Wedding Dress Shopping *first Time*

Hi Erica,
Congratulations, it's very exciting, don't stress, I looked online first, to check all the styles to see what I liked or disliked before trying on the dresses, also the less number of people you bring with you the better, to many opinions can cloud your judgement, take pictures of any dresses you think might be the one! I tried on 30 dresses before I found my dream dress, don't rush the process, there are so many gorgeous gowns to pick from, but you would know in your ❤️ when you have that special dress on! You will be a stunning 👰! I ended up buying a Stella York, style 6979, if you care to see it! HAVE FUN!!😁

View Quoted Comment Thank so much for the sweet words and advice ❤️

I was pretty anxious because I'm a curvy gal and have a hard time with clothes in general. I was shocked that things fit me and were at times too big. Make sure you hydrate and eat a decent meal, nothing too greasy- those dresses are heavy and hot. Also don't rush ordering a dress. It'll more than likely be there the next day. There are way too many posts of women who said yes and then looked at pictures and realized they weren't fully in love with the dress. Sleep on it!


Keep an open mind and enjoy it! Definitely one of the fun parts of wedding planning.

Do not, and I cannot stress this enough, put too much pressure on yourself! Dress shopping is exciting and meant to be fun, but if you're stressing over finding THE dress the first time you've ever tried any on, it can get really un-fun really fast. I went to David's Bridal and while I felt pretty in a couple dresses, I definitely didn't love any of them. For some reason, I had it in my head that I HAD to pick one that day, so I just picked the one I liked the most. Long story short, I ended up returning it and buying a different dress from Azazie. If you don't absolutely LOVE a dress, DON'T buy it! It's easy to get caught up in the moment, but a lot of bridal shops have very strict return/exchange policies and a lot of brides have been stuck in a situation to either wear a dress they don't love or buy another one and take the loss on the first one. If you're not sure about a dress, take pictures and sleep on it. If you find yourself thinking about that dress nonstop and loving the pictures you took, you can always go back and get it! Last piece of advice is don't expect an unrealistic reaction out of yourself. I asked my fitting room attendant if any bride ever has that "movie magic omg this is the one" type moment. She said that she has seen some that do, but if you're not that type of person, it isn't fair to expect that of yourself just because it's a wedding dress. If you've never been super excited about a piece of clothing in your life, don't hold yourself to an unrealistic standard of how happy a dress should make you feel. I love the dress I have now, but I definitely didn't have that moment. I just chose something that made me feel beautiful and feel like a bride!

Best of luck in your dress shopping, I know you'll find a beautiful dress that you love!

I was nervous and excited for sure, I had no idea what to expect! If I could do it over again, I'd do no more than two shops per day (two was EXHAUSTING). I'd eat a good, filling breakfast and drink a ton of water and bring a water bottle with me. I'd do my hair & makeup (nothing crazy, just cute). I'd wear nude seamless underwear & pasties & bring heels. Take a TON of pictures for you to reflect on later!

I feel like this is completely normal! I was so stressed out before my appointment, and i'm not even entirely sure why. But i was so anxious and nervous for the whole thing. When i got to the appointment I was still feeling that way and was even sick to my stomach, but as soon as we got going and i tried on the first dress i relaxed and it ended up being a lot of fun! So try not to stress too much, I know it's hard, but you will have a lot and it will be a great experience for you!!

I was super nervous and felt overwhelmed of the pressure!! I will say keep an open mind. I went in thinking I wanted one style and came out with something completely different. I had the people I went with pick a few dresses each for me that they thought were nice and I picked some of my own. You will know when it's the one! You will keep looking at that one and want to put it back on. But, overall and most importantly have fun & enjoy the process. It's one of the most exciting parts of being a bride

Also felt this same way. Somehow my consultant was able to just make it an easy process and she listened to me! I didn't know what kind of dress I wanted. Looking online for me was just that I didn't think anything of them because I felt like I would never know what it would look like unless I had it on. TRUST ME those nerves will go away once you start trying some on!

View Quoted Comment Thank you for you advice! I am glad I am not the only one that has felt this way!

Yes, I was very nervous too and wasn't sure why! I have anxiety about things that are sort of a big deal.. but I had so much fun every time I went. I brought my mom, my twelve year old sister, and my 2 best friends, who were all such a big help in finding the one. I went dress shopping at 3 boutiques, and found "the one" at the last stop. Definitely hear there opinions, but go with your gut and just have fun! Try on dresses you normally wouldn't think you'd like - I ended up loving some that I would have never picked out. Just enjoy it! I'm sad my dress shopping days are over already.