I Need A Wedding Dress... Where Do I Start? 9 Tips to Follow....

Very excited to be featured by the lovely @the_stitching_station_elland in her Wedding Wednesday focus last Wednesday!

So, ladies, the lovely Alex has asked me to do a piece for her Wedding Wednesday slot and I racked my brain on what to talk to you about. Finally, I thought, let’s start at the beginning if that makes sense?

I Need A Wedding Dress... Where Do I Start?

You’re engaged!
You’ve set a date!
You’ve got a venue!

Now you need a dress but where on earth do you start and where do you visit?

I can’t stress enough how important it is to do your research before stepping foot out of the door to go wedding dress shopping. There are hundreds of shops out there, all offering totally different experiences and looking to attract totally different types of brides. So in the very early stages, you need to decide what’s most important to you. You can think about things like:-

• Dress (Specific Designer?)
• Style of Wedding
• Venue
• Price
• Experience in store

Then start your research, look on social media, follow some #hashtags that relate to you and your wedding and things will start to pop up. Once you have a few stores in mind check out their websites and social media, read the reviews and also contact them. Ask lots of questions to find out what they offer and get a feel for the type of business they are. Will you feel comfortable with them? Will they have dresses that suit your style and the style of your wedding and also what range of sizes do they stock? What type of experience do they offer? Can you just walk in or do you need an appointment? And finally, are their dresses in your price range?

There’s nothing worse than wasting a morning or afternoon when you have got your bridal party together only to arrive somewhere that doesn’t have what you are looking for. So doing your research beforehand will ensure this doesn’t happen and you will have a much more enjoyable and overall successful shopping experience.

Happy Shopping!

#weddingdressshopping #weddingdressinspo #weddingdress #weddingdress #bridetobe #bride #bridalideas #weddingideas #weddingdressshop #2021bride #2022bride #instabride #engaged #love

Shopping Tips 1 - Keeping an open mind...

It’s so important to approach your search with an open mind. Do your research, look online and get an idea of what you like...

• What type of bride do you want to be?
• What fabrics are you attracted to?
• What silhouettes do you like the look of?
• What will fit in with your wedding plans and your venue?
• It will all help in the long run.

Make sure you share this with your bridal consultant, they will do their best to get to know you quickly, so will ask lots of questions about your wedding and you in general, to try and help narrow things down for you.

From experience though, in lots of cases what brides like online and what they actually end up purchasing can be miles apart, which is why it’s so important to try on with an expert. Your bridal consultant should take you through your appointment in a way that helps you narrow down your choices and that way you won’t end up confused. Be honest about what you like and what you don’t like, your bridal consultant can’t read your mind.

Don’t be afraid to try on that wild card dress your bridal consultant suggests, you never know! Remember they see brides in dresses every day!

Ladies who have already chosen your dress, let’s hear from you.
What was your experience? Did you buy the first dress you tried, did you pick it, did the bridal consultant pick it?

#weddingdress #wedding #bride #bridetobe #weddingdressshopping #bridalshop #bridalshopping #2021bride #2022bride #curvybride #plussizebride #plussizeweddingdress #bridalwear #bridal #bridalshopsheffield #itsmorethanjustadressshop #teamcurves

Shopping Tips 2 - Underwear...

I get asked this question so often... So firstly, don’t panic about it!

Let's face it we all have those pants and bra’s that have seen better days, that should be white but are now looking a lovely shade of grey.

Ideally, it’s great to have nude underwear and maybe strapless, but honestly, the most important thing is the support and not the colour.

If you do find “the one” your bridal consultant will need to measure you, so a good supportive bra is key. Shape underwear is great to wear also, particularly if you are looking at a more figure-hugging dress.

But honestly don’t stress about this too much, we are used to it, we’ve seen it all!

Image courtesy of @bloominsexylingerie

#weddingdress #wedding #bride #bridetobe #weddingdressshopping #bridalshop #bridalshopping #2021bride #2022bride #curvybride #plussizebride #plussizeweddingdress #bridalwear #bridal #bridalshopsheffield #itsmorethanjustadressshop #teamcurves

Shopping Tips 3 - Entourages Opinions...

