WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING TIPS FROM A BRIDAL BOUTIQUE OWNER
Selecting the perfect wedding dress for your big day is no small feat. So we solicited the advice of our owner Nicole Derrick, to share with you some important tips for your bridal consultation.
Schedule an appointment
Bridal salons want to make each bride feel important. We can ensure we do this best when we know you are coming into the salon. At Olivia’s Bridal House we pride ourselves in ensuring our brides are treated the BEST. Therefore, we require each bride have an appointment. This way you come prepared for your consultation and don’t have to feel rushed.
Set a budget
Speaking candidly, there is nothing worse than a bride that doesn’t know her budget! Our Stylists cannot properly serve you if we don’t know what you can realistically afford. Plan to spend about 10 percent of your overall budget on your dress. This is just a starting point. You have to figure out what is more important to you! A fashionable dress, a lavish cake, or an amazing photographer. Either way knowing your budget is KEY before you start shopping.
Limit Your Bride Tribe
We have all watched Say Yes to the Dress and brides think they need to bring everyone and their mother with them to the appointment. NOT TRUE. We limit the number of guests you can have in our boutique to 4 and find that often times brides become less focused and overwhelmed when there are lots of opinions. Bring 1-2 people whose input means the most to you but remember ultimately it is YOUR decision that matters most!
Start Shopping ONLY When You Are Ready to Purchase
Brides often want to “test drive” the shopping experience before they are actually ready to buy anything. This can happen for a number of reasons: uncertainty about shopping for a bridal gown, budget constraints, the person who is purchasing the gown is not available to go to several preliminary appointments, or brides fear wasting the time of other people who want to help them select a dress. Although all good reasons in theory, it is most appreciated by bridal salons that you don’t start shopping until you are ready to buy your gown. Holding several preliminary appointments when you aren’t ready to purchase can tie up an appointment from a bride who is ready to purchase her gown.
It’s Okay to Say Yes Quickly
I know many people will tell you to sleep on it or not rush into making a decision; but when you know, you know! Many of our brides find their dream gown very quickly…usually within the first 3 we bring them! You don’t have to try on a dozen dresses to find the right one and honestly this can complicate the decision-making process. Trust your gut!
Trust The Stylist
As a Stylist it is nice to hear when a bride has a vision for herself on her wedding day. We love even more when you have a few pictures to accompany your vision. But, please keep in mind that we do this for a living! We live and breathe bridal gowns. So, we can tell pretty quickly what might look fabulous on you! Did you know that most brides choose a dress that looks nothing like what they initially thought they wanted?
Size Doesn’t Matter
Brides who are concerned about the size tag in the sample gown they are trying on are not really enjoying their bridal consultation. It is important to know that every designer’s size chart is different. You may be a 16 on one size chart and a 22 on another. At any rate, who cares! We ensure that we order the right size gown for you. And remember taking a gown in is a heck of a lot easier, than letting one out.
We hope these tips were helpful and will assist in making your bridal consultation with us fun and memorable!
Are there any other tips that you would like to share to fellow brides? Feel free to comment below.