Shopping for a wedding dress isn’t always smooth sailing. To make sure that you can enjoy the whole process, we’ve summarised 8 super common mistakes, you should avoid at all costs. At the end of the day, finding 'The One' should be a fun and exciting experience. With our tips in hand, you are all set to find the dress of your dreams without making any mistakes along the way.
So let’s get right to it.
Mistake #1: Wrong timing
When shopping for a wedding dress, you should always keep the right timing in mind. Although picking a dress can be done in a day, there is a whole process involved when it comes to making and altering the dress for you. “So when should I start looking for a dress?” We recommend starting shopping 10 months before your wedding day.
Mistake #2: “I am going to lose 10 kg before the wedding, so I’ll order a size smaller.”
We love setting goals. We’re all about setting goals. HOWEVER, when it comes to ordering a wedding dress, going a size smaller because you think you will lose weight before the wedding, is a big NO-NO! Your wedding dress is probably going to be the most expensive dress you will ever buy. It would be an absolute disaster, to get to the day of to only realise that your dress doesn’t fit. We’re not saying that we don't believe in you; but altering your dress once you’ve reached your goal, is much safer!
Mistake #3: Bringing all of your friends and family to the appointment
We know. It’s tough. “Mum wants to come for sure, and if I bring Lisa, I also need to invite Rachel" and so on…It can be extremely tricky to keep your crew small. However, bringing along 10 people means that you’re going to be influenced by 10 different characters, who probably have extremely versatile tastes and opinions; and that can be hella confusing!
Mistake #4: Letting your loved ones take over the decision-making process
YOU are the one getting married. YOU are the one wearing the dress. And YOU should be the one making the decisions. Don’t let yourself get talked into something that you’re not. Take on advice, but don’t let anyone alter your taste. It’s YOUR day!
Mistake #5: Being too set on one style or not knowing what you’re after at all
Everybody is different. Every bum, every back, every bone. Unless you’ve tried on wedding dresses before, you might have no idea which style is going to suit you. Doing your research is great as long as you stay openminded. Your dream dress might be something you would have never looked at in the first place. However, knowing the rough direction can save a lot of time and confusion. Going into an appointment without knowing what you’re after at all, might leave you with 100 different dresses, not enough time, and way too much confusion! Do your research here.
Mistake #6: Shopping without context
Knowing what theme your wedding is going to be, makes all the difference. Are you getting married outside or inside? Are you getting married in a ballroom or out on a farm? Is it going to be The Great Gatsby or Twilight? The bottom line is: your dress needs to match the style of the wedding! Coming into an appointment without knowing your location or wedding theme, can leave you with a wrong dress choice. And nobody wants to buy two wedding dresses!
Mistake #7: Trying on too many gowns
It is kind of like going into a store and trying on different perfumes. It doesn’t take many different fragrances for your brain to turn into mush. By the time you discover the right “smell”, you can’t even tell what makes it unique anymore. The same thing happens when we try on too many wedding dresses. It gets to a stage, where your brain can’t process the different gowns and details that come with them. Keep your collection small!
Mistake #8: Being unrealistic with your budget
Trying on dresses that are out of our price range can be tempting. With all the excitement of finding ‘the one’ perfect dress for us, we might not be so strict on the budget we had in mind when first entering the store. It’s easy to forget about the bigger picture and all other costs involved, so make sure to think carefully before overstepping your budget. Remember, your wedding dress still needs to be altered and eventually dry cleaned and preserved. Keep all of those hidden costs in mind, when determining your budget.