So, ladies, this is a tough one... It’s such an exciting time and it’s so tempting (current times excluded) to get together EVERYONE from your bridal party to bring along to your appointment. But I have to add a word of warning and I’m not being a party pooper when I say this, but from experience, this can be so stressful and confusing for the bride to be.

You see the more opinions in the room, the harder it can be, everyone means well, but they don’t always “shop for the bride” Let’s face it a bridal shop is a pretty magical place to be and so it’s really easy for your lovely guests to get carried away and start dreaming of their own big day (either past or in the future) and there really should be only one bride in the room, today is all about you!

That’s why it’s SO SO important to bring one or two people, who you trust and you know will focus on you and only you, this is your day after all. Plus you are going to look so amazing, why spoil that big reveal when your wedding day comes around! Keep with tradition and keep your dress choice a secret until you walk down the aisle, you won’t regret it!

#weddingdress #weddingdressshopping #bride #bridetobe #2021bride #2022bride #curvybride #wedding #bridal #hintsandtips #weddinginspo #weddinghelp #yorkshirebride #bridalshopping #plussizeweddingdress #plussizebride #bridalshopsheffield #itsmorethanjustadressshop #teamcurves

Shopping Tips 4 - Making Changes and Alterations...

So what other things do you need to know about your appointment? Well, when you’re trying on dresses, it’s likely that the store will have just one sample of each dress in one size (which may not be your size) but don’t worry, the consultant is trained to fit the dress to you (as best they can) so that it will look as near as possible to how it will look in your size. However, depending on how far away from your size it is, you may need to have some imagination, particularly if you are wanting to make changes, for instance adding sleeves, removing beading or even changing the colour.

For some of us having this type of vision is easier than others so be honest with your consultant if you are finding this difficult.

Once the dress arrives, it will more than likely need some slight alterations, it should after all be the best fitting dress of your life by the time you get to your wedding day. It’s vitally important that you use a fully trained and experienced BRIDAL seamstress for this work. For most of us this will be the most expensive dress of our lives, so don’t try to cut corners here, a good seamstress is worth their weight in gold. Some stores will have one in-house or independent seamstress that they work with, at CCB we get brides from all around the country so have built up great relationships with some fantastic seamstresses that do an amazing job!

Alteration costs will vary depending on what is needed to be done, your bridal consultant should be able to give you a rough idea on this when you collect your dress, but you won’t know exactly until the seamstress has seen the dress his/herself. So remember to factor in these costs when purchasing your dress.

#weddingdress #wedding #weddingday #bride #love #bridetobe #bridalshopping #weddingdressshopping #weddingdressideas #weddingdressinspiration #curvybride #curvybrideto #plussizebride #plussizebridetobe #2021bride #2022bride #yorkshirebride #yorkshireweddings #bridalshopsheffield #itsmorethanjustadressshop #teamcurves

Shopping Tips 5 - Ask the Expert...

Your consultant is there as an expert, she/he sees the dresses in their collection on brides to be every day, so use that knowledge and follow their advice as well as giving your own input.

Some dresses have more hanger appeal than others, so may need to be suggested to you, don’t be afraid to go with it, you’d be surprised how many times it’s this dress that turns out to be the one.

It’s important to work through your appointment in a structured way, so your consultant will take you through the different silhouettes available and will make suggestions on what will suit your body shape. She/he will also listen carefully to the feedback that you are giving, I always say “be honest about what you like and don’t like about each dress, I won’t be offended, I’m not the designer”. Being honest with the consultant will help them to help you and hopefully help you find your dream dress.

#wedding #weddingdress #weddingdresses #weddingdressshopping #bride #bridetobe #2021bride #2022bride #curvybride #plussizebride #plussizeweddingdress #curvybridetobe #yorkshirebride #bridalshopsheffield #itsmorethanjustadressshop #teamcurves

Shopping Tips 6 - What Size will I Be?

Oh, where do I start, other than to say that bridal sizing is a little crazy and varies vastly from one designer to another! Some work on US sizes, some on UK sizes and some have their own size chart altogether, so it’s very likely that during your appointment you will find several different sizes fitting you. Be prepared for this, it happens every day!

