Dress Shopping Myths – To believe or not to believe?

There are a lot of wedding dress shopping misconceptions or myths that have been passed along, almost like urban legends.  Some of these myths can take a fun memorable experience and turn it into something stressful and quite frankly, nightmarish!  We want your dream dress shopping experience to be exactly that, a dream, easy, fun, and most of all successful!  So that is why we are taking the time to bust some of the myths associated with wedding dress shopping.

Myth 1: You can’t possibly find “the one” at the very first bridal salon 

We get it, “fomo” is very real, especially when it comes to finding your wedding dress. We see it happen all the time where a bride falls in love with a dress (and we mean, really in love with the dress, it gives her all the right feelings, she looks and feels incredible in it ).But,  when it comes to saying yes, there is instant panic. Why? Because there is that fear that maybe there is something better out there and that if she keeps looking, she will find it.  

Real talk: The more dresses you try the more likely you are to become confused and overwhelmed.  And, if you keep trying on dresses, you may lose that “it’s the one moment”, we just described above because you already had it (but didn’t listen to that little voice in your head/heart). Wedding dress shopping is an excellent time to begin to really trust that little voice in your head, because when you know, you know!  It really can be the first shop and the first dress. Just don’t let the magic escape you because you are afraid to listen to your heart. 

Myth 2: It can’t be the one without tears (yours or someone in your entourage, like your mother, or future mother-in-law, or best friend, you get the idea).

Let’s face it, some people are not criers and there are others (like myself) who sob at the drop of the hat.  If you don’t shed a tear it does not mean that you do not love a particular wedding dress. Most of the time it is more because of a look,  a special moment, or thought that causes a bride to tear up while looking at herself in the mirror.  It is usually when she is envisioning herself walking down the aisle, to marry the love of her life, while wearing an amazing dress that makes her look and feel so beautiful, confident, and like herself. 

However, a bride can also know without any tears being shed that she has found her gown.  Again, it goes back to trusting your instinct, your heart, your gut whatever it is in that moment.  

That said, it doesn’t mean that we don’t keep a box of tissues on hand when those tear-filled moments do occur. 

Myth 3: You must bring a huge entourage to each appointment so no one feels left out. 

Dress shopping is the most exciting thing to do when planning a wedding (ok, we might be slightly biased about that). So, it makes sense that you want to share it with your Mom, Grandmother, bridal party, future Mother-in-Law, sisters, aunt, sorority sisters and friends from college, that old friend from high school you just reconnected with, and the barista who gives you your morning coffee. Oh wait, does that sound completely overwhelming? Trust us, it very much is.

Real Talk: Everyone will come to the appointment with their own ideas of how you as the bride should look and what their vision is for you. Those ideas may or may not match, the ones that you have for yourself.  We all have our own unique styles, and having too many voices or opinions can be terribly distracting and make you begin to question exactly what it is that you want. . 

We cannot stress this enough, bring  2 – 3 people whose opinion you trust plus your decision maker – the person without whom you couldn’t possibly buy the dress even if it is absolutely the right one. There are plenty of other opportunities, like when your dress comes in or alterations, to have other people with you and marvel at you in your gown.

Myth 4: Everyone must like it

Staged or not, one of the things that the reality show “Say Yes to the Dress” has shown us is that not everyone is going to love the dress that you select.  The question is, are you a strong enough to standup to that person and let your opinion and your decision be the one that matters?  Or will someone, unintentionally, ruin a say yes moment and cause you to walk away from a dress that you love?

Real Talk:  What’s important here is how you feel about the dress.  You are the ONLY one who must love it. This is what I tell brides frequently:  Most of the time, no one who attends your wedding is going to remember the details of your dress.  They WILL, however, remember how beautiful you looked in it.  Why?  Because if you feel beautiful, gorgeous, sexy, confident (whatever adjective you want to put here), you are going to project that.  Your guests will see it in your smile, the way you hold your head up, your ease and your self-confidence.  Please you and you cannot go wrong.

Myth 5: Your wedding dress size will be the same as your normal dress size

Don’t let numbers play with your head.  . Bridal size charts have not changed since the 50’s  and therefore do not factor in the “vanity sizing” most brands employ today. Be prepared for it and realize that most bridal gowns will run 1-2 sizes smaller than your normal dress size.. Work closely with your bridal consultant on this one.  She knows the designers and how the dresses will fit. Order the size that fits your measurements, no matter the number. It will make for a much more comfortable wedding day. Then always remember that size does not, has not, and will never define beauty.

We hope that you have found some of this information helpful and that it will come in handy as you embark on your dress shopping journey.  And, as always, we are here to guide you along the way and to help ensure that your wedding dress dream does come true.