Here are some of my best tips and tricks to having a successful dress making experience after years of helping brides get their dream dress.
1. When getting your measurements done, wear the same bra or a bra similar to what you will wear on your wedding day. You won’t believe how many brides have shown up to have their measurements done after going to the gym and showing up in a sports bra or not having a bra at all. It just doesn’t work to get good measurements.
2. If you want a dress with the best fit, we recommend doing a dress with a lace up back. This is especially important if you are a plus size bride or a petite bride or if you are getting your wedding dress just a few days before your wedding day. Lace up style backs on wedding dresses offer a range of flexibility and allow the dress to be adjusted up or down a full size. When getting a dress with a lace up back, you will have a much lower chance of needing alterations for that perfect fit.
3. When possible, get your dress in advance. Ideally 1 to 6 months before the wedding. Nothing says stress like receiving your dress a few days before the wedding and it doesn’t fit. Some brides a short time before getting married start to take birth control or hormone pills, others stress and eat more, others exercise and diet. All these factors can cause the bride to change in shape and size just a short time before the wedding. Any bride of any size can change in size, so if you have your dress in advance, you know plenty of time in advance that it will fit or you will be prepared to have alterations if necessary. If you are taking bridal photos you will want to have the dress in advance to be prepared for bridal photos. I’ve had a couple brides say the need their dress by a certain time only to realize they had scheduled bridal photos or something else that required the dress before that time. Getting your dress earlier is always a good idea. Be prepared and plan in advance.
4. Think about the shoes you want to wear before you get your measurements done. You don’t want to get your measurements barefooted and then later add 3-inch heels only to find the dress doesn’t cover your feet anymore.
5. If you are dress shopping or trying on dresses and have kids, leave them at home. Find a babysitter. Kids and wedding dresses don’t mix well. Kids often want to touch or play with fragile materials. I’ve had brides bring their baby’s and then had the baby throw up on the wedding dress. Picking out a dress is a very important part of a wedding and you want to be able to give your full attention to the dress and the dress consultant.
