How do you know when you find "the one"?

When I went wedding dress shopping I started by telling the associate there was no way I was going to have a crying, bawling "yes" moment. That's just not who I am.

I only went dress shopping once. I made one appointment at a local bridal shop (the only one within an hour radius of me), tried on probably a dozen dresses, liked most of them, disliked a few, and didn't really feel like any dress jumped out at me head and shoulders above the others. The dress I liked the most was more than I had budgeted, but it also didn't tick all the things on my list, even though it was very beautiful and fit me well.

After that, I ordered a pre-owned dress from StillWhite. When it came in the mail I tried it on and liked it, but it had a few alterations done and didn't quite sit on me right. I removed the added in push up cups and ripped out the alteration seams at the shoulders and put it on again and it fit me better. I started to really like it. The more I walked around it in it and posed in front of the mirror at home the more it felt like the dress for me. I had all the features I wanted. I sent photos to some friends and their response was so much more positive than the other dresses. Probably a few hours after first unpacking it, I knew it was going to be my wedding dress.

I too hate making big decisions without really letting the weight of the decision I am leaning towards sink in, so I can see myself being in your exact shoes, kind of knowing it is the dress I want but not being able to pull the trigger right there and then. The dress I ended up with was one I had been looking at for a while, but I couldn’t bring myself to actually purchase it until I had tried on the other dresses first.

Gonna sound silly, but you just know. If that's the one you cant stop thinking about, then I'd say it's the one

I knew the moment I put it on and looked at myself in the mirror. I think part of me knew when I grabbed it out of the wrack. I didn’t want something too ball gown like, nor did I was something too flat. There were quiet a few dresses I liked, but nothing compared to the dress I ultimately chose. It was the first dress I tried on and it just felt so me!

I thought I was going to say to at least 3 dresses, and did actually say yes to one but was disappointed to find out sleeves couldn’t be added. After every almost yes I felt that no other dress would ever live up. After going to more stores I found one I loved even more. I just said yes to my dress today and I’m so excited. I was so convinced I only had to go to one store but if I’d done that I wouldn’t have ended up with a dress I’m this in love with. Instead of comparing the dresses I was trying on to the original dress I loved, I was comparing them to my new favorite. The 2nd dress you tried on could very well be your dress! But the only way to know if it is, is to try on a few more at other stores with different designers in stock. If that dress is still what you find yourself comparing all the other dresses to, it’s your dress. Good luck!!

I didn’t believe in the “love at first sight” emotional dress experience either. I’m a pretty practical person and figured I would try on at lots of different places and weigh my options. Then I found “the one” at the second store I tried on. It was the first dress I tried on there. It happened 5 minutes into the trip. As soon as I put it on I said “this is the one”. I didn’t cry or anything, I just knew. My bridesmaids and family convinced me to keep my other appointments for the day and “keep my options open” but I ended up going back the same afternoon and buying that dress. I probably tried on 20 other dresses that day and nothing compared.


It sounds like you feel the same way about your first dress!! I would encourage you not to let other people convince you that you need to look more- YOU know the dress you want. And you’re probably never going to be happier than you are with that first dress on. I say go for it and maybe share some pics of the special dress??

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That's how I felt. I'm pretty confident this could be my dress but I just need to make sure lol I have a couple appointments scheduled for this weekend but if I don't find anything that calls to me I'll be heading back to David's Bridal to get "the one"!

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You're 100% right! When I teared up the consultant thought it was because of the dress, but it really was for the same reason that made you cry.

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You're right about that...sometimes you just have to trust your intuition!

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That makes me feel better. I know I'll be more confident in my decision if I feel as if I've explored more options. Thank you for sharing this!

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That's what everyone keeps telling me. I guess I should learn to trust myself more.

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This dress is very me and exactly what I'm looking for. I'm pretty sure I'll be going back for this dress.

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Those were my thoughts exactly! I just want to see some more options. Thank you for the advice!

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After the 2 appointments I have this weekend I'm done shopping. I want to see some more options, but not too many lol Luckily for me my bridesmaids are great and they were more than willing to come with me to as many appointments as I want to make, but they did tell me they have a feeling we'll be going back and getting that original dress.

Mine was one of the first few I tried on during my second dress shopping trip. My consultant had me try on a handful of dresses and then told me to narrow it down to three. Tried them all on again. Then to two, tried them on again with accessories and then I knew which one I loved the most. I didn't cry but I felt beautiful and happy. Then they had this "bell" ceremony. She put a little bell in my hand and told me to close my eyes and imagine and remember my relationship with my FH. How we met, when we fell in love, all the little quirks that I love, how I felt when I got engaged, and to imagine walking down the aisle in this dress and how it would feel to see him staring at me. Then to open my eyes and ring the bell. I cried then, which surprised me because I didn't think I would.

I only went to one dress shop and wasn’t planning on getting a dress that day. It was 17 months before my wedding but all of my out of town family was visiting so we decided to go. I cried when they put me in a dress I really loved and had the veil on because I saw myself as a bride for the first time. Then, they put me in a different dress right after and I didn’t cry but it was a moment of “oh, okay, this is gorgeous and I like this part and this part, etc.” everyone had the same reaction and it was just understood that this was it. No one even asked if if I was saying yes to the dress. It just chose me and everyone was on board. So ultimately I didn’t cry when I chose my dress, I was just really excited!

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That's cute!

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That's really sweet!

I am also not an emotional person and never cry in front of people but when I put my dress on, I teared up! I would definitely make those appointments and try more dresses on if you weren't able to say "yes". If you don't find any at those appointments, go back and try it on again

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Thanks for the advice!