HOW TO FIND THE PERFECT DRESS?
With the wide array of brands and styles available, the search for The Special Dress for one of the most important days of your life may feel overwhelming and leave you feeling lost. We have written a guide with the aim to help make your search more enjoyable.
Do your research
Read books, magazines, websites to familiarise yourself with different styles, collections, brands and price range the market has to offer. This will help you sieve out the styles and brands that are suitable for you.
Be honest about who you are
Your wedding dress should reflect the person that you are. Do not feel pressurised to pick a more traditional style simply because you feel it is more appropriate or because a relative has expressed a preference. Think about how you usually choose to dress. Are you individualistic? Do you follow fashion trends? With the countless wedding dress styles there are, you will not find it hard to find one that will suit your personality.
Be realistic and choose within your budget
The wedding dress is one of the biggest purchases for a wedding, so you should budget for it once you have done your research and have an idea of how much you want to spend on the dress. While it will be tempting to disregard your budget constraints if and when you find a dress you cannot afford, be resolute and remember that you will only wear the dress once. Do not let a heat of the moment purchase compromise other aspects of your wedding. Explore your options and find out everything from costs of alternations to cancellation policies to safeguard your position. A wedding dress is often an expensive purchase, so you will want to purchase with full knowledge of the terms and conditions.
Try different styles on
You may have grown up visualising your wedding and you in a dramatic ball gown dress walking down the aisle. Or you may have been fixated on wearing a mermaid dress. However sure you think you are, you should try on at least one other style just to see yourself in a different style than that you think you want. The reason being, the style you like may not necessarily look good on you. Take a look at our Silhouette Guide to understand what dress shape would be most flattering for your body shape. Trying on different styles is the easiest way to decide what shape works best for you. Visit a bridal store with a good friend and have fun in the process!
Other important considerations
Are you going abroad for your wedding? Consider how you will transport your dress. Will you be bringing it on board with you as hand luggage? Is it a beach wedding? Consider if a ball gown with a long train is really appropriate.
Are there religious restrictions on what you may wear? Do you need to cover your shoulders? Or would you be required to wear a veil?
Is your wedding in the summer? Consider the thickness of the fabric. You will want to choose lighter fabrics for the summer such as chiffon and thicker fabrics such as duchesse satin for the winter.
Last but not least, remember that your wedding is a joyful occasion, instead of stressing during the decision making process, enjoy each and every step you take that takes you one step closer to marrying the man of your dreams.
