What (not) to do when buying your dress!

[gkashmira]

As many of you know (and I'm sure are totally tired of hearing about) I went through quite a lot of changes and mild drama trying to buy my wedding dress. In the end I bought one that I am in love with BUT i learned a lot about buying a wedding dress along the way. I thought for those who have not bought their dress yet, haven't started shopping or really any stage along the way I may be able to pass on some of the info I've learned (much of which was in fact told to me before - of course I didn't listen...). Plus I know a lot of other brides who have bought there dresses may have some great tips to pass on as well - and perhaps some DOs and DON'Ts of their own!

WHAT TO DO WHEN LOOKING FOR YOUR WEDDING DRESS:
1. DO Set your budget ahead of time. Be realistic about how much you have and how much things reaslly cost. Don't forget about the veil, taxes and alterations - come up with a final number.
2. DO Look at dresses online (Knot, Brides, etc.) to see what kind of styles you like
3. DO Go to a bunch of different places, including the big ones like David's
4. DO try on on different cuts - including ones you don't think will look good.
5. DO take your mom/sister/best-friend with you
6. DO take pictures of you in the dresses before you buy one - something that looks good in the bridal shop mirrors may not be the same in those pictures!
7. DO try on both white and ivory.
8. DO think about weather and location when buying your dress - Will heavy silk be too hot for your wedding in July?
9. DO look for sample sales online (topbutton.com for NYC & LA) and make appointments.
10. DO find a dress that you really truly LOVE!

WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN BUYING A DRESS from my experiences and others:
1. DON'T wait until the last minute (big price increases on those rush orders)
2. DON'T TRY ON DRESSES THAT ARE OVER YOUR BUDGET! (DO try on dresses that are UNDER your budget)
3. DON'T impulse buy. The dress WILL be there tomorrow - go home and think about it for a few days. Take some pictures and look at them at home - really decide you love it.
4. DON'T get stuck on one style ahead of time and limit yourself to only trying on those dresses - it may not be the best look for you!
5. DON'T buy a dress that is either too small or too big - alterations are expensive!
6. DON'T look for dresses after you buy yours! I know there are few ladies who have turned into 2 dress brides because of this!
7. DON'T think nothing is going to look good on you... (and then, oh, I don't know, let's say, try on a dress way over your budget and fall in love with it...)

And here are a few notes:
- You can buy a lot of major brands online for less. Once you know what dress and what size you want it doesn't hurt to check the online sources for their prices. There's a great thread on here listing all sorts of places to look - check them out.
- Bridal Salon mirrors can be decieving. Check them while you're still in your normal clothes to see if you appear taller or thinner... funny how that can make a big difference in what you think of a dress!
- Always post pictures of you in your dress up here on the forum so we can see it too!

[Janet]

great list! I totally agree with the idea of taking a photo and then seeing if you like yourself in the photo. Mirrors and photos do not always show the same thing! (You'd think they would, yes, but they don't!)

And photos is all you're left with after the wedding....

[TammyB]

Originally Posted by gkashmira

- Always post pictures of you in your dress up here on the forum so we can see it too!

LOL,, I think this one is a must.. :-)

Seriously this is great advise, I thought I found a dress and took a pic of it, but when I seen the picture later at home I hated the dress, even if you have to be sneaky about it.. TAKE THE PICTURE.. It really makes your finial decision easier. Also like Kash said, don't try on dresses that are out of your budget, I seen a beautiful dress that I loved but was over 3k more then what I wanted to spend, I wanted sooo badly to try it on but I knew I would love it and want it, but I didn't and I'm still extremly happy with the dress I have now..

[Jackie]

Kash, thanks for the list. Good advice. I think not trying on dresses out of my price range will be the number one rule I will need to stick too. I can really see myself forking over my credit card for a dress way out of my budget because I like the designer.

[TammyB]

Originally Posted by Ryjaxs19

Kash, thanks for the list. Good advice. I think not trying on dresses out of my price range will be the number one rule I will need to stick too. I can really see myself forking over my credit card for a dress way out of my budget because I like the designer.

Here I go again hijacking a thread..

Jackie, when do you leave for your site visit?

[Christine]

great advice Kash...I really thought about you and your dilema when I was trying on dresses and told the lady my budget and not to bring me anything over that...thanks for going through all of this for us ;o)

[destinationbride07]

Thanks Kash! Great advice!

[JulieG]

Thank you so much for that info. I have not gone looking for a dress yet and I am glad I read this first. You will be helping out a lot of people due to this post and I know they will all, as do I, appreciate it.

[mexico15]

Yeah, I feel the same way about the pictures!! That is a GREAT tip! There were a few dresses I LOVED, but saw them in the picture and hated them on me!! I also did fall into the trap of buying too quickly b/c they offered 15% to buy that day. Afterwards, I regreted it and hated my dress!! However, I feel differently now, and it ended up being ok...I was just in a "depressed" mood, which made me hate everything :) There are just so many different styles out there that I LOVE...it is too hard to only have ONE dress. :)

[Sarah]

Great advice Kash!