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Antonette
Just Said Yes July 2016

Wedding Dress Shopping - How long did it take you to say "yes"?

Antonette, on July 19, 2015 at 11:58 PM Posted in Wedding Attire 0 14

Hello, beautiful brides!

I am getting married next July and have just started wedding dress shopping.

I am not going to lie - I find it pretty daunting. What I originally thought would look good on me didn't, so I have been thrown for a loop. Now I don't know what I want.

It seems that all my friends have found a dress right away - basically they only did one day of shopping! I can't commit to anything that I like. I feel like there is something wrong with me!

I have gone to three stores - Kleinfeld, L'Fay NYC, and Nordstrom Wedding Suite. I am afraid that consultants just want to make a buck off of me, and that I am going to regret my decision. One of the consultants told me that "50% of brides buy the first dress they try on." NOT ME!

So...how long did it take for you to find your dress? Were you at all hesitant to say yes?

Thank you to all the wonderful brides on this forum!

14 Comments

Latest activity by Sarah195, on July 20, 2015 at 9:16 AM
  • LizzyC
    Master April 2016
    LizzyC ·
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    I probably tried on 30, at least? Went to 4 or 5 different shops. I'm super analytical, rather than emotional, so I knew my brain had to love it plus my heart! Not all brides have that TLC Say Yes to the Dress moment either, so don't let that discourage you! Keep looking, you'll find it Smiley smile

    Ps. Welcome to WW! If you change your avatar to something other than the default you'll get way more responses! Read the little sticky at the top of the page too, super helpful!

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  • Joelle
    Super June 2016
    Joelle ·
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    I tried on alot of dresses my dad bought one and then I returned it after a situation with my dad and then I tried on like another 30 dresses but eventually I found my dress

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  • S
    Devoted April 2016
    samantha ·
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    Hmmmm....

    should i prepare my dress now?

    my wedding still next year

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  • Maltese
    Master June 2015
    Maltese ·
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    I think mine was the 6th or 7th dress tried on at the first appointment I went to. I think we were in the store for a total of 2 hours or so.

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  • OGSue
    Master August 2016
    OGSue ·
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    I found my dress very quickly. I tried on three dresses, loved the third, tried on another dress, and went back to dress #3. I was a bit sad to have found it so quickly, I was looking forward to the wedding dress experience, also I was alone when I found it because no one could make it out that day (which in the end I was happy about that).

    There is probably a medium, finding your dress too soon you miss out a bit on the overall experience, taking forever to find the dress I can see being frustrating.

    Some advice: Trust your gut! If you have an entourage with you remember your opinion is the most important one of the group, if you're absolutely in love with a dress don't let them talk you out of it. If you're hesistant to say 'yes' there is probably a reason for it!

    Also, I knew the dress was "the one" because I didn't want to take it off, I actually felt comfortable in it.

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  • FMM
    Master January 2016
    FMM ·
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    I found my right away... but I had it in my head that I would (sister flew 3000 miles to be with me...I was finding it!). Try on EVERY silhouette in the store, it will help you narrow it down...and I would recommend going to smaller boutiques, when you call them to set up an appointment ask them if they make commission...I have found that if they do they are more pushy, but if they don't they are more focused on you enjoying your experiences.

    Good luck!

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  • jenna_
    Master March 2015
    jenna_ ·
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    It took me buying a dress that i ended up hating, about 7 different boutiques... and about 2 months for me to finally "fall in love and say yes." lol.

    don't worry about rushing yourself. take your time. dress regret is a real struggle, don't do it to yourself!!! be aware of order and shipment times if you do choose a designer dress... but you still have a little bit of time.

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  • J
    Master May 2016
    Jac3286 ·
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    I was so sure I was going to have to hunt to find a dress I liked. I ended up falling in love with my dress at the first shop I went to. It wasn't my first dress (I tried on around 8 or 10), but it was the first time trying on dresses. I probably would have kept looking because I'm indecisive, but it was a sample, so I had to buy it then and there. I have had no regrets. Don't ever settle. Buy the dress you love - if you haven't found it yet, keep looking.

