What You Need to Know Before Shopping

You probably can’t help but be a little excited at the thought of shopping for your wedding dress even if you aren’t a fashionista. Just one year ago, I was in the middle of my own decision making with my wedding dress. Instead of shopping though, I decided to design and sew my dress. The process was not without its drama and moments of doubt as I sewed and tore it apart somewhere around 6 times. My mom eventually threatened to send it home with my maid of honor until the wedding unless I agreed not to touch it anymore.

Since I didn’t have the first hand experience as a bride shopping for the dress, I reached out to Sarah Ashworth from the local Rochester, NY bridal boutique Heart to Heart Bride for her thoughts on creating a successful and pleasant shopping experience.

What is helpful for a bride to know before scheduling an appointment?

“Before brides schedule their dress appointment we would love for them to know how magical dress shopping is! The only thing you can compare finding your wedding dress to is finding your fiance. It may sound cheesy but there are so many comparisons! It usually happens when you least expect it and in ways that you don't expect it to happen and it really is so much more of an emotional feeling than a logical decision. For that reason, we always suggest that brides only shop for their wedding dress when they are truly ready, both financially and emotionally, to say yes to their dress!”

How would you advise a bride to prepare financially for her visit?

“Know your budget and do your research on which local stores fit your budget! Our Webster location, Heart to Heart Bride serves brides in the $1,200 to $3,000 price range and our Manchester location, Two Hearts Bridal, serves brides in the $499-$1,499 price range. There are stores in Rochester that start around $2,500 so you want to call around and ask questions before you book an appointment and make sure the store is a good fit to meet your needs. You also want to know what the store requires as a down payment and what forms of payment they accept. If someone else is paying for your dress, make sure this information is relayed to them so they are prepared when you say yes!”

How many members of the "entourage" would you advise a bride to bring?

“As few as possible!!!!! It is really hard for brides to understand until they do it just how overwhelming all of the opinions can be. But, you do need to bring anyone with you that you absolutely need by your side to say yes (for example, if you need your mom with you to say yes, DON'T GO SHOPPING WITHOUT MOM!). You also don't necessarily need every single one of your bridesmaids, Aunts and cousins etc. Just those closest to you who truly have your best interests at heart!”

Additional advice:

“-Keep an open mind! You never know what you will truly like in a wedding dress until you try it on. Trust the experts and try on our suggestions :) Kind of like finding your fiance, sometimes you have a list of the things you want in your future husband and that list gets thrown out when you find the perfect person and he becomes the list! Finding your dress can be so similar to that! So often brides end up with a dress they didn't expect at all.

-Read reviews!

-Research the different experiences at each store. Think about whether or not you would prefer a one-on-one experience, a private experience, a lively Saturday experience, a more laid-back self-serve experience etc. and book your appointment at the appropriate store at the appropriate day and time. At our Webster location we do one-on-one appointments and at our Manchester location is it more laid-back, more self-serve and we do take walk-ins.

-Book one appointment at a time! Going to 3 appointments in one day is exhausting and overwhelming. Do your research, find the store that you believe is the best fit, and see how it goes! There is no magical number of stores to visit. You could find your dress on the very first dress and how amazing would that be?!”

As with any part of planning your wedding, I believe it’s important to take the pressure off and allow yourself to experience rather than just check another box off on the checklist. Surround yourself with those who know you well and will support you and bring out your best decision making. Trust your gut and your professionals!

Photo credit: Melody Lane Photos