pick up your gown no sooner than one week before your wedding date. Once you have it at home, suspend it from a rod while its still in its bag and unzip the bag slightly to prevent mustiness. Now your ready for the day when you enter the wedding chapel in stunning fashion.
