We’ve been busy at the office with new brides and grooms to be contacting us! It’s a busy time of year with a lot of couples getting engaged over the next couple of months! We are so excited! We love meeting new couples and hearing their love stories!

One of the first things a bride wants to do is shop for their wedding dress, and who wouldn’t? I remember when I got engaged, the first thing I did was book appointments at bridal salons to find the perfect dress. So here are some tips to make your dress shopping experience one you’ll enjoy!

1. Shop Early! Most designers take 6+ months to make a dress -so start shopping early! Give yourself time to find a dress and then enough time to order it. The last thing you want to do is be stuck with finding a dress off the rack that fits you and not the dress you really want.

2. Educate Yourself – Look through bridal magazines and find some pictures of dresses you like. Know the name of the style of dress you are looking for. Many of the bridal websites have definitions of dress necklines, dress silhouettes, and veil styles.

3. Make Appointments – Many salons require you to make an appointment, and if you walk in you will not get the full attention of a consultant. Wedding dresses look a lot alike when they are in those bags on the rack, you want to ensure a consultant works with you pulling the style of dress you want, and that will look good on your body type.

4. Be Honest – Tell the consultant up front what your budget is. There is nothing worse than falling in love with a dress that is way over your budget – you want to find the right dress that fits within your budget.

5. Don’t bring an Army along – We’ve all seen episodes of Say Yes to the Dress where a bride brings 5,6,7,8 and larger parties with them to dress shop. How does that always end? With the bride not knowing what dress to buy! Bring people you trust the most – your mom, your maid of honour, maybe even your grandma. But keep it to a minimum so you stay focused.

And of course – HAVE FUN! Make a day of the experience, go for lunch, talk about the dresses and share what you’re looking for with those coming with you.

* Photo credit – Rob McMorris Photography and DQ Studios