Okay, so you’re engaged. You’re on cloud 9! It finally happened, and now you’re reveling in the glow of bride-to-be bliss. You’ve booked your venue, you’ve got the band, and your photographer; exactly who you wanted! Good for you you’re on top of everything.
Now it’s time to find your gown! Yes, the one tiny minor detail that pretty much is the whole reason brides have a wedding to begin with. They want to wear the gown! The gown! The one! The Say yes to the dress moment! It’s what most brides wait to experience. It’s the opportunity to have a weekend of shopping with your bridesmaids. Try on gowns that you never imagined you’d ever try. Feel like a queen for a day and have champagne handed to you at every dress shop. It’s all so magical, but there’s just one little problem. How do you start? Where do you go? What do you expect to happen? It’s a lot to take in if you’ve never shopped for a wedding gown before, which most brides have not. Let alone, shopped for a gown of this level. Most of us are used to shopping for a sleek black dress we need for our cousin’s wedding. We typically shop within our comfort zone of what we know looks good on us and what’s easy to wear without standing out too much. Shopping for your wedding gown can be a very different experience. We feel the pressure of making sure it’s the right choice. The options are endless. The opinions are freely given without hesitation. Everything on Instagram looks vastly different than in person, and the 300 Tik Tok reels you watched on finding the right gown for my shape didn’t prepare you enough. How does anyone ever find the right gown?
They do. Every bride does find the right gown, and I’m here to tell you that it’s ok to feel all the emotions during this process. Even the not-so-warm and fuzzy ones. I’m not going to give you a top 5 tips for gown shopping, or a list of the best gowns based on your shape. You have that information. You can google search that and 57 different articles will pop up. If you really want me to talk you through that, send me a message and we can have a real one one-on-one chat that I’ll personalize specifically to you. But, for this blog I’m going to share something that no one in the industry cares to tell you. The truth is, it’s not easy and whatever you’re feeling during the gown shopping process or planning is totally OK.
I’m also here to tell you it’s all going to be fine! You’ve got this!
Shopping for your wedding gown adds a lot of pressure that can overwhelm or cripple your decision-making. There are so many factors that come into play when you start the journey to finding your ivory dream made up of chiffon and ruffles. Just kidding, no one wants ruffles. I get it, trust me, I do. The truth is, the idea of what you want and what you envision yourself in may not be the reality. You’ve never tried on a wedding gown before, so how can you truly know what you’re going to love? You’re a blank slate, and that can be a good thing. We put so much pressure on what shopping for your gown is going to be like. Who will I bring to share in this moment with me? Will everyone love what I love? The answer is, who cares? They aren’t you. Only you matter when shopping for your wedding gown. I know, that may sound a bit harsh, but it’s not meant to. I want you to understand, that what you love and want matters. As brides, we want to make sure everyone is happy for us and they all get to share in the experience.
We want our loved ones to feel the same things we are feeling and guide us in finding the perfect gown. We do all of this and forget about ourselves. We try on a gown that really excites us, only to have the opinions of our loved ones sway our emotions. I’ve seen it a million times. I’ve experienced brides starting off the day excited, eager, and ready to share in the joy and get quickly exhausted after two appointments. It’s a lot for one person to absorb, and you’re not alone. A lot of young brides feel overwhelmed and lost in the beginning. The truth is, you’ll find the right gown. Every bride always does. You know your body and inner self better than anyone else. Sure, I can easily write a blog about how to shop for the perfect gown. I can give you tips or how-to advice. That’s easy, but the real advice comes from experiencing the emotional part of this process. That’s what pulls at my heartstrings. After working with brides for over 20 years, I want to tell you all that your journey is unique to you. You’re going to start this process with lots of advice, but quickly realize what works and doesn’t work. I want you to be honest and open with yourself. Create a clear vision of what you want and allow yourself to explore that. Be open to taking chances with your gown and listen to the pros that are there to help you. Let your family share in the experience, but remind yourself this is your moment. Keep your guest count when shopping to a 2-3 person minimum Don’t bring all your friends along. They love you, of course, but they’re not inside your head. They don’t truly know what you want or what feels great! Trust yourself and listen to your gut; it will never, ever steer you wrong. Stay true to your budget. Avoid trying on gowns that are way above that number unless you’re completely comfortable paying the price. This is a significant investment, and you don’t need to break the bank to find the perfect gown.
Aside from all of this, one truth I can share is that you’re going to feel a lot of emotions – and that’s perfectly okay. It’s an emotional decision, not a rational one. We’re buying with our hearts, not our heads. Allow yourself to feel anything that arises and remember, it’s just a feeling, not a fact. You will find the perfect gown and feel amazing in it because you listened to yourself and gave yourself the space and permission to experience this journey your way. If you approach anything in life this way, including gown shopping, I guarantee you’ll be forever happy with your choices.
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