Don’t get overwhelmed by wedding dress shopping

When the initial excitement from a proposal has calmed down and brides are in full wedding planning mode, it's a whirlwind of a time. With so many people often wanting to give you advice or share their opinions on anything from the ceremony to seating arrangements and what flavour the cake should be, it can sometimes be a little hard to know your own mind. 

While it's lovely to have lots of people willing to help out, there comes a time when a bride needs to stand her ground and do what feels right for her. 

Choosing your entourage

Stepping into the wedding dress boutique for the first time is something special for any bride. It's a moment when everything begins to feel real, and it's understandable why many brides choose to bring along a support group. 

Whether it's your mum, your siblings, a close friend (or even a group of them), listening to other people's feedback on the look of a dress is often helpful and fairly influential on the wedding dress a bride will end up going with.

You choose to bring along different people for different reasons – your family may want to share the moment with you, whilst you might invite friends for their trusted opinions on the style of a wedding dress. 

One only has to cast an eye over some of the antics of the bridal 'entourages' from wedding reality shows such as 'Say Yes to The Dress' to see the emotional impact from bringing along too large a party to the wedding boutique. 

As etiquette writer for The Huffington Post, Kelsey Borrensen puts it, "There's no obligation at all to invite your future mother- and sister-in-law to go wedding dress shopping with you." Borrensen also adds that the decision of who helps you pick your dress is a personal one, and that it's absolutely fine to keep it a more intimate affair.

Contrasting opinions

Once you know who's coming with you, when you start trying on different dresses, there can be a few ups and downs – dresses which look incredible on the rack might look completely different on you, and some dresses might even surprise you once you try them on. 

It's good to have someone you can trust at your fitting.

Your friends and family may have your best interests at heart, but they can often bring the challenge of strong ideas to a fitting, which can make it difficult to know who to listen to.

The most important thing is patience. What your mum likes, might not be what your maid of honour or your friend believes will look best on you.

Often brides can find themselves trying to please everyone, especially when they themselves feel unsure of what they are looking for. 

This is why it's important to take a moment to try and envision yourself in the dress making your way down the aisle, and whether you would be happy looking back at photos of you wearing the dress.

While it's always good to listen to what everybody has to say, often it's best to go with what makes you feel good. 

Don't forget, bridal boutique assistants have a wealth of knowledge and experience fitting brides of different shapes with different tastes.

They will have an eye for knowing which gowns will be the right cut for your body type, and can work with you to find alternative styles or suggest options you might have never considered. 

Finding the perfect dress for you is an exciting and magical experience. Make sure you get in touch with Eternal Weddings to book your appointment, and our team will be there to help every step of the way.