What to expect when dress shopping

You can get there early and look through the racks, depending on how busy they are you may have to share your consultant with another bride

So I didn't go to David's bridal, but my experience at the other stores I visited was: arrive and generally fill out a form indicating what you're looking for, and listing any styles you saw on the website you're particularly interested in looking at. Then they generally let you wander around the store and have a look on the racks while the consultant goes and picks out the styles you were interested in. Then you can show the consultant anything you found to add to the stash in a change room and get trying!

I found it to be such a fun experience - hopefully it will be just as nice for you! Enjoy, and make sure to show us if you chose anything in the end!

Thanks guys! I did fill out a questionnaire online that they sent me when I made the appointment. I’m hoping they have the dresses that I seen online I liked in the store so I can try them on. I think it will be lots of fun to raid the racks! i’m taking my mom, and we have different opinions on the dress style that I am going to wear, so this ought to be interesting! LOL

View Quoted Comment

I also had filled out the survey (and favorited some dresses on my profile) and my consultant was able to pull dresses that were on my favorites as well as some others that were similar. I had my consultant's full attention, because I was there on a weeknight, which was awesome

One thing to remember is that your consultant is going to be *all* up in your business, because she's going to be helping you in and out of dresses, so make sure you're wearing something you're comfortable with a stranger being *very* close to you in.

View Quoted Comment Thanks for that information! I’m actually legally blind so I might even need more help than normal. I’m rather used to people being all up in my business a lot because of the assistance I sometimes need getting places. You get cozy with people real quick! LOL. I’ll make sure to wear nicer undergarments than I do on laundry day. Lol

View Quoted Comment

I imagine you do! Definitely want something a step up from laundry day (and a step down from your lacies lol). Even with being legally blind, I don't expect you'll need a great deal more help - my consultant helped me in and out like I was two lol

View Quoted Comment

Haha, yes, gosh, can't believe I forgot that element! Definitely wear underwear you're comfortable with someone seeing! I had a funny moment at one of my appointments where the consultant was helping me out of a big hooped petticoat with an elasticated waist, and she accidentally pulled my underwear down with the hoop, lol! Thankfully we were not facing a mirror and she was at the back so she didn't see much, but she was MORTIFIED! But, seeing as how I couldn't wear a bra with any of the dresses I'd been trying, she'd been seeing me in a pair of underwear and no bra for at least 45 minutes at that point anyway, so I really wasn't bothered.

I had my final fitting yesterday and it required a LOT of help to get into and out of the dress so my SIL and my sister who were trying to help basically saw me topless/in a pair of undies multiple times as we altered the dress. They likely will again, too. I think maybe it's like giving birth, you just have to surrender to the knowledge that everyone is going to see you half-naked, lol.

View Quoted Comment Yes, when I gave birth to our son in 2017, I made the joke that everyone in the city has seen all I have to offer! LOL. Modesty is not really something I’m too concerned about honestly, I’ve had so many surgeries in my lifetime that stranger seeing me mostly or completely naked is not that unusual for me. LOL I am seriously hoping to find some thing I can wear undergarments with because I’m a little bustier and want to be able to have good support for the girls.

View Quoted Comment

I hear you! Honestly, I am likewise quite busty and wanted good support, but I discovered when I went shopping that the majority of wedding dresses are designed to be worn without a bra, and even though it weirded me out because I almost NEVER skip wearing a bra) my dress is very supportive and fine without one. So, definitely something to be conscious of if you're going for a strapless or whatnot, but don't be overly surprised if you find one just... doesn't fit underneath your dress.

View Quoted Comment That is good to know! I have zero experience with wedding dresses. I honestly can’t imagine going without a brawl, so it might be a little weird but I think I’ll adjust if it’s needed. I may just feel like I’m naked! Lol

When I got to my appointment (not David’s bridal) my consultant sat down with me and discussed what I wanted. Then she put me in 3 different styles of dresses to start. One that was simple, one with a moderate amount of sparkles and lace and one with a lot of lace and sparkle to see what I liked about each. Then once she got the feel of what I liked she went and picked dresses along the route of what I liked

View Quoted Comment

I said Yes To The Dress!!!! I just knew when I put it on that this was it. I tried other dresses on because my dress was the first one I tried, but this was it! I'm so excited!!! It's not like anything I was looking at, but it's perfect!

View Quoted Comment So pretty! I’m glad you found your dress! I got something very much what I intended to get except I never wanted strapless and mine is strapless lol

View Quoted Comment I said yes to the dress!
LOL, I thought I wanted strapless but when I tried it on I just didn’t like the way it felt! I never even looked at halter tops but that’s what I went with. I can’t believe it’s nothing like I looked at. LOL