As a general rule of thumb, you will probably need to go up one or two sizes from the size you choose when purchasing High Street clothes, but once you find your dress, you will be measured by the consultant and she/he will discuss with you the best size to order for that specific dress from that specific designer.

#wedding #weddingdress #weddingdressshopping #bride #bridetobe #love #bridalinspiration #bridalfashion #weddingplanning #curvybride #plussizebride #plussizeweddingdress #bridalshopping #yorkshirebride #bridalshopsheffield #itsmorethanjustadressshop #teamcurves

Shopping Tips 7 - It's a Feeling...

I get asked all the time, “How will I know when I find the one?"

Well, wedding dress shopping isn’t an exact science and if I had a pound for every time I heard a bride say “but this is completely different to what I thought I wanted” I’d be retired in the Bahamas!
It’s an emotional purchase, ️ it’s the dress you are going to walk down the aisle in. ️But don’t get me wrong, we don’t always have tears, but there’s definitely a moment when as a good consultant you can spot when the dress has changed from being just a dress, to “the one”.

So my advice is don’t put pressure on yourself, you really will know when it’s right for you.

Comment from n1c1278 via Instagram...

"This has never been so close to the truth. I will never forget my wedding dress fitting with Jane...
I went with my Mum, Mum in law-to be and my Grandma and we all picked a dress each, the dress my Grandma picked was not my choice of dress but thought okay I will try it on. It was the second dress I tried and as soon as I looked in the mirror I was like, WOW, it was beautiful (as were the others too) but there was just something about the dress I wanted that this one didn't have, so took the dress on and carried on.
Every dress I tried on after that was lovely but just didn't give me the feel the one my Grandma had chosen did. Jane's words to me were "Right Nic we have to make this dress work for you" and sure enough she did, she referred me to a lovely lady called Amy from @bow_and_lace who is working to make my dress that bit more special.
I definitely had "that feeling" but knew it needed some small adjustments to make it "the dress".
I cannot recommend Jane enough she is excellent and makes you feel so welcomed as soon as you step foot into her shop."

#wedding #weddingdress #weddingdressshopping #bride #bridetobe #love #bridalinspiration #bridalfashion #weddingplanning #curvybride #plussizebride #plussizeweddingdress #bridalshopping #yorkshirebride #bridalshopsheffield #itsmorethanjustadressshop #teamcurves

Shopping Tips 8 - Don't Overshop!

If you do your research thoroughly you won’t fall into this trap. Picking the right shop(s) in the first place will make things so much easier. There should be no reason to get confused or overshop as you will choose retailers who have what you are looking for. 

As bridal shop owners, we understand the excitement and the temptation to adopt the scattergun approach and visit every bridal shop within a 50-mile radius, I did this myself (before I was in the bridal industry) and I can’t tell you how stressful it got!

But honestly, you (and your bridal party) will soon become very worn out by the experience and very confused. I call it a “white-out”  where all the dresses merge into one and you really can’t remember what you liked about any of them.
If this has happened to you, take a step back, take a break from shopping, then after more research start again. Focus, focus and your dress will find you!

#wedding #weddingdress #weddingdressshopping #bride #bridetobe #love #bridalinspiration #bridalfashion #weddingplanning #curvybride #plussizebride #plussizeweddingdress #bridalshopping #yorkshirebride #bridalshopsheffield #itsmorethanjustadressshop #teamcurves

And to my final tip, which is simply to...

Shopping Tips 9 - ENJOY IT!

It’s very often a once in a lifetime purchase, so it should be an enjoyable experience and there are lots of bridal shops all over the country that offer amazing service and the experience you are looking for.

If your research is good, you will find them. Reviews are so important and at the end of the day are posted by actual customers, so you know exactly what to expect, read the reviews and don’t forget to leave your own,‍ it’s vital for small businesses even more so in the current situation. 

Make a day of it, with those absolutely closest to you and make memories you will never forget!!!

Good luck with your shopping and have a fantastic time!

#wedding #weddingdress #weddingdressshopping #bride #bridetobe #love #bridalinspiration #bridalfashion #weddingplanning #curvybride #plussizebride #plussizeweddingdress #bridalshopping #yorkshirebride #bridalshopsheffield #itsmorethanjustadressshop #teamcurves