Dress Shopping Tips:
Being a sixteen year old, I have never been wedding dress shopping. The only dress shopping I have seen is on Say Yes To The Dress, so I really have a different perspective. From what I have heard from family, and TLC, I’ve come up with a vision of myself wedding dress shopping, and how I want to do it.
- Bring the people you love: Don’t feel pressure to bring everyone you know. This is your day, so bring the people that you truly want to help you pick a dress. Too many opinions can cause problems.
- 2. Don’t Stress: This one’s hard, because the dress you pick will be worn on one of the most important days of your life. But enjoy the process, because you only want to experience this once!
- Plan ahead: To help with #2, plan your dress shopping in advance. Don’t wait until the last minute to go shopping. That way if you don’t find a dress on your first trip, you’ll have plenty of time to try again. I recommend starting your search 8-10 months before your wedding if possible, so you have time to find a dress, accessories, and make any adjustments.
Where To Go: There are many great dress shops in Central Florida. Some just provide dresses, while others provide an entire experience. Here are some of my favorites:
- Calvet Couture Bridal Boutique– this shop is located in Winter Park. They sell beautiful dresses ranging from $1,900 to $8,000 designed by Tara Keely, Kelly Faetanini, Lazaro, Sarah Seven and many others. They also sell bridesmaids dresses and evening gowns. It’s a very pretty shop with great reviews. One bride on Google said “The selection of gowns is gorgeous, all current styles by wonderful designers.”
- Lily’s Bridal– This bridal shop is a small business with genuine service and a great experience. Because this store is small, your experience really is personalized and special. Lily’s Bridal sells designs by Maggie Sottero and Midgley. A bride on Google said “Wonderful service and selection of gowns!” Lily’s Bridal goes to show that you don’t need to go to a fancy, expensive shop to have an amazing experience picking out your special dress.
- Something New Bridal Boutique– This gorgeous and elegant store offers an individual shopping experience. You can also purchase fittings, a drawing of you in your dress, custom flower bouquets and styling all in one place. It really is an all-in-one shop. They sell designs by Marin Moda, Ella Rosa, Yolan Cris and others. A bride on Google said “Super helpful staff and owner herself was there to help!”, and this shop has the highest rating on Google out of the three.
What To Spend:
This really depends on your budget. Think about weddings you’ve been to, and what you remember from the event. Plan your wedding, and dress, with priorities. Figure out which elements mean the most to you, and then plan your budget from there. If your dress really means a lot to you, and you’ve found an expensive gown that you really like, figure out what features you can skip out on. There’s always a way to get the dress of your dreams.
Written by Katherine Murphy