What to Expect from your first Wedding Dress Appointment - Wedding Dress Shopping 101

Oct 18, 2017

What to Expect from your First Wedding Dress Appointment

Another Wednesday, another wedding post. Are you guys sick of these yet? Because I know I'm not! Seriously I feel like I could write a book on this stuff. Today's post is the third in the Wedding Dress Shopping 101 series that's running all of October. I've already spilled the tea about the 5 Mistakes I Made while Wedding Dress Shopping and shared some great times on What to Do BEFORE You Go Wedding Dress Shopping for the first time.

So today I'm going to draw from my own experience and walk you through your first wedding dress appointment! Wedding dress shopping can be one of the most stressful and nerve wracking parts of the wedding planning process so hopefully sharing my experiences from wedding dress shopping can help y'all to be more prepared for what to expect from your first wedding dress appointment!

Don’t show up like you just rolled out of bed

You should tackle wedding dress shopping the same way you would an important job interview or event at work. You want to make sure you’re feeling your absolute best when you’re trying on wedding dresses so make sure to put in the extra effort into your appearance the day of your first appointment. No need to go crazy on the hair and makeup but putting on your favorite outfit and some mascara will do wonders for your confidence!

Everything you’ve seen on TV is fake

I have heard from someone in good confidence that everything that happens on Say Yes to the Dress is fake. Yes, you read that right. Don’t walk into your first wedding dress appointment expecting it to be like the hit TLC reality show because in reality, it’s all staged. At the end of the day, do you really want your wedding dress shopping experience to go down like most of the brides on SYTTD? Probably not.

You probably can’t have food or drinks in the salon

My girls went to get me (and everyone else) Starbucks only to find out that they couldn’t bring their drinks even remotely near the area where I was trying on dresses. The reason I included this bit of information is to make sure that you stay hydrated before you start trying on wedding dresses. It is actually exhausting, which is not something you’re likely to read anywhere but here. You’ll be hot and sweaty getting in and out of the dresses for at least an hour so drink lots of water before hand!

Don’t forget about a veil and accessories

This should be a given but once you actually find your dress, go ahead and start at least trying on accessories. Trust me when I say that trying to find a veil after the fact is a little more difficult than when you’re standing on a pedestal in all of your glory having attendants bring you veil after veil.

Your consultant should be your best friend

Not only is your bridal consultant going to help you find your dream gown but you’re also likely to get up close and personal with them… literally. If you’re not clicking with your consultant from the get go it might be a good idea to speak to a manager because the consultant is a critical part of making sure your wedding dress shopping experience doesn’t end in disaster. Can you imagine getting in and out of dress for an hour with someone you don’t get on with?

Everyone will have opinions

We’ve all watched Say Yes to the Dress and even though the show is basically the opposite of reality, it is true that everyone you choose to share your bridal appointments with will have their own opinions. They will have opinions on what looks best on you, what they think you should wear, you name it. Heed my advice and keep your entourage to a minimum.

You actually have to sign a contract for your wedding dress

Fun fact: you will sign more contracts while planning a wedding than you will for anything else the rest of your life. At least, that’s the way it feels. You even have to sign a contract for your wedding dress. The contract basically just makes sure you’re going to pay for the dress and that the shop is going to actually order it.

You might not have “a moment” but you’ll know it’s the one

Not everyone cries when they find their wedding dress. I definitely didn’t the first time and while I teared up a little bit the second time… when I actually found THE dress, I didn’t have a full on moment like the TV shows make you believe. That being said, the second time I could picture it happening. I could picture the moment when I would walk down the altar and see J standing there waiting for me. That’s the moment you want to have, who cares about the water works.

Wedding dress sizing is actually ridiculous so don’t pay attention

I’m a total fan of label size not mattering regardless but wedding dress sizing is really just absurd. Don’t be shocked when you see a size 14 on the label when you’re a 6 in jeans. That’s totally normal and it has no effect on how beautiful you are.

For more details on wedding dress shopping, check out this Cosmopolitan post featuring one of my favorite people on Earth, Hayley Paige and this guide from A Practical Wedding. And don’t forget we have one Wednesday left in this Wedding Dress Shopping 101 series so definitely check back next week as we round out this series.