It only took me six shops to finally THE wedding dress lol. Since I’ve gone to way more bridal dress appointments than I wanted, I thought it would be helpful to share 8 tips for how to prepare for bridal dress appointments!

1. Research bridal dress styles

I started bridal dress shopping without any clue of what kind of dress I wanted. This definitely was a huge reason why I went to so many bridal shops since I had to try on a lot of dresses to figure out what I like. I recommend getting some inspiration in advance from Pinterest or bridal magazines. This will give you at least an idea of what you want to try on because the stylists will ask you this and that information will be helpful to them as well. Of course, don’t limit yourself to a few styles, but getting inspiration will give you a good starting point! Check out WeddingWire’s dress guides that talk about the different wedding dress silhouettes and wedding dress necklines.

2. Set a budget

Unless you’re ballin’ out of control, bridal gown stylists will ask you what your wedding dress budget is and they’ll even help you stick to it! If you’re not sure where to start, the average cost of a wedding dress in the U.S., according to WeddingWire’s Wedding Dress Cost Guide, “typically ranges from $400 to $1,700 with most brides spending at least $1,050.” When setting your budget, also consider the cost of accessories such as bridal shoes, veil, and alterations. It all adds up quickly!

3. Start shopping 8-12 months in advance

How to prepare for bridal dress appointments? Start shopping early! Even after ordering your winning dress, it takes months for the dress to arrive. Then you have to take into account alterations, which take another 1-2 months. I’m cutting it real close finding my dress in mid-February since the dress won’t arrive until June. This gives me exactly 1-2 months for alterations, just in time for my August wedding. If I waited past February, I may not have been able to get the exact dress I wanted! I definitely wish I started earlier.

4. Shop with a few people you trust and make multiple bridal dress appointments on the same day

One of my tips for how to prepare for bridal dress appointments is to bring a few bridesmaids or whomever whose opinions you trust. I can be super indecisive so I want others to tell me their honest opinions and help me narrow down my options. It’s also flattering and super sweet seeing their reactions hehe. Don’t forget to check how many people you can bring to the bridal shop. A lot of places I went to could only accommodate 2-3 people.

While you have your bridesmaids/mom/aunt/whomever with you, make it a full, fun day and stop by multiple shops for efficiency. Most stores require you to make an appointment to try on dresses so book in advance since availability can be limited and plan out your day. Then you can all grab dinner or dessert afterwards!

5. Put makeup on and style your hair

You don’t need to go all out but I recommend putting some makeup on and styling your hair. This will give you a better idea of what you’ll look like on your big day. For me, makeup and hair also make me feel a lot more confident. The spotlight will be on you while you’re trying on dresses so look and feel confident and strut it, girl!

6. Wear the appropriate undergarments

Depending on the bridal shop, some stylists will actually go in the fitting room with you and help you put on your dress. I totally did not know this and wore some pretty embarrassing, raggedy underwear LOL. I recommend to, not only wear undergarments you’re comfortable with other stylists seeing, but also wearing your best strapless nude bra. This is important so you can better visualize what your dress looks like without any distractions, especially if you try on strapless, spaghetti strap, or off the shoulder wedding dresses.

7. Take photos of the dresses at every angle

The most important tip for how to prepare for bridal dress appointments is to take photos of the bridal dresses you really like. Not only will it help you visualize how the dress will photograph, it will also help you remember what the dress looks like on you. Like I mentioned, I went to 6 different bridal shops and it was hard to remember all of the dresses that I liked. In the end, there were two top contenders from two different bridal shops. The stores were pretty far away from each other so I didn’t want to drive back again to try them on. Instead, I studied the photos that we took of each dress and it made me realize which one looked the best and why I fell in love with the winning wedding dress. I asked my bridesmaids to take photos for me and I took mirror selfies as well. Remember to take photos of the front, back, and any other important details!

8. Try on different styles that you would not normally wear

Lastly, even after having an idea of what dress you may want, don’t limit yourself and try to experiment with other styles. It never hurts to try on different styles as you may be surprised with the outcome! I was surprised by how much I liked mermaid dresses and two-piece separates!

I hope these tips are helpful for how to prepare for bridal dress appointments. I wish I knew some of these before I started so I’m happy to share my lessons learned with you guys! I can’t wait for you to see the winning dress, but you’ll have to wait until my wedding day! 🙂

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