The Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Dream Wedding Gown
How To Create The Perfect Wedding Dress Shopping Experience
So you just got engaged, congratulations babe! Take your time and enjoy this new season of life, your bride-to-be era! Once you have your wedding venue and date set, you can finally live out your life-long dreams of finding your wedding dress!
Finding the perfect wedding dress is a momentous occasion for any bride-to-be. From finding the silhouette that makes you feel the most confident, to the right fabric and all the intricate details, every aspect of the gown contributes to creating the bridal look of your dreams. However, with countless options available, navigating the world of bridal dress shopping can feel overwhelming. Fear not! In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the essential steps to choosing the perfect wedding dress, ensuring that you look and feel amazing on your special day.
1. Set Your Budget:
Have you thought about your budget yet, and what you are comfortable spending on your dream dress? It’s good to know what you are comfortable spending prior to shopping.
Our wedding dress prices range from $1,200 - $4,000, with the average being around $2,000.
If a friend or family member has offered to help or fully buy your wedding dress for you, make sure you have an open & honest conversation with them to ensure you know the budget before booking any appointments.
Did you know… we only require a 60% deposit to order your made-to-order wedding gown?! We also offer other payment plan options.
2. Do Your Research:
Social media & Pinterest will be your best friend here to get an idea of what you’re leaning towards.
You can check out our Gown Collection here, where you can see all of our gowns that we have in store!
You can also see these gorgeous wedding dresses in live action on our social media pages, so be sure to follow us @ivoryandbeau.
Explore different wedding dress styles and silhouettes to identify which ones resonate with your personal taste.
While not always necessary, consider the time of the year you are getting married and the venue - you may not want to choose a long sleeve full ball gown if you are getting married on the beach in summer!
3. Book Your Bridal Appointment & start Early:
Book your bridal appointment around 8-14 months before your wedding date.
Made to order wedding dresses can take anywhere from 4-9 months to come in!
But don’t worry, we also specialize in quick timelines and turnarounds, and offer a range of Aisle Ready Gowns that you can take home the same day!
4. Choose your Bride Tribe wisely:
Really think about who you want to be by your side during your wedding dress shopping experience, and surround yourself with positivity and people who will be supportive of your vision and feelings!
It’s essential to have a crew who gets you and your style, and that will help celebrate BIG when you say yes to the dress at Ivory & Beau!
5. Forget Everything You Know About Sizing!
Wedding dress sizes are vastly different from standard street sizes, are generally labeled larger, and can vary from each designer - so don’t be put off if your usual size isn’t fitting quite right!
We pride ourselves in being size inclusive with gowns ranging from sizes 6-24!
The dresses you try on will (most likely) not fit you perfectly - and that’s okay!! This is where our expert bridal stylists come in to help with clips or extenders to give you an idea of how the dress will look in your size.
6. Be Open Minded:
Keep an open mind at your bridal appointment & be open to trying on gowns you may not like on the hanger - you might be surprised!
You may fall in love with a dress that wasn’t even on your radar!!
Common styles include A-line, ball gown, mermaid (trumpet), and fitted. We always recommend trying on a variety of styles to see what the bride feels most confident in.
7. Trust Your Bridal STYlist:
They’re the pros when it comes to their inventory and are they are there to specifically ensure your wedding dress shopping will be nothing short of perfect!
They may provide a different prospective from your bride tribe!!
It’s common for our bridal stylists to pull a dress that the bride or her tribe has not chosen, and it ends up being THE ONE SHE SAYS YES TO!
8. Don’t Be Afraid To Say YES To Your First “I Love It!” Dress:
It's common for brides to think they are rushing into falling in-love with a dress and saying yes, but many come back to that very same dress in the end!
Lots of brides feel like they have to shop at multiple bridal shops and try on lots of wedding dresses, but end up feeling overwhelmed and stressed out with too many options.
Trust your initial gut reaction, if you feel confident, authentic and can picture yourself walking down the aisle in this dress, it's the one!
9. Schedule Your Alterations Appointment:
Alterations can take between 2-3 months! Make sure to ask your stylist for local recommendations!
Luckily, we have in-house alterations as well as someone who specializes in quicker turnarounds if needed!
10. Get Excited For Your Big Day!
Once your dress arrives and alterations are complete, your big day is right around the corner! Time to get excited!
Don’t forget to book with Ivory & Beau for professional wedding dress steaming services before the wedding day.
BONUS TIP: MAKE YOUR MEMORIES LAST A LIFETIME!
Don’t forget to reach out to your bridal stylist for information about professional Wedding Dress Cleaning & Preservation Kits after your big day!
They will clean your wedding gown and box it up for future generations to look at and even wear!
Choosing the perfect wedding dress is an exciting and memorable part of the wedding planning process. By following these tips and utilizing the expertise of the bridal stylists at our Savannah bridal shop, you'll be well on your way to finding the wedding dress of your dreams. Remember, the most important thing is to choose a dress that makes you feel confident, beautiful, and ready to say "I do" on your special day. Happy dress shopping!