Now that you have your big things locked in and your bridal party selected, it’s the time we’ve all been waiting for… dress shopping!! So, get out your Pintrest board and rally the troops for a shopping trip!

When it comes to wedding dress shopping, everyone is different. Some brides want the full bridal boutique experience (think - Say Yes to the Dress). Some brides buy a simple white dress from their local department store. Some brides buy a gown second-hand online or have one custom-made. There are no real “rules” when it comes to wedding dress shopping. My advice is, to keep an open mind when you’re trying on different styles because 90% of my brides (myself included) ended up buying a dress that was completely different from what they imagined themselves in.
If we are specifically talking about a traditional wedding boutique shopping experience, please remember that most gowns can take anywhere between 3-9 months to order in, so don’t leave shopping too late. And please don’t put too much pressure on yourself to have that magical, emotional ‘moment’ when you find your ‘perfect dress’. I think this leads brides to continue trying on dozens of dresses, always thinking there is something better at the next boutique. I went to one bridal store, tried on about 7 dresses, and chose a dress that looked great on me, and ticked all the boxes in terms of comfort, practicality for my venue, and budget. Speaking of budget! never forget the golden rule of wedding dress shopping - DON’T try on any dresses that you can’t afford! This never ends well…

Once you have your dress ordered, you can start brainstorming for your bridal party, make sure you choose colours that are complementary to your dress, your fiance’s outfit, and the overall feel of the wedding. It’s also really trendy nowadays to choose a colour palette, and let your bridesmaids choose their own outfit, allowing them all to be unique and comfortable.

Meeting up with your vendors can be a fantastic way to make sure you click well before booking them in or to make sure you’re on the same page in the lead-up to the wedding. This is particularly common when booking celebrants, photographers & wedding planners/ coordinators, or any other vendors who have a lot to do with you and your guests on the wedding day. Some vendors require multiple meetings. For example, we met our celebrant once before we confirmed our booking, and once again via skype in the days leading up to the wedding to finalise the running order of the ceremony. When we are talking food - you’ll most likely go and to a tasting to select the menu for your wedding dinner. In terms of hair & makeup artists, it’s also completely fine to meet your H&MUA for a Bridal Trial to meet in person, discuss your chosen look, and trial this look so that you know you are completely happy before paying your deposit. I would say, about 30% of my brides do a trial before officially locking in their date. The other 70% are happy to book without doing a trial, and choose to do their trial closer to their weding date. I always recommend having a hair & makeup trial, as it gives you the opportunity to make tweaks and perfect the look before the day. However, it does come at an additional cost, so a small percentage of my brides choose to go without. This could be for a few reasons; maybe they didn’t factor a trial into their budget, maybe they love what they have seen online and feel comfortable going with the flow on the day, or maybe they have had their hair & makeup done by me in the past and they know they will be happy without a trial. Just be aware the wedding day is not for trialing looks, so if you choose to go without a trial, it’s best to have a clear idea of what you would like. We don’t allow time for experimentation on the wedding day!

It’s important to have a good relationship with your vendors, and having meetings & trials is a great way to become friendly with your vendors. It’s much more pleasant being surrounded by familiar faces on your wedding day!