Rhiannon’s “Talking About Weddings”

From playing with Barbies to flipping through bridal magazines, most women have been “planning” their weddings long before they met Prince Charming. And wedding dresses have long been a favorite day dreaming subject. But now it’s real. You are really getting married and you need the perfect dress. Today I’m sharing with you Part One with When and Where to buy your wedding dress. I will post Part Two with Tips & Things to Consider tomorrow.

When to Buy

• Start your search as soon as you can. Start looking at bridal magazines, searching the Internet, etc. but don’t go to bridal stores until you have a budget, date and a reception site booked. Make sure you have a clear dress budget (including slip, bra and dress alterations) before you get your heart set on a dress you cannot afford. Depending on where you’ll be getting married, the weather may greatly affect your choice of dress. You will also want to know the style of your ceremony and reception. A cathedral train with pounds of lace and pearls would look rather odd at a simple garden wedding or down at the beach.
• Buy special order gowns at least 6 months prior to your wedding date. Special orders take a long time and you will need plenty of time for alterations. Bridal store associates can give you specifics for their dresses. If you plan to go the special order route, call bridal stores in advance to get their advice on ordering time frames (they vary store to store).

  Where to Buy

• You can buy wedding dresses everywhere! From small boutiques to chain stores there is no shortage of places to find the perfect dress.
• Start with large bridal stores with dresses you can buy, same-day. You will be able to try on dresses in your size and begin to get a good feel for which cuts and styles are most flattering to your figure. And if you find one you love you can take it home that day!
• Go to private owned bridal stores. You may be surprised by their expertise and pricing. Because small business owners may not have the same expenses as large business, they often pass the savings on to their customers. They may not have the in-store selection of dresses as larger stores, but they often have many well known dress companies that they custom order from. Some may even make a custom dress for you.

• Order a dress online. I’ve seen gorgeous wedding gowns and bridesmaids dresses ordered online. You can try on dresses in bridal stores to find the style that looks best on you. They tell you how to get your measurements so the sizing will be accurate. Just check to see if the company is reputable before paying them.

  Check back tomorrow for Part Two, with Tips & Things to Consider. Have you already bought your dress and have tips/insight you would like to share? What stores in your area do you recommend and why? Leave us a comment! And keep your questions coming!
  

  Technorati Categories: weddings, wedding planning.
  
  

  Sites to Check Out

  Please note, I have never done business with any of these companies and cannot guarantee their quality/service.

• Beautiful & trendy wedding dresses at a great price. Check out the Bridal Online Store. I liked their selection and how many photos you could view of each dress. They also have accessories and Flower Girl & Bridesmaids dresses.

• Great site with a large selection. Check out the House of Brides. You can search by designer and they have a large selection beyond just wedding dresses.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 14th, 2006 at 12:20 pm and is filed under General Information, Wedding Dresses, Just for Brides. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.