Dress Shopping

When is your wedding? Do you have plans to see your parents once everyone is vaccinated? If you want to go with her and can wait a couple months, do that. If you want to go now, go now.

Keep your entourage to a minimum. The more opinions you have, the more confusing and less fun the experience is. Also many shops only allow one guest. You can always video call mom from the store.

Do not purchase until 6-9 months before the wedding. And go alone when you do. You will know which dress is tge one because you will not want to take it off. After you purchase, stop looking so you aren't out thousands of dollars on dress purchase 5 that many past brides have described.

View Quoted Comment Next May so plenty of them, and yes the plan is to go up in June (fingers crossed) but my family is hesitant to come down even with vaccines


Great thoughts though, thank you ☺️

View Quoted Comment That was my thought! I am easily swayed but I just want it to be a true experience of me finding “the dress”

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Pick one friend whose judgement you trust for dress shopping and have a different outing for these particular friends.

View Quoted Comment I have that friend and he is so beyond ready to go shopping

Go once with your friends and once with your mom. I know my mom was just as excited as I was to go shopping. It was a great experience to charge with her. I’d start looking about a year out since some dresses can take a while to come in and then you need alteration time.

Hi Megan! If possible, I’d suggest flying up and go with mom first. I totally understand not wanting to betray Mom and it’s really sweet she wants this with you. In most cases, brides don’t find “the one” until a few trips.
My mom wasn’t able to come shopping with me being out of town as well. For me, I’m such a people pleaser that I went alone so I could ensure I wouldn’t be swayed. Even when you do find the dress, I had 3 alteration appointments and took a separate guest with me each time. For me, that was special for a special few to see it ahead of time ❤️ Hope this helps with your decision ❤️❤️❤️

View Quoted Comment Good thoughts! Thank you! My temporary shopping date is a little under a year out with my friends ☺️

View Quoted Comment I am really close to my mom so I might wait, but it will be less than a year before I start shopping. That’s enough time, right?

I f you are visiting with them now, by all means go shopping. It is usually better with 3 opinions or fewer, I do not know how many you are talking. Your first outing dress shopping should include trying on 1 or 2 of each type of dress style. Even though you have looked online, every bride I have ever known thinks some styles awful, until she sees how they flatter her figure. And looks at others she likes, that consistently look bad on her. At the end, have the assistant pull a few gowns in the 2 styles you like most. Most likely you wont find a gown until your second or third trip. By then you should be trying on all flattering styles only, focussing on details, so you and mom will not be very far apart, even when favoring different dresses.

You could wait for your mom while doing other things wedding related with your friends

You may also want to consider where to dress shop based on location of the wedding and your location. Many bridal stores and salons allow you to try on samples but then order your actual dress, so it involves more than one visit to the store. You also need to consider if you would have alterations done in-store or by a separate seamstress, as multiple fittings are common.

View Quoted Comment I think that is enough time. I was instructed by the bridal salon to have my dress selected no later than 6 months before your wedding to ensure it arrives and has time for alterations. ❤️

I would probably fly up and go with your mom if that's an option for you. The timing of when you'd need to buy your dress depends on the bridal salon you buy your dress from. The salon I bought my dress from had a minimum of 9 months order + production time for all dresses. They do not allow brides to purchase a dress from them if their wedding is in less than 9 months time. If you're going to David's Bridal, then you can cut it a lot closer. You'll also want to factor in a few months for alterations. If you buy your dress at a sample sale, that's another timeline. You definitely have some time, but I would say that you should plan to start shopping for a dress around a year in advance if possible in order to maximize your options. 10 months in advance should honestly also be fine. Once you're down to 9 months or less is when you have less options.

I wouldn't stress TOO much if your mom cant make it to one of the try on session, most of the bridal places near me (mississippi) are only allowing a small group of friends/family in at a time due to covid, so even if you do find the dress while you're with a group or 3-4 friends, you can always have her come back on a day thats convenient for her and its just you two or maybe another friend who couldn't make the first apt. I would just try and compromise and schedule it so you can do both.

View Quoted Comment That sounds like a good plan as well!

View Quoted Comment Oh I understand! My mom hopefully would be down here In September so I do not know if that is enough time at 8 months out. Will have to talk to her further about it

View Quoted Comment Oh perfect ☺️

View Quoted Comment How interesting! The two shops near me are both relatively small and family owned so I would probably need more time