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  • SaraLep
    Master September 2015
    SaraLep ·
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    I got my dress at the L'Fay boutique in Chatham, NJ. I was never once pressured, and I got to try on literally any and all dresses that I wanted. We slowly built to the dress that I ultimately chose. I tried on different dresses, and we would play around with the straps, neckline, etc...and then the last dress I tried on was THE dress. Kleinfields is notorious for pressuring girls to buy a dress they aren't in love with.

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  • annakay511
    Master July 2015
    annakay511 ·
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    Hi Atonette! Make sure you change your avatar to something other than the rings!

    I made 3 appointments at 3 different stores. At the third appointment I had tried on probably 6 or 7 dresses before I tried on MINE! I really liked it but wasn't convinced it was "the one" until I saw it with a veil. I definitely recommend smaller boutiques.

    @Samantha- yes, you should start looking! It can take up to 8 months just for a dress to come in!

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  • Tiffany
    Savvy May 2016
    Tiffany ·
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    I went to 4 different stores on 3 different days. Then back and forth between 2 stores for another 3 days trying to decided between two dresses before I knew which dress I really wanted.

    I think I always knew which dress I wanted, I just needed to makes sure I tried a few before I made my final decision.

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  • Elm8816
    Savvy June 2016
    Elm8816 ·
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    I went to six different salons and tried on between 5-10 each time which took roughly about 5 months. I found myself liking dresses but just not LOVING anything until I found my Mark Zunino at Kleinfeld. You sound like you're a bit indecisive like me....my advice is to narrow down what you want piece by piece. First, find a silhouette. Try on everything from mermaid to giant princess ball gowns. Once you decide the silhouette, move on to things like waistline (Empire vs. dropped waist), fabric (lace vs. satin), etc. That way each time you go you have a clearer picture. Also, it really is true...the less people you go with the better. I brought different people each time and they all had SO many opinions. No one was dramatic like on TV, just comments like "I really loved the second one, but it's your day!" It was just so confusing to me because what I wanted was kinda funky, and most prefer something more traditional. It was much easier for me to say yes when it was just me and my mom.

    Also, it seems like you are near NYC and I would recommend going to RK Bridal, they had a pretty extensive selection! They don't sell the upscale designers Kleinfeld does but they have some beautiful, affordable designers there!

    That's what helped me! Best of luck! Keep in mind that you'll never please everyone. My best friend is getting married a few weeks after me and I don't like her dress at all, but I'm sure she is going to be a GORGEOUS bride. My point is, as a bride it's really hard not to be the most beautiful girl in the room, so don't put so much pressure on yourself. HAVE FUN!!! This is (hopefully) the only wedding dress you ever buy, so it's a really special experience!

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  • MrsA
    Master October 2015
    MrsA ·
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    I started in Sept of last year...just over a year out and searched and search the internet for about 2 months. I was searching traditional wedding dresses and as beautiful as they were I felt they were not me and the several I did really like were way out of my budget! I did go to DB to try on different styles of dresses and walked away very frustrated. It only confirmed what I felt. That a traditional wedding dress was not for me. In Nov I want to a store that specialized in special occasion/evening gowns.....and there I found it. A simple lace sheath that had the neckline and arm length that I wanted. BUT, I chose not to order the dress until 5 months before the wedding. Enough time to have it come in and get alterations with a little extra time for "just in case". I waited it out to make sure I didn't find another dress I prefer.

    My advice. Don't settle and don't feel pushed into a dress by anyone! You have plenty of time to look around and even if you think you've found the dress, you have plenty of time to wait and make sure you have the right one. There have been a few on WW who have bought a dress early and had dress regret several months before the wedding. I also suggest looking outside of the box at other types of dresses, you never know what you'll find and love!!

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  • Sarah195
    Master October 2016
    Sarah195 ·
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    Mine was at technically the third appointment I had in one day but I didn't try on any at the second appointment because the store was run down, the consultant was rude, and they only had dresses off the rack which I wasn't aware of when I made the appointment so We ran out of that shop and quickly got on the phone with a third shop to make an appointment for that day and low and behold I said yes to the dress at that place! It was probably the eighth dress I tried on that day. If you didn't like what you originally wanted just try on lots of different styles! I've also heard that some women don't have that bridal moment when they find their dress so don't stress if you don't have it.

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