Tips for wedding dress shopping

If you trust your mother and sister than they will give you their true opinions and support. Ultimately it’s your decision but it’s really nice to have positive people around you who have your best interest at heart. I would say you made a very smart decision to invite these two ladies with you. Don’t worry about how many appointments it takes to find “the one.” Not all girls have that Say Yes to the Dress moment like you see on TV where they start crying. It’s not like that. Concentrate on finding something that you feel comfortable in and is appropriate for your wedding destination. I’ve never seen an ugly bride so I’m sure you’ll look beautiful in whatever makes you feel beautiful. Good luck!

I'm in poor health, so I made one appointment at only one bridal salon. It was the last one I tried on, but it was THE ONE!! I NEVER cry, but I had a teary moment, which surprised me. I hope your family is supportative. I had 6 people with me, but it was a private appt. They were super helpful. Don't be surprised if you fall in love with a style you'd not planned. It wouldn't hurt to take a boyshort Spanx and a strapless bra, backless bra, or bustier for trying on gowns. Most of all- Have Fun!! ❤
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1) Schedule up to 2 appointments in 1 day. Each apt might take 90 minutes and trust me, 2 shops are plenty in one day.


2) Bring water! Trying on dresses makes you thirsty.
3) If you find The One, you’ll know. Butterflies, tears or just a knowing. It’s ok. But don’t feel pressured. If you want to be sure, let them know you want a few days to think about it.
4) Have your mom or sister take pics. Totally helps to see how they photograph and will remind you how you felt in them.
5) Do have a budget and tell your stylist. There are dresses that cost $10K and more! If your budget is $2K a good stylist will stay in that range. You don’t want to fall in love with a dress out of budget.
Have fun!!!

I was in the same boat as you when looking for a dress. I’m having a destination wedding in Key West, and didn’t know what I wanted other than nothing trendy. I brought my mom with me every time, and two friends come to one appointment. My friends weren’t too helpful because they liked everything. My mom was the one who said to keep looking because I didn’t seem super excited about anything I had tried on. I’m not a crier, and never cried about my dress, but I did feel excited when I put it on.
If your mom and sister are flying in for dress shopping, I would try to get a couple places in. I wouldn’t do more than two in one day, because your brain will start getting scrambled, but make the best of the time you have. Don’t feel pressured to choose something because they are there. And don’t feel that you have to go to a certain amount of stored or try on a certain number of dresses before you can choose one. There’s no magic answer. Just try to enjoy the process.

My mom, sister and MIL flew in for a weekend. I had 2 appointments in one day, and I told both stylists my budget was $250 because they always show you dresses that are slightly over asking price.


I tried on about 10 dresses total, and dress 9 was the one
Make sure you drink tons of water, I was dehydrated because I didn’t want to go to the restroom a lot but then all I could think of was getting a glass of water. Make sure you eat breakfast! It was helpful to go and not having to worry about my next meal. My sister took photos of all of the dresses I wore, and I’m glad she did because I was so concerned if the dress I had on was “the one”. Overall my experience was awesome and my mom and sister got to meet my MIL too!

To be honest, my best advice is to go alone to a few shops (not the ones you have lined up to go to with your mom and sisters), and try on lots of dresses! Just go through the racks and grab anything that grabs your attention. Don’t be afraid to try on silhouettes you previously hadn’t considered. So many girls end up with dresses that were nothing like they had initially thought they wanted! Also, be open to the suggestions of the consultants at the bridal shop. The first time (or few times) dress shopping can be so confusing and overwhelming- By going alone, you’re eliminating the potential for even more confusion with everyone else’s opinions. You can narrow down what shapes you like on your body and what sort of dress you see yourself in for your wedding. It may be best to get that first shopping trip or two under your belt before shopping with your family. That way, instead of wasting your time with them trying to figure out what you like (and all the stress that comes with it), you can spend your time with them actually focusing on dresses you know you like and could potentially purchase while they are there. And it will remove the hesitation many brides feel about buying a dress on the first shopping trip. Dress regret is real! LOL


Other than that, I would suggest wearing nude undergarments. And if you plan on wearing Shapeware under your dress on your wedding day, wear it to your appointments as well. They can have a huge impact on the way your body looks in a dress. If you know for sure whether you want to have your hair up or down, wear it that way for the appointments (or take a scrunchy with you so you have the option of wearing it down or pulling it up). I also found that having my make up done helped me to better envision how I would look in the dress on my wedding day. Tell your consultant all about the weather, etc. of your ceremony and any concerns you have about it. She can help you find dresses with light breathable fabric. And most of all, have fun trying on dresses with your mom and sisters!! Don’t put pressure on yourself to find “the one” while they are there. A great rule of thumb is that you will never have to convince yourself you have found the right dress - You will know it when you find it!

Oh, I almost forgot... make sure you sit down in the dresses! I found one that I loved and made me look so thin!... then I tried to sit down in it haha I had to remain straight as a board when trying to sit or get up from a seated position 🤦🏼‍♀️
Another consideration might be how difficult it will be to use the restroom in your dress lol

Thanks for the advice everyone! I'll post pictures from this weekend and we'll see how it goes!