I’m so ready to find my wedding dress, Thee dress because, hunnie, I know I am going to look GOOD! And here’s how I know.
Last week I visited Lovely Bride NYC to try on some new bridal pieces from designers Rue de Seine, Alexandra Grecco, Made with Love Bridal and Lovers Society. It was my first time being in a Bridal shop and my first time trying on wedding dresses. I learned a lot during this session and decided to share my top 4 tips for wedding dress shopping that I know would help the next bride-to-be.
Lovely Bride NYC has a beautiful space that smells so yummy without being overbearing. The aesthetic gave me chic, soft and comfy which made me soooo ready to get started! The team is also so kind and accommodating, which for a bride-to-be during a pandemic is more than needed.
If 8 year old Manda, who used to try on her big sister’s high heels and old bridesmaid dresses, pretending to walk down somebody's aisle, could see herself right now? She’d scream with excitement. Oh yeah, I used to do that--there’s no shame in my game.
Even though I was there as a model and not for my personal bridal appointment...yet *wink wink* it still felt magical. That experience took away any little bit of nervousness I had at the thought of going to my own bridal session. Now I know how different wedding dresses will look on my frame and I was able to see that without the pressure of feeling like I had to buy one. I was able to try on dresses that had design details I wasn’t even thinking about before which has given me new ideas about what I want in my dream dress.
"ZEPHER" by Lovers Society
Now, I know I said I wasn’t there to buy my own dress but I must say that the very first dress I tried on looked like a dream on me, so much so that I won’t be including a photo of it in this post because she’s on my list.
So, with all that being said here are my top 4 tips for a great wedding dress shopping experience:
1. Know what you want but don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone:
We all have an idea of what we’d want our dream wedding dress to look like but until you try something on you don’t really know for sure. So go to your appointment with your ideas in mind, of course! Shoot, you could even bring those pinterest boards full of inspo you’ve been collecting over the years but don’t be afraid to try on a different silhouette. You never know until you try...it on.
"Poppy Top" and "Willa Pant" by Alexandra Grecco
2. Don’t feel pressured to buy a dress in that moment:
Sis, this is your wedding dress, what I’ve been calling Thee dress. Take the time you want and need. There is no pressure to buy your dress in the first, second or even third shop. If you didn’t find the dress, then you didn’t find the dress and that’s ok. If you feel like the person helping you in your appointment is pressuring you into buying a dress? Then find another shop where you will be treated kindly and with respect.
3. Remember your budget sis:
I talked about budgets in my previous blog post and I’ll probably be doing that in every wedding related post because it’s real life. Yes we’re buying Thee dress but we have to remember Thee budget. You don’t want to spend $5000 on a dress if you know your wedding budget is only $7,000, y’know? Especially when there are soooo many sample sales out there ready to save you some money. You can have the dress of your dreams on the budget of your dreams. Take time to look around.
4. Bring the people who lift you up and keep it real with you to your bridal appointment:
When you walk out the dressing room in that gown, you want to know how you look! Especially if you’re looking as good as you might be feeling.You want the people who are waiting to see you to be the people who will hype you up like a brand new Beyonce album. You also want to know that they’re keeping it real with you and not just “yes people” who are hyping you up just because they think that’s what you want to hear. Bring the people who are core members of your tribe and not just because you think they should be there. People who will give you good energy and not the people who make you feel upset in your spirit. Now that we’re in a pandemic most bridal shops aren’t allowing too many people to accompany the bride-to-be to her appointment but that might be even better for you sis. Trust me.
The dress above is "Archie" by Made with Love Bridal
If you found these tips for wedding dress shopping helpful please feel free to share this post with someone you know who may need them.
Also check out my Instagram, @nalasoul for more behind the scenes on our wedding planning adventures. Our hashtag is #AHuntSupreme
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