Dress shopping advice

First of all...do your hair and makeup. It's such a simple thing but will give you a more realistic view of the Drs.

Also...make sure you are upfront about your budget. You don't want to fall in love with a dress only to find it's double your budget.

Be open to everything. Different styles, textures whatever...not everything will look amazing but it's a way to see what styles look best on you.

Good luck!

Honey congrats!!! Take your time and let the consultant know what you BUT be open to all. I am around that same size and although I only went to David's bridal I was made to feel pretty. I agree with Jodie I wish I had gotten my hair done at the least because they will be putting a veil on you to complete the "look" also i am only 5"2 so no worries you will be fine

Make sure you keep an open mind on styles. I went in wanting a fit and flare and left with a ballgown. Also, if you find a dress you like it should come in a reasonable amount of time for you to make any alterations that are needed. Just double check the timelines so you can make sure you'll get it in time.

Also, don't worry so much about being judged. Dress shopping should be fun and more about seeing what dress will make you beautiful. I'm a plus sized bride, and my experience was pleasant even when one sample didn't quite fit me. She still showed me how it would look and gave me an idea of the final shape. Don't stress - just go in knowing that while some dresses might look bad, it's just the wrong dress for you.

First of all, congratulations! This is a super special time for you and I’m happy for you!
-Do a bit of research before your appointment.
-Think about the dresses you like to wear regularly. Figure out what dress shapes look flattering to you and that you feel confident in! Save photos of dresses you love!
-Make sure to ask your bridal salon if they carry dresses in your budget prior to your appointment.
-When you go in for your appointment, you should be escorted to a seating or dressing area. You’ll maybe show some inspiration photos to your stylist. Tell them exactly what you like and don’t like about each photo, be as specific as you’d like! They might not carry the same exact dress but might have something similar.
-keep and open mind! You might find a dress that you never thought you’d like but you never know until you try. Many of my friends have landed on a dress that was the complete opposite of what they originally wanted.
-it’s ok not to find the one at this first appointment. I didn’t! If you find that your guests are being too judge-y, use your stylist as a buffer to ask them to be more gentle with the comments. Or schedule a second appointment without the guests you didn’t feel comfortable with.
At the end of the day, this is about you feeling comfortable and beautiful!

I am dreading dress shopping for the same reasons I’m 5ft 1in and around a size 16 and on a budget. I have a little over 2 years until my wedding so I have not done any dress shopping yet. I’ve been looking at Cocomelody and Azazie, the options are affordable, you can try on at home, and they offer custom sizing so you shouldn’t need as many alterations. I’ve seen a lot of great reviews for both sites.

Congratulations! Don’t be nervous at all.

Be upfront about your budget. Don’t be afraid to try different styles. What you will try on are samples - too long, too small, too big, just right, etc. Try to think about what you wear under your dress (spandex, corsets, whatever fancies you). Think about your shoes as well (heels, flats, sandals, barefoot, etc.).

A good bridal boutique will take your measurements and will order the dress in your size. The Bridal Loft, the place I got my dress, took all my measurements - height, chest, waist, hips, etc. and ordered my dress that way. This way the alterations are minimum - I needed my straps and lace taken in.

One thing I will also suggest, don’t worry about sizing of the dress. Wedding dresses sizes are so weird. Just find a style you like and get your measurements completed to get you the Shay size wedding dress.

I wish you the best of luck! 😘

Be upfront about your budget!! Don’t try on anything out of your price range. Also, be true to yourself. It’s okay to say you don’t like a dress that your consultant picked out. With that said, still have an open mind to things that she will pick out. Know that it’s very possible you won’t find a dress that day and that’s okay. Have fun and congrats!!

I agree with the PP that said go do your hair and makeup. It’ll help you better visualize how you’ll look on the day of. Secondly, they’ll definitely have dresses for you! Boutiques are used to having to fit people into unusually small sample sizes. It’s not you, it really is the dress. Alterations may vary from place to place, so check in your area to find the best deal. Good luck!

I'm 5' and size 14. After a while, I got tired of getting strapped into size 10 samples and the consultant promising me that it would fit right once made in my size. The cups on the dress would literally be sitting 5 inches above my breasts. I told myself that if a designer didn't even bother to carry a sample in what's a fairly common street size, I wasn't going to give them the ton of money they were asking for.

After all that, I made an appt with David's Bridal and was so happy with virtually every dress I tried on. They fit me perfectly, and I felt great in them. You don't have to stick to boutiques. I feel that DB is a win win with price point and size.

That being said, I've been to about 4 boutiques, and each of then had 1-2 samples that fit me just fine. Just don't rush into a decision because you're relieved you found something that fits.

Happy search!

I would call the bridal salons in advance. Ask if they have options in your size & budget, then don't go to that salon if they don't have options! I would just go in with a positive attitude & realize no one looks good in every dress. I'm 5'2" and a 0 in street clothes (I was a 4 when I tried on dresses) and I tried on several dresses that were too small for me and wouldn't zip or were WAY too tight. If you go in with a budget for dress + alterations, a good bridal salon should be able to accommodate you! Also, you don't have to buy a dress at the first or second salon. You can try on as many as you need!

The only thing I can give you a heads up on is ignore the dress size. I don't know if you might be one of those girls who normally wear a 2 and then put on a size 8 dress and freak out bc it's not your normal size. Dress sizes run a lot differently. Also, try to have fun

View Quoted Comment I've been engaged for a little over a year and didn't realize how long something can take to 0lan and make work, had I realized I would have started shopping around earlier, but honestly didn't realize how much time and steps went into to dress shopping. It's the only thing I'm being "high maintenance" about so I want to make sure I find the Perfect dress for me.

View Quoted Comment This is so helpful to read. Of course the bridal salon said they'd have samples that fit, so hopefully that's true! The first boutique I'm going to offers a "love at first sight" discount. Basically incentive to buy a dress the day of. So I really need to remember to listen to my gut and only make a purchase if I am 100% ositive it's my dress. Not to feel obligated and pressured because of a discount.

View Quoted Comment I've done a fair amount of research and everywhere talks about the sizing of dresses, so I really am going to try to ignore the size and not let it make me feel bad and discouraged and more so, on what makes me feel like a princess!
I'm pretty self conscience as is, so I'm nervous but I know they are there to help, and make a sell, so they should be pretty good at not putting me down or making me feel bad!

I'm an 18 normally, 22 in bridal apparently. I'm going to a store tomorrow who only has samples up to a size 20 but can order bigger. I'm also apprehensive about not fitting into them. But they have a designer I really like... My wedding is a year out, but I'm SUPER picky about clothes. Ive been to Davids Bridal already, and found two I liked but not sure if either is "the one." Remember to HAVE FUN. It gets overwhelming, but take a minute to really just enjoy the moment! No pressure to find a dress that day, just you in pretty gowns with family you love. ☺️

Don’t feel pressured to buy at the first shop. Try on all kinds of styles and silhouettes. Trying on different kinds helps narrow down what you like. I thought I knew going in but I was wrong.

Also, I bought shapewear the morning of my appointment at a lingerie shop so that I could try on dresses with the shapewear on. And don’t wear bright red lips- the lipstick is the hardest thing to get out of the dress if you have a mishap.