It can be one of the most exciting or daunting experiences for any woman. Finding the one you’ve dreamt about, feeling happy with your choice and making sure it’s a perfect match. Yes, finding the ideal wedding gown can be stressful but it doesn’t have to be that way. For me, it was very simple, I got a wedding dress I wasn’t looking for!
THE HUNT
Nowadays wedding dress shopping has become a major event for some brides. The ‘Bride Squad’ or ‘I Do Crew’ may show up to bridal appointments with score cards, bubbly, sweets and anything else deemed necessary to make it through the fittings. People most likely to be at the appointments include the Mother of the Bride/Groom, close family members, bridesmaids, friends and so on. Well…
Wedding dress shopping for me didn’t quite happen the way I described above but it’s still one of my most memorable moments.
While in Montreal last summer I spotted my wedding dress in the window of a boutique and from the moment I saw it I knew it was the one (sounds cliché, but seriously I just knew it was the one). I took a photo of the dress while driving by the store with my fiancé and kept it in my phone. I was in Montreal for a few days to take engagement photos and didn’t plan to do any wedding dress shopping at the time because in my mind I would go dress hunting with my mom, grandmother etc.
KNOW WHAT YOU WANT
I couldn’t get the dress I had seen off my mind. It embodied the mix of a classic yet modern style and silhouette I wanted, so I visited the store a few days later to try the dress.
When we got to the store the owner asked, ‘who’s the guy with you?’, I replied, ‘My fiancé’, then the owner of the store politely opened the door, escorted him to a bench on the outside and told him to have a seat…it was too funny. I tried on a total of six dresses all at the same store.
I didn’t have my mom, grandmother, or ‘I Do Crew’ with me physically while trying the dresses but was happy to connect with them instantly through WhatsApp.
WHEN YOU FIND THE ONE
I sent pictures of some dresses I tried, but before I was done trying on all six dresses, there was a consensus that the wedding dress I first noticed was ‘the one’.
The first wedding gown that caught my eyes when I wasn’t even looking for it was the one I stood in front of the mirror with and felt like a princess bride. The dress I wasn’t looking for was perfect. I said ‘oui’ to the dress in June and on 2nd December 2017 I said yes again, wearing my honeysuckle colour wedding dress (with a few customizations).
THINGS TO CONSIDER
A few things to keep in mind when searching for the dress for your big day:
- Time –Make sure you give yourself enough time for ordering, shipping, and alterations (Getting my dress was easy but alterations worked my nerves…will share in a later post).
- Shape— Know your body type and be aware of the different shapes—apple, pear, hourglass, rectangle or triangle shaped. Choose a dress silhouette that accentuates your body…if not, find some good shapewear to help with areas you may want to minimize or maximize 😉. Check out spanx.com .
- Colour—If you go the non-traditional route and decide to steer away from white be sure to wear a colour that compliments your skin tone and hair colour. Personally, I like to see brides stay in the family of whites, neutrals and soft pinks for dress choices and nothing too ‘loud’ or bright for hair colours …. Just go for a look that would be winning in 2018 and 2038 – timeless!
- Squad – Share your dress shopping moments with people who are genuinely happy for you and who know your style.
- Value—When I speak of value here I’m not referring to the worth in terms of the dress (although it is important), I am talking about enjoying the moments, especially your wedding day. These moments are like Christmas – beautiful, heart-warming and fleeting.
What’s your wedding dress style?
Check out the dresses that weren’t quite my style.Photos are in order from favourite to least favourite.
Keep following to see the dresses I chose…
Xoxo -TV Styles
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