Wedding Dress Shopping Tips

The don’ts that every bride should know!

When trying something new, there’s always a little bit of trial and error. No one skis a black diamond on their first try. No one has perfect hair their first time using a curling iron (we’ve all been victim to those tight, Shirley Temple curls). But what about wedding dress shopping? Most of us only get one crack at that, so how do you work out the kinks? Take advice from fab pros like Flair, of course! We’ve learned over the years that when it comes to gown shopping, oftentimes it’s more about knowing what NOT to do. Here are our top dress shopping don’ts:

Yes, we are shamelessly using this blog as an excuse to show off photos of Flair brides who obviously shopped successfully - they look gorge! Photo credit: Leah Haydock Photography

Yes, we are shamelessly using this blog as an excuse to show off photos of Flair brides who obviously shopped successfully – they look gorge! Photo credit: Leah Haydock Photography

DON’T try on a gown that is over of your budget – There’s a reason it’s more expensive. It’s pretty, and you’re probably going to love it. Then you’ll have the hard decision of either raising your budget or trying to forget said dress; a Sophie’s choice if I’ve ever heard one!
DON’T shop too early – Your body may change. Your taste/style may change. New styles may come out that you’ll love more. Enough said. 12-9 months in advance is ideal for dress shopping/purchasing, so do your best to stay within that time frame.

Another pretty, pretty Flair bride :)

Another pretty, pretty Flair bride 🙂

DON’T focus on sales – Sure, sales are great…if they happen to apply to a dress that you already love. It can be easy to feel like you “love” a dress because it’s on a huge discount, but that shouldn’t be your #1 reason to purchase it. Think about if the dress was full price; would you love it just as much? If so, buy it! If not, it may be time to move on.
DON’T try to change a dress – Aside from little adjustments (extra length, for example) you really shouldn’t want to change a dress if it’s truly “the one.” If you want to alter major parts of the dress (i.e. top style, skirt fullness, material, etc.) then it’s likely not the one for you. Besides, the designer knew what he/she was doing and there’s probably a reason they designed the dress the way they did. Even if they will make the desired modifications for you, do you really purchase a dress without seeing those changes first? Probably not.

Gorgeous overload!

Gorgeous overload!

DON’T try to please everyone – This dress is all about YOU. Period. End of sentence. Sure, it would be great to have everyone in your entourage agree on a dress, but we’re here to tell you – that rarely happens. In the same breath, don’t feel pressured to purchase a dress just because everyone in your group loves it. If the only reason you love it is because they do, it’s probably not the one for you.

Lastly, DON’T put too much pressure on yourself. After all, gown shopping should be fun! One way to ensure that it is…come to Flair 😉 We can’t wait to shop with you soon!