Bridal Appointment: Dos & Don'ts

If you have a strapless bra, wear it! If not, wear pasties at a minimum. And please don't go commando!

I would say have an idea of what you definitely like and don't like, but have an open mind. Tell your attendant when you don't like a dress, and if you can point out why (straps, material, weight, color, etc) so they can pick out better dresses for you. If you have styles you really like then bring them but I wouldn't get too attached to a certain designer before trying dresses on, just see what feels good!

Strapless bra yes. I brought some pictures with me to my appointment to help give the consultant some ideas, but i also made clear what i did and did not want in the dress, as well as budget. Once she knew my info, she let me accompany her around the store and pick dresses to try

Don't wear bright lipstick. Some salons don't allow it in case it gets on the dress. I do suggest wearing some makeup. I don't feel confident without a little bit, so it changes how I felt when I looked in the mirror in the samples. Bring a hair tie so you can see how it looks with hair up or down. I would probably avoid perfume just because other brides trying on the dress after you may have sensitivities. Bring a basic idea of dresses you like, but try on different styles. I ended up with lace when I initially wanted a beaded art deco look.

Bridal consultant here!

From my standpoint make sure you are wearing similar undergarments to what you plan to wear on the wedding day. Spanks are a good idea to smooth out the lines of a dress even if you have a great shape already, strapless bras are nice but if you want an open back dress can get distracting while trying on. If you already have any accessories like shoes jewelry or veil already picked out bring those too.

Pictures are really helpful to the staff incase you arent very good at verbally communicating what you want or your stylist is used to different verbage than you.

Limit the people you nring with you! Three max! Your mom of you are on good terms with her, are on the same page style wise, and her opinion would truly matter to you, as well as your MOH and maybe one other person who will be honest but not hurtful when they tell you they like something or not.

Also be open minded!! Probably 90% of my brides buy something the specifically thought they wouldnt like but loved once they had it on.

This task is both exciting and daunting. I can understand your trepidation. That said, these are the lessons that I've learned from my own experience as well as when I have been a bridesmaid. Hope they help! Most of all, just be present and enjoy this prices because this is likely to be the only time you'll get to pan your wedding (hopefully). ;-)

Do: figure out a budget range you are comfortable with before hand and only allow your consultant to pull gowns in that range, be open-minded, bring a small number of close friends/family, ask questions about style lingo so you learn your likes and dislikes for future appointments (if there are any) ? ?

Don't: get overly attached to a particular gown that you find on the internet, bring a large number of friends/family (you can lose your vision in a sea of differing opinions), become overly fixated on emotional reactions (some of us don't cry when we find our gowns-- doesn't mean it's still not the perfect gown for you)

Do be open minded and have fun! When you don’t like a dress, try to think why so you can start eliminating other options and get closer to finding the one.

I didn't think this in depth for my appointments and i don't regret it. I didn't really "research" dresses or designers because i wanted to find one that I loved on ME.

I wore a strapeless nude bra, didn't care about the undies and i curled my hair. I normally wear a full face of makeup, so i did my makeup the same way i usually wear it. I am pretty sure i wore black underwear, you couldn't tell under the dresses.

Thanks Everyone! This was all so helpful. I'm planning to go in with an open mind. I would be SHOCKED if I like a satin gown, which I'm completely against at the moment. But I'll definitely bring a nude strapless bra and maybe spanks. I'll also wear light makeup. My entourage will be 4 people (mom, gmom and 2 MOHs).

Funny story: I was casually visiting my grandma at David's Bridal (she worked there, this was normal). I looked like HELL and my hair, a bird's nest. She picked out a few dresses that she thought were my style. The second one, I took home. I was wearing mismatched socks, GRANNY PANTIES, wrong bra. I agree with everyone else, strapless bra and comfy/cute panties that are ok for someone else to see. I would've never been so comfortable unless it was with my granny. Oddly enough, it was still one of the best days ever.

My biggest advice is have an idea of what you'd like before hand. Look at magazines and pinterest and designers websites. I ended up with a dress I had seen in a magazine (and stalked online- but I had stalked several dresses, I wasn't set on this one until I tried it on). The trying on process required imagination for me since no dress was in my size, so without having already seen what it should look like on a person, I'm not sure I would have chosen it from trying it on in the wrong size. It just made the lace and details lay in all different places. Trying on wasn't as fun as I thought (a whole bunch of giant, hot dresses that don't look so great on a hanger), so I'm glad I had ideas before I came in. I would have never been able to imagine what it would look like on a body from the hanger if I hadn't looked at dresses online before and knew what shapes would look like.

It's ok to change your vision, but I do think it at least helps to start with a vision instead of going in blind!

If you have a strapless bra, wear it. Also remember that someone may need to help you into the dresses so wear underwear you are comfortable with other people seeing. If you have ideas of what you are looking for, bring them. But also be open to suggestions. And know what your budget is. And do not look at anything over your budget.

Bring a strapless bra and depending on the style of dress you are considering, spanx. I also brought my wedding shoes. I made a Pinterest board that I showed my bridal consultant.

Do I bring a pair of heels?

I brought flats, because I was intending to wear flats for the wedding (I ended up with wedges, but that's another story) - if you're wanting to try on a dress with heels, bring some, but they may also have some you can borrow to see how they look.

I would (personally) argue against perfume - I'm allergic to it and you don't know what kind of reactions your consultant will have (and they have to be pretty close to you at times)

I'll second PPs on full-backed panties (again because the consultant's going to be very close to you)

Perfect! I’ll bring some wedges. I don’t want to feel like I’m overdoing it lol.

Eat before you go. Dress shopping was a marathon for me

Bring a strapless bra, normally if you don't then they make you wear one of theirs which personally I am not a fan of.

Also bring heels if you plan on wearing heels on your day, flats if you don't this will help give you an idea of alterations you might need with the length, and also how heels/flats would look with the dress.

I personally wore makeup to my apt because when I found the dress, and they put the veil on, I had a very bridal feeling moment, and I think without the makeup I would have felt less bridal, but that is just me. However, I wore light makeup like I always do. When my dress actually arrived, I wore heavier makeup like I intend to on the day, and wore my hair in an updo, like I plan to do on the day of.

Go in with an open mind for sure. Try on things that you swore you would never try or like. Honestly, it is true, that many brides go in looking for one color, style, designer, but leave with something completely different. Trust your consultant, they do this job for a living and are very good at picking out dresses that will look good on you.

The dress that I ended up picking out, I thought was hideous on the manikin, but I ended up LOVING it when I put it on. Had my consultant not brought it to me to try on, I would not have left that place with my dress. I am so happy that I did.