The dress, your wedding dress, is the one you’ve been dreaming of your entire life. From the day I was old enough to know what being a bride entails, I was immedialty dreaming of my day and my dress. Thanks Disney. By being a fashion blogger, there may have been some big expectations surrounding my dress, but I stayed true to who I am, what I wanted, and I wouldn’t settle for less. Trying on your wedding dress is kinda of like finding your one true love. You will find qualities in them that you knew you wanted before you met, like the plunging back, sweetheart neckline, and vintage lace. Once you find the one that meet those qualities, and you try it on for the first time, it will just click. You will know, and the unexplainable feeling will just hit you like a bus... just like it did when you fell in love. I tried on twenty something gowns before I found “the one”. God help the girl who goes through twenty something boyfriends.
Since finding the perfect dress is definitely a process, I want to share with you my experiences and forward some advice to the newly engaged.
Some advice I have for the Bride and Dress Shopping:
1. Sticking to one main theme makes it easier to weed out. Putting together alloptions can be
overwhelming. I knew I wanted an open back and those were mainly the dresses I tried on. With my my mother and grandmothers, being “Old South” the plunge couldn’t go too low. However, I wanted to see just how low it could go …with classy qualities of course. I think I pulled it off. Plunging back, mermaid cuts, princess silhouettes, lace, or even nude illusions-find what quality is most important to you and stick with it.
2. Don’t be afraid to step outide your comfort zone. Even if you thought you wanted a mermaid gown, try on at least one princess ball gown. You never know what the dress will look like on YOU. Plus you may even like different silhouettes once you try something different. I tried on a big beautiful princess gown, and I loved it. However, I still loved the vintage lace A-lines dresses better. Try on at least one outside your chosen silhouette just so you know. The funny story of this dress is that I never thought of having sleeves before I tried this one on. As I have always been strongly obsessed with old hollywood fashion, the sleeves nostalgically brought me to Grace Kelly and Kate Middleton. I never looked back.
3. All dresses look different on the hanger.
4. When dress shopping, many guests means many opinions. I am a people pleaser. I always want everyone else to be happy, but this my friends is a day that is about YOU and no one else. The dress should make YOU feel beautiful, amazing, and unstoppable. The first couple of times I went dress shopping, I only took my mom. I even went by myself one time. When I found three dresses I could not decide between, I brought only my three closest friends and family, including my mom. You do need a second opinion but only from the that one person who will be honest with you. You’ll need an honest, reliable companion to say, ‘I love it. But it’s just not "you".Bring the ones that will support your decision to look gorgeous. ;)
5. Buy your dress at least six months in advance, maybe even eight. Most gowns take at least six to eight months to come in because of the man power it takes for gorgeusosnes occur, unless you buy it off the rack. You'll most likely have three fittings to get your dress altered to fit you just right. Time it just right.
6. Don’t let a discount distract you from what you really want. I promise, it is worth it to spend a little more and have exactly what you want, than to spend a little less and not have exactly what you wanted for that day. Skim off others things for the reception that are less important. The dress is everything!
7. Stop pinning in the name of love! After you make your purchase put down the pinterst!
Once you purchase your dress, do not keeping looking. I put myself on a Pinterest and Bridal Magazines fast. Don’t even look back on that twenty thousand dollar gown you pinned that you knew was out of reach. You will begin to feel uneasy, become overwhelmed, and even doubt your purchase. After looking and looking, you can forget what you originnaly set out to find. Don’t let magazines, and pinterest confuse you. Trust yourself, and be confident in your decision.
Remember what it was like the first time you put it on, pure euphoria. I promise the morning of your wedding, that feeling will come back to you.
From my closet to yours, thanks for stopping by
-Morrell
Candice Brown Photography
